Patent ID: 6101847
Filing Date: 2000-08-15
Classification: C03B,Y02P

Abstract:
In a method of melting and refining glass in a furnace having a melting and refining tank with an upstream end, two sidewalls having oxygen-fuel fired burners therein, and a downstream end, comprising:feeding batch into the tank adjacent the upstream end and melting said batch to form molten glass,subjecting said batch and molten glass to heat from flames overhead generated by said burners, andremoving molten, refined glass at the downstream end of said tank, the improvement comprising:feeding oxygen and fuel to all of said burners, said burners being spaced apart in a portion of each sidewall that is adjacent the upstream end, no burners being in a portion of each of said sidewalls adjacent said downstream end of said tank, the portion of each of said sidewalls having no burners having a length of at least approximately one third the length of each sidewall.