Submerged combustion melters and methods

Abstract

A submerged combustion melter 10 is arranged with a vertical melting chamber 11 , which may be cylindrical, and at least five submerged combustion burners 21 - 26 in the bottom base 13 , the burners so spaced apart from each other and from the walls and angled from the vertical that in use a toroidal flow pattern can be achieved, providing intensive mixing. The claims also pertain to a method of melting a vitrifiable material from solid batch by submerged combustion melting.

1 .- 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A method of providing a molten vitrifiable material comprising the steps of:
 introducing solid batch material into a melter; and   melting the solid batch material in the melter by submerged combustion to provide the molten vitrifiable material within the melter;   wherein during the melting step an essentially toroidal melt flow pattern is generated in the melt of vitrifiable material, comprising a major centrally inwardly convergent flows at the melt surface, the central axis of revolution of the torroidal flow being essentially vertical.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the melt moves downwardly in the center at proximity of the axis of revolution and is recirculated in an ascending movement back to the melt surface, thus defining an essentially toroidal flow pattern. 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12  wherein velocity vectors of the moving melt form a circulation pattern in which said velocity vectors fill cross-sections of an essentially horizontal toroid. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the melt in the melter comprises a single such toroidal flow pattern. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the melter has a substantially circular cross-section and the central axis of revolution of the toroidal flow pattern essentially corresponds with the melter axis. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12  for the manufacture of flat glass, hollow glass, glass fibers, continuous fibers for reinforcement purposes, mineral fibers for insulation purposes, mineral wool, stone wool or glass wool. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the solid batch material comprises silicates, basalt, limestone, soda ash, zeolite catalyst, spent catalyst, spent pot liner, refractory materials, aluminum dross, aluminum melting scum, sand based fire extinguisher waste, sludge, galvanic sludge, clinker, waste materials, ash and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the composition of the melt produced comprises 
       
         
           
                 
                 
               
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   composition 
                 
                     
                   (% weight) 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                 
                 
                 
                 
               
                     
                   SiO 2   
                   35-70  
                 
                     
                   Al 2 0 3   
                   5-30 
                 
                     
                   CaO 
                   5-20 
                 
                     
                   MgO 
                   0-10 
                 
                     
                   Na 2 O 
                   0-20 
                 
                     
                   K 2 O 
                   0-15 
                 
                     
                   Fe 2 O 3  (total iron) 
                   0-15 
                 
                     
                   B 2 O 3   
                   0-10 
                 
                     
                   TiO 2   
                   0-5  
                 
                     
                   BaO 
                 
                     
                   P 2 O 5   
                   0-3  
                 
                     
                   MnO 
                   0-3  
                 
                     
                   Na 2 O + K 2 O 
                   5-30 
                 
                     
                   (alkali metal oxide) 
                 
                     
                   CaO + MgO 
                   5-30 
                 
                     
                   (alkaline earth 
                 
                     
                   metal oxide) 
                 
                     
                   SiO 2  + Al 2 O 3   
                   50-85  
                 
                     
                     
                 
             
                
                
                
                
               
               
                
               
            
             
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
               
            
           
         
       
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the composition of the melt produced comprises 
       
         
           
                 
                 
               
                     
                     
                 
                     
                   composition 
                 
                     
                   (% weight) 
                 
                     
                     
                 
                     
                 
                 
                 
                 
               
                     
                   SiO 2   
                   40-65 
                 
                     
                   Al 2 0 3   
                   15-25 
                 
                     
                   CaO 
                    5-12 
                 
                     
                   MgO 
                   1-7 
                 
                     
                   Na 2 O 
                    5-18 
                 
                     
                   K 2 O 
                    0-10 
                 
                     
                   Fe 2 O 3  (total iron) 
                   0.5-10  
                 
                     
                   B 2 O 3   
                   0-5 
                 
                     
                   TiO 2   
                   0-2 
                 
                     
                   BaO 
                 
                     
                   P 2 O 5   
                   0-2 
                 
                     
                   MnO 
                   0-2 
                 
                     
                   Na 2 O + K 2 O 
                    5-20 
                 
                     
                   (alkali metal oxide) 
                 
                     
                   CaO + MgO 
                    5-20 
                 
                     
                   (alkaline earth 
                 
                     
                   metal oxide) 
                 
                     
                   SiO 2  + Al 2 O 3   
                   60-80 
                 
                     
                     
                 
             
                
                
                
                
               
               
                
               
            
             
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
                
               
            
           
         
       
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the boron content of the glass produced, expressed as B 2 O 3 , is ≥1 w %, ≥2 w %, ≥3 w %, ≥5 w % and/or ≤20 w %, ≤18 w %, ≤15 w % or ≤10 w %. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 12  wherein hot fumes from the melting chamber are used to preheat raw material and/or a portion of their thermal energy is recovered.