Tracing Of Primary Melt Formation And Reactions Involved In Glass Batch Melting

The primary melt formation and the reactions involved therein were traced by means of electrical conductivity measurements. After the temperture of the furnace had reached 1200 deg C, 700g of soda-lime-silica glass batch, either with or without carbon additions, were loosely charged into an induction furnace. An electrical conductivity sensor connected with a thermocouple was put immediately into the batch; then the conductivity in terms of voltage drop and temperatures were continously recorded. Not only the changes in the reaction atmosphere were detected, but also at least four events leading the the occurrence of the primary melts could be identified.