초록 ▼

The present invention relates to method and apparatus for preheating pulverous materials, such as glass batch constituents, prior to their introduction into a melting furnace to increase the efficiency and output of the melting installation. The pulverous materials are passed downwardly by gravity t

The present invention relates to method and apparatus for preheating pulverous materials, such as glass batch constituents, prior to their introduction into a melting furnace to increase the efficiency and output of the melting installation. The pulverous materials are passed downwardly by gravity through a shell and tube preheater including an interior exhaust chamber to vent the contained moisture from the heated pulverous material. The venting prevents moisture condensation and build-up of the pulverous material within the tubes and batch materials, especially in cooler areas, which can cause tube pluggage. The subject invention is of particular utility to the glass industry and especially glass melting furnaces, but is also applicable to other types of furnaces.

대표청구항 ▼

The process of preheating glass batch prior to its delivery to a glass melting furnace comprising the steps of introducing the fully-intermixed, moisture-containing, glass batch constituents into the upper region of a tubular heat exchanger, allowing the glass batch to flow downwardly by gravity thr

The process of preheating glass batch prior to its delivery to a glass melting furnace comprising the steps of introducing the fully-intermixed, moisture-containing, glass batch constituents into the upper region of a tubular heat exchanger, allowing the glass batch to flow downwardly by gravity through a plurality of interrupted lengthy open-ended tubes of said heat exchanger, said tubes being interrupted within an enclosed exhaust chamber located within an upper region of said heat exchanger, passing hot gases upwardly through said heat exchanger around said open-ended tubes and said exhaust chamber to heat the glass batch contained therein by countercurrent indirect heat transfer, venting the contained moisture from within said glass batch during its passage through said exhaust chamber, and delivering the essentially moisture-free heated glass batch from the bottom of said heat exchanger into the glass melting furnace. Combined apparatus for preheating glass furnace batch comprising an elongated vertically-mounted heat-exchanger having a plurality of interrupted lengthy open-ended tubes extending vertically throughout a major central portion of its height, means for delivering glass batch in fully-intermixed moisture-containing condition to an upper region of said heat-exchanger for its passage by gravity through said open-ended tubes, an exhaust chamber disposed in an upper region of said heat-exchanger into which said tubes are interrupted and headed, means for introducing hot gases from said glass furnace into a lower region of said heat-exchanger to circulate upwardly between said open-ended tubes and around said exhaust chamber, baffle means mounted around said tubes to direct said hot gases in a circuitous path around said tubes and out of contact with said glass batch for countercurrent indirect heat transfer, venting means leading from said exhaust chamber to separate the contained moisture in vapor form from said glass batch, and means for delivering the said glass batch continuously to said glass furnace in essentially moisture-free preheated condition.