Numerical Modeling of Glass Pouring Process at the Tin Bath Entry with Different Geometry

Abstract

In the float process, the spreading process of glass flow on the tin surface is important for the glass forming quality. The three-dimensional model at tin bath entry is established with the software of ANSYS Fluent 14.0. The glass spreading process is simulated based on the tin bath with production rate of 500 t/d. The width of wetback refractory and the angle between wetback refractory and restrictor tile are varied to investigate the influence on the glass forming quality. The wetback flow rate in each model is analyzed to evaluate the glass forming quality. As well, the movement of glass massless particles at wetback region is tracked to further investigate the wetback flow behavior. Generally, the wetback flow rate and massless particles ratio arrived at restrictor refractory are increased with the increases of wetback refractory width and the angle between wetback refractory and restrictor tile. With the large spread area in the model with θ = 150° and W = 1928 mm, the wetback flow rate is similar to that in the model with θ = 150° and W = 1614 mm. It is attributed to that the spreading effect is comparable with the restriction effect of restrictor refractory. The wetback flow rate is relatively higher in the model with θ = 135° and W = 1928 mm, and the model with θ = 150° and W = 1614 mm, which would indicate the better glass forming quality. The simulation results would be supposed to guide the design of tin bath entry, which would improve the glass forming quality.

Fig. 7 Locations of massless particles and glass velocity vectors in the three series models (a) Tin bath models with θ = 120°, (b) Tin bath models with θ = 135°, (c) Tin bath models with θ = 150°.