An installation for melting a composition of raw materials, suitable for obtaining glass wool, textile glass yarns and/or flat glass, includes a melting chamber equipped with at least one submerged burner, wherein the melting chamber is defined by side walls made of refractory material and a bare metal bottom traversed by a network of pipes adapted for the circulation of a cooling fluid.

Provided is a manufacturing method for a glass article, including: a pre-heating step (S1) of heating a transfer pipe (7); and a transfer step (S4) of allowing a molten glass to flow inside the transfer pipe (7) after the pre-heating step (S1). The transfer pipe (7) includes: a main body portion (8) having a tubular shape; and a flange portion (9a, 9b) formed at an end portion of the main body portion (8). The main body portion (8) is retained by a refractory (10). The pre-heating step (S1) includes an external force application step of applying an external force (F) to the transfer pipe (7) to extend the transfer pipe (7).

Provided is a manufacturing method for a glass article, including: a pre-heating step (S1) of heating a transfer pipe (7); and a transfer step (S4) of allowing a molten glass to flow inside the transfer pipe (7) after the pre-heating step (S1). The transfer pipe (7) includes: a main body portion (8) having a tubular shape; and a flange portion (9a, 9b) formed at an end portion of the main body portion (8). The main body portion (8) is retained by a refractory (10). The pre-heating step (S1) includes an external force application step of applying an external force (F) to the transfer pipe (7) to extend the transfer pipe (7).

Disclosed is a sensing system to evaluate and monitor the status of a material forming part of a refractory furnace, integrating an antenna and a grating structure that might be part of the furnace. The system is operative to identify flaws and measure the erosion profile and thickness of different materials, including refractory materials of an industrial furnace, using radiofrequency signals. The system is designed to integrate the antenna with a grating adjacent to an external furnace wall to improve the overall performance of the sensing system as compared to that of the antenna alone during an inspection of the furnace, even in regions of difficult access. Furthermore, the system comprises a mechanism to physically attach the antenna to the furnace grating or to modify the grating configuration around the antenna to improve the system performance for better estimating the remaining operational life and maintenance plan of the furnace.

Methods and apparatus for constructing refractory structures, e.g., glass furnace regenerator structures and/or glass furnace structures having walls formed of refractory block and buck stays externally supporting the walls are provided. Opposed pairs of supports are connected to at least a respective one of the vertically oriented buck stays with cross-support beams spanning the refractory structure between a respective pair of the supports. An overhead crane assembly is supported by the cross-support beams. In such a manner, refractory components of the refractory structure (e.g., refractory wall blocks and/or refractory checker bricks) may be installed using the overhead crane assembly.

Methods and apparatus for constructing refractory structures, e.g., glass furnace regenerator structures and/or glass furnace structures having walls formed of refractory block and buck stays externally supporting the walls are provided. Opposed pairs of supports are connected to at least a respective one of the vertically oriented buck stays with cross-support beams spanning the refractory structure between a respective pair of the supports. An overhead crane assembly is supported by the cross-support beams. In such a manner, refractory components of the refractory structure (e.g., refractory wall blocks and/or refractory checker bricks) may be installed using the overhead crane assembly.

Disclosed herein are embodiments of glass manufacturing apparatuses. The glass manufacturing apparatuses may include a glass fining module. The glass fining module may include a refractory metal vessel comprising a length extending in a longitudinal direction. A plurality of insulation layers may surround at least a portion of the refractory metal vessel. The plurality of insulation layers may comprise an insulation structure extending around at least a portion of the refractory metal vessel and comprising a plurality of arched portions and a bulk insulation structure surrounding the insulation structure. An exterior support structure may at least partially surround the plurality of insulation layers. Rollers may be coupled to the exterior support structure such that the glass fining module is translatable in the longitudinal direction on the rollers.

A furnace for melting vitrifiable material, in particular glass, employs a submerged burner, the furnace including a wall cooled by a cooling fluid, the face of the wall facing toward the interior of the furnace having, before vitrifiable material is melted in the furnace, an attachment texture for so-called self-crucible devitrified vitrifiable material.

A furnace for melting vitrifiable material has a composable wall structure, formed by modules, each comprising two flat metal panels separated by a gap for the circulation of cooling water.

A submerged combustion melting system includes a submerged combustion melter having a housing that defines a melting chamber and one or more vibration damping devices operatively coupled to the housing.