Glass melting and its innovation potentials: The combination of transversal and longitudinal circulations and its influence on space utilisation

This work deals with the increase of the space utilisation caused by changes in glass circulations resulting from different temperature gradients in the melting channel. The space utilisation values were calculated by mathematical modelling of particle dissolution and bubble rising in a model melting channel. It has been found that for a given sand-dissolution time and bubble-growth rate, the space utilisation value was determined as the ratio between transversal and longitudinal temperature gradients. The highest space utilisation values for both dissolution and bubble removal are reached when both types of temperature gradients are combined and the transversal temperature gradient is 5–10 times higher than the longitudinal one. A cautious application of optimal conditions in the model glass furnace leads to an increase in the furnace space utilisation.

Research highlights
► Modelling of the glass flow in a simple melting space.
► Examination of influence of the temperature gradient on the glass flow.
► The influence of channel geometry on the glass flow.
► The influence of the glass flow on the space utilisation.