Engineering and chemistry of the glass melting process

Abstract Improved glass-melting technology, intelligent process control, glass quality control, and establishing novel melting conditions, are realized by different kinds of physicochemical models. The model application is preceded by the analysis of homogenization processes, i.e., heating, dissolution, or vitrification and refining. The energy consumption of the process, the pull rate and size of the melting space, and glass quality are the main technological factors taken into account. In the following step, the optimum conditions are applied to simplified and complex models or processes. The mentioned models are mostly represented by systems containing melt and numerous inhomogeneities (solid particles, bubbles).