Method of and apparatus for removing gas inclusions from a molten glass pool
AssigneePPG Industries, Inc.
InventorHenry M. Demarest, Jr.
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Removal of gas inclusions from a molten glass pool is enhanced by inserting a gas inclusion-permeable, refractory metallic or ceramic screen in the downstream flowing, upper portion of the pool, to diminish the glass flow rate adjacent the surface by viscous drag forces while permitting gas inclusions to rise through the screen to the surface of the molten glass pool to dissipate into the atmosphere therealong.
Claims12
A method of removing gas inclusions from a pool of molten glass by controlling the pattern of flow therein, the molten glass pool contained in a chamber having an inlet end, an outlet end, and a chamber atmosphere over the molten glass pool, wherein the pattern of molten glass flow includes a selected portion adjacent to the surface of said molten glass pool moving toward said outlet end of said chamber at a rate of flow, comprising the steps of:
- positioning a substantially flat, foraminous, gas inclusion-permeable, flow-parallel surface in a generally horizontal orientation immersed in and effectively parallel to said selected portion of flow pattern to generate forces along said flow-parallel surface, to diminish said rate of flow by viscous drag, to permit gas inclusions in said molten glass to rise through said flow-parallel surface toward the surface of said molten glass pool to reside therealong for time sufficient for said gas inclusions to dissipate into said chamber atmosphere.
In glass melting apparatus including a chamber for containing a pool of molten glass, the chamber having an inlet end, an outlet end, and an atmosphere over a pool of molten glass having gas inclusions therein, wherein a pattern of flow is generated in said molten glass pool which includes a selected portion adjacent to the surface of said pool and moving toward said outlet end of said chamber, the improvement comprising:
- a substantially flat, foraminous, gas inclusion-permeable, flow-parallel surface generally horizontally oriented and immersed in and effectively parallel to said selected portion of said pattern of flow, said flow-parallel surface diminishing the rate of flow of said selected portion by viscous drag forces generated therealong and permitting gas inclusions in said molten glass pool to rise therethrough toward the surface of said molten glass pool to dissipate into said chamber atmosphere.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.