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AssigneePPG Industries, Inc.
InventorsJeffrey L. Garrett, Harry Makitka, Richard J. Sanchez, Gregory W. Shepler
Estimating the term…
The subject matter of this invention relates to an improved method for controlling an industrial glass fiber-forming process. More particularly, it involves a method for controlling the thermal environment of several fiber glass bushing assemblies by the utilization of fin cooler assemblies in which a coolant is passed through the fins as part of a closed-loop pressurized system to remove heat radiated to the fins by the molten glass that emerges from the bushing. In the preferred embodiment, this liquid coolant is demineralized water operating at a pressure of somewhere between 18 and 100 psi. The use of a programmable logic controller to monitor various system parameters such a pressure, temperature and flow rate is also disclosed. The controller is programmed to take corrective action automatically upon the detection of certain triggering events in order to maintain a constant flow of coolant throughout the entire system. As a last resort, means are provided for injecting an emergency supply of cooling water to continuously flush the system and prevent mechanical distortion and possible rupturing of the fins.
In a method for cooling glass fibers formed from molten glass flowing from a heated fiber glass bushing assembly wherein cooling is accomplished by the transfer of heat to a primary coolant flowing in a primary side of a closed-loop cooling system and subsequently removed to a flow of secondary coolant through at least one heat exchanger having both a primary and secondary side to accommodate the flow of said primary and secondary coolant, the improvement comprising:
A pumping system and cooling system having a primary and secondary side for maintaining the substantially constant flow of a primary coolant throughout a primary side of a closed-loop cooling system for cooling glass fibers, said fibers formed from molten glass flowing from a heated fiber glass bushing assembly wherein cooling is accomplished by the extraction of heat radiated to the primary side of said closed-loop cooling system, said cooling system having at least one fin cooler assembly per bushing, each said at least one fin cooler assembly having a header block and a plurality of fins attached thereto, said header block and fins also having a continuous passageway to permit the flow of said primary coolant therethrough whereby heat radiated to the surface of each said fin is transferred to said primary coolant and subsequently removed to a flow of secondary coolant through at least one heat exchanger, said pumping system comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.