GLASS MELTING AND ITS INNOVATION POTENTIALS: THE POTENTIAL ROLE OF GLASS FLOW IN THE SAND-DISSOLUTION PROCESS

This work demonstrates how the temperature distribution and glass melt flow patterns resulting from these temperature gradients in a simple melting space or tank (horizontal orthogonal channel) influence sand dissolution from the melt, depending on the changes of the utilisation (by changes in the temperature distribution) of the space for the dissolution process occurring along the melt streamlines. The results show that the effect of the glass melt flow pattern and of the consequent space utilisation on the dissolution of the remaining sand are attributable to two quantities, namely the fraction of dead space for the melt flow (the regions in the space with creeping melt flow or the circulation regions of the melt) and the fraction of dead space for the sand particle dissolution (the part of the throughflowing melt where the sand particles are already dissolved). In this work, the volume performance of the space for the bubble removal V (m(3)s(-1)) is calculated by using the laboratory value of the sand dissolution time at the average temperature in the melt (1450 degrees C), the mean residence time of glass in the space and the two mentioned quantities characterising the space utilisation. The results are intended to support the control regime for optimising glass melt flow and developing new concepts of industrial dissolution space designs.