Rational approaches to regulating the redox properties of batch for float-glass production

Abstract

Optimization of the physical-chemical processes occurring during the preparation of glass batch, improvement of the batch preparation processes, transport, and feeding into the glassmaking furnace, and the quality indicators of batch are all important but not decisive to obtaining high-quality finished product — glass. Together with these factors the redox properties of the components used for preparing batch and the batch itself as well as the redox potential of molten glass made from the batch are of enormous importance for the glassmaking process and for the quality of molten glass. This article analyzes the redox processes occurring during melting of the sulfate of soda batch with float-glass composition and the optimization of sodium sulfate and carbon addition to the batch in order to obtain a batch that increases the stability of the melting process and the output and improves the quality of the final product with respect to defects such as bubbles and inclusions.