Simulation of Molten‐Glass Evolution from Spout Lip to Tin Bath

Viscous molten glass with a high temperature flows into a tin bath through a complicated three‐phase flow during the production of glass. It is very important to understand the characteristics of evolution for optimizing float‐glass design as well as preparing high‐quality flat glass. A three‐phase flow system containing molten glass, molten tin under N 2 /H 2 atmosphere in a 600 t/day tin bath from the spout lip to the end of restrictor tile, was simulated and analyzed using ANSYS Fluent 14.0 software. The glass velocity field at the vertical section of the end of restrictor tiles, the relative position of glass material point between the entrance of tin bath and the vertical section of the restrictor tiles end, and the glass flow trend at the wetback area were analyzed. The edge of glass ribbon was formed by the bottom molten glass flow in the spout lip in contact with refractories, and greater proximity to the spout lip edge corresponded with greater proportion was supplied. The simulation indicates that the middle section of the glass cross‐section stria image can reflect the real glass location state at the canal vertical section and has little relationship with the tin bath.