Model Studies Of The Homogenizing Of Laboratory Glass Melts

The efficiency of various types of stirrers that can be used to homogenise glasses melted in crucibles has been examined by room temperature modelling. Mixing behaviour was studied by observing and photographing the dissipation of dye tracers in a viscous liquid and also by making sets of local electrical conductance measurements during the mixing of two LiCl-glycerol solutions. Flag stirrers (assymetrical vertical flat plates with apertures cut in them) were found more effective than any others. As such stirrers are simple to fabricate and use, and have lower power consumption than any others, their use is recommended.