Maximising Throat Life

One of the most critical zones of a glass melting furnace has always been, and to some extent still is, the throat area. In recent years, developments in throat design and particularly in the use of improved refractories have attenuated the risk of premature furnace shutdowns due to excessive throat wear. This article discusses experimental fieldwork carried out by FIC to investigate the glass flow patterns that occur in the throat area of an operational furnace and how these can be controlled to further reduce refractory wear in this critical zone.