System and method for restricting inward hydrogen permeation in a glass manufacturing system
AssigneeCorning Incorporated
InventorsDavid Myron Lineman, Martin Herbert Goller, Steven Robert Moshier
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Hydrogen may permeate into an interior space of an article in response to molten glass being in contact with the outer surface of the article. The permeation may be restricted by having a fluid in a length of the interior space. The fluid may be in contact with the inner surface of the article, the fluid may fill at least about 33% of the volume of the length of the interior space, and the fluid may provide a predetermined partial pressure of hydrogen. Features may be provided for causing the fluid to flow within the interior space.
Claims16
A method for processing a molten glass, comprising:
- having face-to-face contact between the molten glass and an outer surface of an article comprising a noble metal, wherein the article has an inner surface that is opposite the outer surface, the inner surface extends around an interior space of the article, a length of the interior space has a volume and a crosswise dimension defined between opposite portions of the inner surface of the article, the crosswise dimension being smaller than the length, and wherein a wall thickness of the article is defined between the inner and outer surfaces of the article;
- and
- restricting any inward hydrogen permeation through the wall of the article, comprising having liquid in the length of the interior space, so that the liquid is in face-to-face contact with the inner surface of the article, and the liquid fills at least about 33% of the volume of the length of the interior space, wherein the liquid is effective for restricting any inward hydrogen permeation through the wall of the article.
An apparatus for being in contact with molten glass, the apparatus comprising:
- an article comprising noble metal, wherein the article has opposite inner and outer surfaces, the outer surface is for being in face-to-face contact with the molten glass, and the inner surface extends around an interior space of the article;
- and
- a glass filling in face-to-face contact with the inner surface of the article, wherein the glass filling fills at least about 33% of a volume of a length of the interior space, the length of the interior space has a dimension that extends crosswise to the length and between opposite portions of the inner surface of the article, and the crosswise dimension is smaller than the length.
The apparatus according to 11, wherein for each of the other surfaces, substantially all of the surface is face-to-face contact with noble metal.
A method for processing molten glass, comprising:
- having face-to-face contact between the molten glass and an outer surface of a wall of an article, wherein the article comprises noble metal, the wall of the article further comprising an inner surface that is opposite the outer surface, and wherein the inner surface of the wall extends around an interior space of the article;
- and
- restricting any inward hydrogen permeation through the wall of the article, comprising causing gas to flow within the interior space, so that the gas is in face-to-face contact with the inner surface of the wall, and wherein the gas is effective for restricting any inward hydrogen permeation through the wall.
The method according to 14, comprising circulating the gas within the interior space, wherein the gas has a partial pressure of hydrogen that is at least about the same as any partial pressure of hydrogen provided by the molten glass at the face-to-face contact between the outer surface and the molten glass.
The method according to 14, further comprising:
- at least partially containing the molten glass in a stirring chamber;
- and
- stirring the molten class in the stirring chamber, comprising rotating the article in the stirring chamber, the article including at least one stirring element that extends outwardly from the article.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.