Oxy-fuel-fired glass melting furnace atmospheres contain approximately 3.5 times more water vapor than air-fuel-fired furnaces, which increases the concentration of hydroxyl ions (OH-) dissolved in the glass melt. The effects on glass properties due to this chemical change are well understood, including reductions in viscosity and transformation temperature, and increased tendency towared phase separation and crystallization. Recent papers have explained the reaction of this additional water with the molten glass surface to produce increased amounts of volatile hydroxide vapor species, which cause exacerbated corrosion of superstructure refractories. However, the corrosion of superstructure refractories contaminated with silicate liquids generated from atmospherically borne batch dust remains inadequately investigated.
