Optimization of the physico-chemical processes occuring during the preparation of glass mix and evaluation of the effect of the mix moisture content on the efficiency of the glass-making process

Abstract

The physico-chemical processes and individual factors affecting the uniformity of the mix both when the mix components are being mixed in a mixer in a sectional line and when the mix is transported and loaded into a glass-making furnace are analyzed. The effect of moistening on mix quality in obtaining glass mix and transporting and loading the mix into the furnace by means of mix loaders is determined. The temperature factors ensuring that the mix temperature when the mix is loaded into the furnace is no lower than 35 -40°C are determined. The degree to which mix is removed with respect to both quantity and individual components on the loading hopper and regenerators along the glass-making furnace is determined. The direction for further research on optimizing the mix preparation process in order to increase the operational efficiency of a glass-making furnace is proposed on the basis of the results obtained in the present work.

Improvement of Glass Batch Conveyer Lines

“…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.…”

Design particulars of production lines transporting glass batch

“…It is obvious that the processes of transporting and distributing the batch over the hoppers are different in different glass plants [1]. In modern plants the length of the transport flows of the batch are negligible and constitute several tens of meters while in other plants, especially old ones producing glass containers and sheet glass these lines are longer than 100 m and reaches 300 -400 m in individual plants.…”

Improvement of batch preparation and feeding for glass furnaces

“…The first step of our study of optimizing physical-chemical processes for preparing glass batch and evaluating the effect of its moisture content on the effectiveness of the glassmaking process [1] made it possible to determine that the optimal moisture content of the batch at all stages of batch preparation from the mixer in the sectional shop to loading into a glass furnace is of definite value for obtaining a uniform batch and maintaining its uniformity. It was established that it is important to maintain the batch temperature at the level 35 -40°C before the batch is loaded into a glass furnace.…”

“…The main factors that determine the prescribed batch temperature level and correspondingly influence the change in the moisture content during batch preparation have been identified [1]: temperature of the raw materials, including cullet; temperature of the wetting agent during wetting of the batch components being mixed; ambient conditions and path length during transport of the batch to the glass furnace.…”

“…Maintaining stable moisture content in the batch in the range 4.5 -5.0% on the loaders for high-capacity furnaces is no easy problem, especially for sheet glass. In the first place it is difficult to obtain moisture content 5% or more in the batch mixer and then to maintain this value along the path to the batch loaders of the glass furnace, after all the moisture losses from the batch during transport and intermediate storage reach 1% [1].…”