Post-manufacturing processes for submerged combustion burner

Abstract

A portion of a submerged combustion burner is disposed into a pressure vessel. The portion of the submerged combustion burner has a welded area that has a first microstructure defined by a first number of voids. The vessel is filled with an inert gas, pressurized, and heated. Pressurizing and heating operations are performed for a time and at a temperature and a pressure sufficient to produce a second microstructure in the welded area of the burner. The second microstructure is defined by a second number of voids less than the first number of voids.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 a melt vessel configured to receive a material and melt the material into a matrix, the melt vessel including:
 a base; 
 a feed end wall defining a feed port for receiving the material; 
 an exit end wall defining an exit port allowing egress of the matrix; and 
 a roof, wherein the base, the feed end wall, the exit end wall, and the roof form a substantially closed volume; 
   a transition channel in fluid communication with the exit port for receiving the matrix from the exit port;   a plurality of burners disposed so as to penetrate the base, wherein at least one of the plurality of burners comprises:
 a toroidal burner tip defining an outlet for delivering the combustion gases into the substantially closed volume; 
 a portion exposed to the matrix, wherein the portion of the burner exposed to the matrix includes a plurality of polished features having heights not greater than 1 micron. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the portion exposed to the matrix comprises the toroidal tip. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the portion exposed to the matrix comprises a burner body. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of polished features have heights of less than about 0.5 micron. 
     
     
         5 . A system comprising:
 a melt vessel configured to receive a material and melt the material into a matrix, the melt vessel including:
 a base; 
 a feed end wall defining a feed port for receiving the material; 
 an exit end wall defining an exit port allowing egress of the matrix; and 
 a roof, wherein the base, the feed end wall, the exit end wall, and the roof form a substantially closed volume; 
   a transition channel in fluid communication with the exit port for receiving the matrix from the exit port;   a plurality of burners disposed so as to penetrate the base, wherein at least one of the plurality of burners comprises a welded portion having a void fraction of less than about 1%.