Improved modelling technique of electric glass melting

Abstract

Physical, mathematical and some other types of new modelling techniques for modelling phenomena occurring in convective heat transfer and electrical parameters of an electric melting furnace will be shown. The optimal connections of electrodes with the multiphase sources of power, from the point of view of minimum energy consumption, will be described. When modelling the electric melting process we simulate the flow of the glass melt occurring in a continuous melting furnace caused by the withdrawal of molten glass, or due to the convection currents involved as a result of heat transfer. The first type of flow, the primary working or “pull” flow can be regarded as free flow in an open channel under the influence of gravity. The other type of flow, the convection currents, can be traced back to the temperature differences existing in the furnace. When the furnace is in operation the convection currents combine with the primary flow - “the pull” - of the glass. Another group of parameters which has to be modelled is connected with the electrical energy which is introduced into the furnace by means of electrodes. Using a physical model it is possible to model the transport phenomena in the furnace i.e. the hydrodynamic flow and heat transfer, as well as the electrical parameters.