6. Refractories for tank furnaces

6.1 General

The choice of refractories is one of the most important elements in the design of glass melting furnaces. It is both a technical and an economic choice.

• Technical selection

  Refractories play an important role, since refractory corrosion can lead to three types of defect:

  • stones", which are unmelted refractory particles embedded in the glass;

  • strings" due to refractory elements dissolved in the glass, but which have locally modified its composition and therefore its appearance;

  • bubbles" that may appear when the glass comes into contact with the refractory.

  ...