Superstructures in container glass furnaces are critical to the performance of the melter. The key performance indicators of a melter influenced by a superstructure are: Glass quality, furnace life, energy, efficiency and emissions. Using a combination of some available technologies will enable furnace designers to address all of the key performance indicators of the melter. When compared to traditional technologies, high quality sintered AZS materials provide engineering alternatives that result in more energy-efficient melters and improved glass quality while maintaining the desired campaign life. High emissivity coatings enable heating of a melter to operate more efficiently, lower emissions through the stack and improve alkali resistance of the hot-face refractories. Combination of sintered AZS materials, high emissivity coatings and strategic design of the refractory lining will impact all of the key performance indicators making a high performance superstructure possible.
