US4319903A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for preheating glass batch
Assignee: Owens Corning Fiberglas Technology Inc
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Filing: 1980-08-27
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Granted: 1982-03-16
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Expires: 2000-08-27
Abstract
Abstract A process and apparatus for preheating glass batch ingredients is disclosed. The invention uses a heat exchange method that preferably employs furnace exhaust gases. The heated batch then is fed to a glass melting furnace.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles M. Hohman
- 👤 Mark A. Propster
- 👤 Stephen Seng
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 22:54
CPC Classifications
C; C03; C03B; C03B3/00; C03B3/02; C03B3/023; C03B1/00; C03B1/02; F; F27; F27D; F27D13/00; Y; Y02; Y02P; Y02P40/00; Y02P40/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
172 words
A process for producing glass by charging to a melting furnace and melting therein a particulate glass batch, including the steps of: heating durable heat transfer media, larger in particle size than the glass batch, by direct contact with exhaust gases from the melting furnace; introducing the hot media into one end of an inclined container rotatable about an axis having the same inclination as the container; introducing the particulate glass batch into the other end of the container with the batch charging end of the container elevated above the media charging end; rotating the container, during rotation the batch and media tumbling and moving over each other in heat transfer relationship; moving the glass batch in one direction through the rotating container towards the lower end for discharge and moving the hot media in the opposite direction for discharge at the elevated end; and discharging hot batch at the lower end of the container through openings that allow the batch to pass freely through but that prevent the media from passing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
172 words
A process for producing glass by charging to a melting furnace and melting therein a particulate glass batch, including the steps of: heating durable heat transfer media, larger in particle size than the glass batch, by direct contact with exhaust gases from the melting furnace; introducing the hot media into one end of an inclined container rotatable about an axis having the same inclination as the container; introducing the particulate glass batch into the other end of the container with the batch charging end of the container elevated above the media charging end; rotating the container, during rotation the batch and media tumbling and moving over each other in heat transfer relationship; moving the glass batch in one direction through the rotating container towards the lower end for discharge and moving the hot media in the opposite direction for discharge at the elevated end; and discharging hot batch at the lower end of the container through openings that allow the batch to pass freely through but that prevent the media from passing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
174 words
A process for producing glass by charging to a melting furnace and melting therein a particulate glass batch, including the steps of: heating durable heat transfer media, larger in particle size than the glass batch, by direct contact with exhaust gases from the melting furnace; introducing the hot media into one end of an inclined container rotatable about an axis having the same inclination as the container; introducing the articulate glass batch into the other end of the container with the batch charging end of the container elevated above the media charging end; rotating the container, during rotation the batch and media tumbling and moving over each other in heat transfer relationship; axially moving the glass batch in one direction through the rotating container towards the lower end for discharge and axially moving the hot media in the opposite direction for discharge at the elevated end; and discharging hot batch at the lower end of the container through openings that allow the batch to pass freely through but that prevent the media from passing.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
174 words
A process for producing glass by charging to a melting furnace and melting therein a particulate glass batch, including the steps of: heating durable heat transfer media, larger in particle size than the glass batch, by direct contact with exhaust gases from the melting furnace; introducing the hot media into one end of an inclined container rotatable about an axis having the same inclination as the container; introducing the articulate glass batch into the other end of the container with the batch charging end of the container elevated above the media charging end; rotating the container, during rotation the batch and media tumbling and moving over each other in heat transfer relationship; axially moving the glass batch in one direction through the rotating container towards the lower end for discharge and axially moving the hot media in the opposite direction for discharge at the elevated end; and discharging hot batch at the lower end of the container through openings that allow the batch to pass freely through but that prevent the media from passing.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
A process according to claims 1 or 2 wherein the media and batch each form gradients and generally flow downhill in a direction along its gradient.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
A process according to claims 1 or 2, wherein the hot media has a spherical shape.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
44 words
A process according to claims 1 or 2 wherein the media is removed from the container by moving along a spiral path through a scroll connected to and located within the container, and communicating with a media exit to the exterior of the container.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
43 words
A process according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the media is removed from the container by moving along a spiral path from an outer, interior region of the container to a centrally arranged media exit communicating to the exterior of the container.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
174 words
An apparatus for preheating particulate glass batch comprising: means for heating durable heat transfer media by direct contact with exhaust gases from a melting furnace; a container rotatable about an axis, the axis being inclined to the horizontal; means for introducing the hot media, larger in particle size than the glass batch, into the lower end of the container for movement towards the elevated end for discharge; means for introducing particulate glass batch into the elevated end of the container for movement towards the lower end for discharge; means for rotating the container along the inclined axis; means associated with the interior of the container for tumbling and moving the particulate glass batch in direct contact with hot media during rotation of the container to heat the glass batch prior to charging to a melting furnace; and means for discharging hot batch at the lower end of the container having openings of a size that allows the batch to pass freely through the openings but that prevents the media from passing through the openings.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
174 words
An apparatus for preheating particulate glass batch comprising: means for heating durable heat transfer media by direct contact with exhaust gases from a melting furnace; a container rotatable about an axis, the axis being inclined to the horizontal; means for introducing the hot media, larger in particle size than the glass batch, into the lower end of the container for movement towards the elevated end for discharge; means for introducing particulate glass batch into the elevated end of the container for movement towards the lower end for discharge; means for rotating the container along the inclined axis; means associated with the interior of the container for tumbling and moving the particulate glass batch in direct contact with hot media during rotation of the container to heat the glass batch prior to charging to a melting furnace; and means for discharging hot batch at the lower end of the container having openings of a size that allows the batch to pass freely through the openings but that prevents the media from passing through the openings.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
61 words
An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the means for removing hot batch from the container is a grate-like member forming the sidewall of the container adjacent one end wall of the container, the openings of the member having a size that allows the batch to pass freely through the openings but that prevents the media from passing through the openings.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus according to claim 7 where the means for removing hot batch from the container is a screen or perforated plate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
13 words
An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the container is a cylindrical drum.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein an arrangement of protruberances are attached to the interior of the container.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the means for charging the batch extends into the interior of the container.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the means for removing cooled media from the container includes a scroll attached to the container and extending into the container.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
33 words
An apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the scroll has openings of a size that allows batch to pass freely through the openings but that prevents the media from passing through the openings.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the scroll is at least 70 percent openings.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the scroll is formed of screen, perforated plate or expanded metal.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
219 words
An apparatus for preheating particulate glass batch comprising: a rotatably mounted container; an end wall defining an opening at each of the opposite ends of the container; means for charging particulate glass batch to one of the openings in one end wall of the drum; a vertical bed preheat hopper; means for charging media to the hopper; means for charging exhaust gases from a glass melting furnace to the hopper; means for bringing the media in direct contact with the exhaust gases; means for removing hot media from the hopper and charging the hot media to the opening in the other end wall of the container; means for removing hot batch from the container; and means for removing cooled media from the container; wherein the means for charging batch and the means for removing cooled media are at or adjacent one end of the container and the means for removing hot batch and the means for supplying hot media are at or adjacent the other end of the container; wherein the means for removing cooled media from the container includes a scroll attached to the container and extending into the container; and wherein the scroll has openings of a size that allows batch to pass freely through the openings but that prevents the media from passing through the openings.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
219 words
An apparatus for preheating particulate glass batch comprising: a rotatably mounted container; an end wall defining an opening at each of the opposite ends of the container; means for charging particulate glass batch to one of the openings in one end wall of the drum; a vertical bed preheat hopper; means for charging media to the hopper; means for charging exhaust gases from a glass melting furnace to the hopper; means for bringing the media in direct contact with the exhaust gases; means for removing hot media from the hopper and charging the hot media to the opening in the other end wall of the container; means for removing hot batch from the container; and means for removing cooled media from the container; wherein the means for charging batch and the means for removing cooled media are at or adjacent one end of the container and the means for removing hot batch and the means for supplying hot media are at or adjacent the other end of the container; wherein the means for removing cooled media from the container includes a scroll attached to the container and extending into the container; and wherein the scroll has openings of a size that allows batch to pass freely through the openings but that prevents the media from passing through the openings.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus according to claim 17 wherein the scroll is at least 70 percent openings.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
174 words
An apparatus for preheating particulate glass batch comprising: a rotatably mounted container; an end wall defining an opening at each of the opposite ends of the container; means for charging particulate glass batch to one of the openings in one end wall of the container; means for charging hot media to the opening in the other end wall of the container; means for removing hot batch from the container; and means for removing cooled media from the container; wherein the means for charging batch and the means for removing cooled media are at or adjacent one end of the container and the means for removing hot batch and the means for charging hot media are at or near the other end of the container; wherein the means for removing cooled media from the container includes a scroll attached to the container and extending into the container; and wherein the scroll has openings of a size that allows batch to pass freely through the openings but that prevents the media from passing through the openings.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
174 words
An apparatus for preheating particulate glass batch comprising: a rotatably mounted container; an end wall defining an opening at each of the opposite ends of the container; means for charging particulate glass batch to one of the openings in one end wall of the container; means for charging hot media to the opening in the other end wall of the container; means for removing hot batch from the container; and means for removing cooled media from the container; wherein the means for charging batch and the means for removing cooled media are at or adjacent one end of the container and the means for removing hot batch and the means for charging hot media are at or near the other end of the container; wherein the means for removing cooled media from the container includes a scroll attached to the container and extending into the container; and wherein the scroll has openings of a size that allows batch to pass freely through the openings but that prevents the media from passing through the openings.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1985-03-15 | 1985-09-14 | 1986-03-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1989-03-15 | 1989-09-14 | 1990-03-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1993-03-15 | 1993-09-14 | 1994-03-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |