Methods and apparatus for constructing glass furnace structures

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for constructing refractory structures, e.g., glass furnace regenerator structures and / or glass furnace structures having walls formed of refractory block and buck stays externally supporting the walls are provided. Opposed pairs of supports are connected to at least a respective one of the vertically oriented buck stays with cross-support beams spanning the refractory structure between a respective pair of the supports. An overhead crane assembly is supported by the cross-support beams. In such a manner, refractory components of the refractory structure (e.g., refractory wall blocks and / or refractory checker bricks) may be installed using the overhead crane assembly.

Description

technical field [0001] Embodiments disclosed herein relate generally to methods and apparatus for constructing refractory structures associated with glass melting furnaces. Background technique [0002] In the manufacturing method of making glass, raw materials including sand, lime, soda ash, and other ingredients are fed into a furnace (sometimes called a glass jar). The feedstock is subjected to temperatures above about 2800°F in the glass furnace, which causes the feedstock to melt and thereby form a molten bed of glass that exits the glass furnace for further downstream processing into glass products. [0003] The most common way of heating a glass melting furnace is by the combustion of a hydrocarbon fuel source such as natural gas or oil. The hydrocarbon fuel mixes with the combustion air in the furnace and burns, transferring combustion heat energy to the raw materials and glass melt before exiting the furnace. [0004] In order to increase the thermal efficiency of...

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Problems solved by technology

However, while large refractory blocks can be manufactured by pressing, molding or casting refractory materials, installing such blocks during the construction of large refractory structures is problematic

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