Manufacture of glass using briquettes

Claim 1

A process for the continuous manufacture of glass from glass batch comprising silicon dioxide, soda ash and a calcium carbonate or calcium oxide in a glass furnace comprising: a. adding to the glass batch a binder selected from the group consisting of water and an aqueous caustic soda solution, in amounts up to 10% by weight of the batch, b. aging the glass batch and binder for a period of at least 10 minutes, c. compacting the glass batch and binder by compressing same in a prebriquetting stage, d. dividing the compacted glass batch and binder into particulate form, e. briquetting the particulates of glass batch and binder by compressing same into discrete briquetted shapes, f. heating the briquetted shapes to temperatures of from about 750° C to about 900° C for a time sufficient to convert said silicon dioxide through a fluid state to a solid state to obtain substantial conversion of said silicon dioxide in the glass batch to silicates, g. introducing the heat-treated briquetted shapes of step (f) into a glass furnace at a temperature not above 2,600° F (1,430° C) whereby volatilization of sodium values from the furnace is reduced, and h. recovering refined molten glass from the furnace.