Patent ID: 6871514

Claim:
A method of refining glass in a melting unit, said melting unit comprising a continuously operable melting unit which melting unit comprises a portion to melt a feed material, said method comprising: producing a melt of molten glass from feed material in said portion to melt a feed material; minimizing at least one compound of nitrate in said melt by omitting said at least one compound of nitrate in the feed material; refining said melt by (i.), (ii.), (iii.), (iv.), and (v.): (i.) introducing at least one fining agent in said melt; (ii.) forming, in said melt, a first gas comprising at least one product of decomposition of the feed material; (iii.) forming, in said melt, a second gas comprising at least one product of decomposition of said at least one fining agent; (iv.) combining said first gas and said second gas into bubbles; and (v.) heating said melt to substantially remove said bubbles from said melt; and said method further comprising: introducing by blowing, during melting, a gas, comprising substantially oxygen, into said melt, and thereby setting and maintaining the reduction-oxidation state of said at least one fining agent in said melt of molten glass in the highest reduction-oxidation state.