Improvement of Glass Batch Conveyer Lines

Abstract

The problems of conveying glass batch over large distances are examined. A plan for reconstructing a continuous conveyer for raw materials and glass batch in the production of float glass is examined. Different variants of technological schemes for the batch mixing division located outside the batch house are shown. An algorithm is proposed for using conditionally rejected batch with the aid of a backup mixer.It is well-known that sometimes the temperature, moisture content, and uniformity of the batch loaded into a glassmaking furnace differ significantly from their values for freshly prepared batch in the batch house [1]. The quality degradation of the initial mixture of raw materials largely depends on the method used to transport it as well as on the extent and configuration of the continuous batch conveyers. The length of these lines at individual enterprises producing sheet glass and glass containers reaches 100 m or more while the lines themselves can contain turns, branching, and height differences.Belt conveyers equipped with screw and weight belt tightening setups, electric bogies controlled by batch machinists -chargers, and automated container systems for moving batch in portions from the mixers in the batch house to the hoppers of the glass furnace loaders are the primary means used to convey glass batch over such distances [2]. However, it is not always possible to use belt conveyers for such purposes because the batch dries out, separates, and cools during its long trip and several transfers from one conveyer to another.However, the use of electric bogies and aerial container systems, though they prevent active separation and temperature reduction of multicomponent system during such operations, still complicate the conveyance process and the presence of intermediate, heated, batch-storage bins in the batch house is mandatory. In addition, when using bogies and container systems height differences are not allowed and the dynamic loads transferred on rail and monorail paths from the driving mechanisms require additional strengthening of the covers and carrying structures of the batch conveyor galleries.Also possible are combined feeding schemes where on most of the path batch is conveyed by means of an electric bogie or autotruck and at the final stage the raw mixture is off-loaded onto a system of belt conveyers and elevators which distribute the batch together with the weighed portions of cullet over the hoppers of the furnace chargers. Such combined schemes are characteristic for glass plants where the batch is prepared in a centralized batch house and conveyed to several glass furnaces separated from one another and from the batch house.For example, at AGC JSC, Borskii Plant, electric bogies traveling along a conveyer gallery with four turns and more than 500 m long are still used to convey glass batch to two glass furnaces in the production of float glass.Before the first step of the reconstruction of the lines feeding batch to the glass furnaces the batch at this plant was conveyed exclusively...