초록

A means and method for preheating glass batch is disclosed. A media heated with furnace exhaust gases is used to preheat the glass batch. This invention includes a way to clean furnace exhaust gas condensate from the surface of the media.

대표청구항 ▼

A process for producing glass by charging to a melting furnace and melting therein a particulate glass batch, including the steps of: heating durable heat transfer media, larger in particle size than the glass batch, by direct contact with exhaust gases from the melting furnace; wherein the direct c

A process for producing glass by charging to a melting furnace and melting therein a particulate glass batch, including the steps of: heating durable heat transfer media, larger in particle size than the glass batch, by direct contact with exhaust gases from the melting furnace; wherein the direct contact with furnace exhaust gases coats the media with a condensate; using the hot media to preheat the particulate glass batch and thereby cool the media; introducing the cool media into a cleaning container rotatable about an axis; and rotating the cleaning container, during rotation the media tumbling and moving over each other in cleaning relationship to remove the condensate from the media by abrasion of the media against each other. An apparatus for preheating particulate glass batch comprising: means for heating durable heat transfer media by direct contact with exhaust gases from a melting furnace wherein the direct contact with furnace exhaust gases coats the media with a condensate; means for using the hot media to preheat the particulate glass batch and thereby cool the media; a cleaning container rotatable about an axis; means for introducing the cool media into the cleaning container; means for rotating the cleaning container; and means associated with the cleaning container so that the media tumble and move over each other in cleaning relationship to remove the condensate from the media by abrasion of the media against each other.