Patent ID: 6079229
Filing Date: 2000-06-27
Classification: C03B,F23C,F23D,Y02P

Abstract:
A process for manufacturing glass in a furnace comprising the steps of:introducing a glass charge in solid form into a furnace-charging zone at an upstream part of a furnace;moving the glass charge from the furnace-charging zone to a zone for removing the combustion smoke from the furnace downstream from the furnace-charging zone;moving the glass charge from zone for removing combustion smoke to a charge-melting zone downstream from the furnace-charging zone and located substantially in a middle of the furnace and heated by means of at least one burner;moving the glass charge from the charge-melting zone to a charge-refining zone downstream from the charge-melting zone;bringing the glass charge to a desired temperature and viscosity in the charge-refining zone;removing the glass charge from the furnace after the glass charge has been brought to the desired temperature and viscosity;moving the glass charge, after it has been removed from the furnace, into a feed channel of glass-forming machines;delivering energy to the glass charge in the furnace-charging zone in an amount between 5% and 40% of a total energy delivered to the glass charge in the furnace; anddelivering energy to the glass charge throughout the entire furnace such that energy delivery is uniformly distributed over an entire length of the furnace so as to avoid exceeding a crown temperature at a hot spot of the furnace of greater than approximately 1620.degree. C., and so as to maintain a temperature in the furnace-charging zone, measured in a crown of the furnace, at least equal to 1430.degree. C.