Importance

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Abstract

A conventional glass tank furnace used in the manufacture of glass is provided with a system for recovering heat which inevitably escapes from the furnace roof or crown above the melting and refining tanks of the furnace. A heat recovery plenum means is mounted on top of the furnace roof or crown, and an air blower supplies cool air to the plenum means through a first duct means. The cool air directed to the plenum means cools the furnace crown and in the case of a suspended flat arch crown, the supporting steel work. The cool air in the plenum means is heated by heat escaping from the furnace crown, and thereafter is directed through second duct means to a main combustion air blower where the heated air from the plenum means is mixed with primary combustion air and directed to the furnace and to the furnace burners. Control means are provided to maintain the air in the plenum means at positive pressure so as to prevent air in the furnace from escaping through the furnace crown. The recovery and utilization of the heat otherwise lost through the crown improves furnace efficiency and thus reduces the amount of fuel used in the glass manufacturing process. Also, the life of the furnace crown is extended, thus making it possible to design furnace volumes initially so as to minimize the amount of fuel used and to avoid overheating the refractory in the refractory enclosure.

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First Claim