Bubling - Intensifying Mean of Glass Melting Process and its Mathematical Modeling

Abstract

The method of 3D numerical modeling by means of the CDF program Fluent has been used to study the influence of bubbling on temperature and velocity fields in a gas heated melting furnace. Bubbling presence in the furnace has proved its intensifying influence on a melting process, which was manifested by positive influencing of glass melt temperature (higher heating up ). The same positive influence of bubbling has been noticed also in case of a glass melt flow. Bubbling in the furnace has resulted in the increase of glass melt velocity and, consequently, in speeding up the reactions between non-homogeneities and the melt, as well as in quicker glass melt refining. A double-row arrangement of bubbling nozzles has appeared to be more advantageous, as it lead to the global heating up in the furnace increased by several tens degrees ( 3 0 - 6 0 ° C ) and to the increase of velocity by about 30%.