Glass homogenizing pump
OwnerRichard B. Pitbladdoinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A molten glass pump preferably includes one or more pumps which form either a single-stage apparatus or are combined in series to form a multi-stage apparatus. The exact configuration depends on the required process pressure and the required degree of glass homogenization. Examples of the invention include an auger pump and a mixing auger pump which have varying degrees of mixing action, as well as a homogenizing pump which provides some pumping action but is primarily a homogenizer. All three pumps preferably include a centerline flow recirculation feature which remixes inhomogeneous glass into the incoming glass stream. A counter-rotating sleeve, which straightens the glass flow exiting the apparatus and provides an additional flow recirculation path, is also preferably included.
Claims52
A method of delivering a pressurized glass melt to a glass forming apparatus, comprising the steps of:
- a) delivering said glass melt through a molten glass pump, such that an output of said glass melt is transferred to said glass forming apparatus;
- wherein said molten glass pump comprises:
- i) a housing having an entrance end for receiving an unpressurized glass melt and a distal output end for outputting a pressurized glass melt;
- and
- ii) a rotating hub positioned within said housing, said rotating hub including a centerline recirculation channel that traverses the length of said hub and at least one radially extending pumping element;
- and
- b) intaking a cord portion of said glass melt at said distal output end through said centerline recirculation channel back towards said entrance end.
A glass manufacturing system comprising:
- a) a glass-melting furnace;
- b) a fore hearth connected to said furnace;
- c) a molten glass pump connected to said fore hearth that pressurizes and homogenizes an unpressurized glass melt into a pressurized glass melt, wherein said molten glass pump comprises:
- i) a housing having an entrance end for receiving said unpressurized glass melt and a distal output end for outputting said pressurized glass melt;
- and
- ii) a rotating hub positioned within said housing, said hub comprising a centerline recirculation channel that traverses the length of said hub and at least one radially extending pumping element, wherein said centerline recirculation channel intakes a cord portion of said glass melt at said distal output end and conducts said cord portion through said centerline recirculation channel back towards said entrance end;
- d) a delivery tube to deliver said pressurized glass melt from said molten glass pump;
- and
- e) a glass-forming device for receiving said pressurized glass melt from said delivery tube.
A molten glass pump for pressurizing and homogenizing a glass melt, comprising:
- a) a housing having an entrance end for receiving an unpressurized glass melt and a distal output end for outputting a pressurized glass melt;
- and
- b) a rotating hub positioned within said housing, said hub comprising a centerline recirculation channel that traverses the length of said hub and at least one radially extending pumping element, wherein said centerline recirculation channel intakes a cord portion of said glass melt at said distal output end and conducts said cord portion through said centerline recirculation channel back towards said entrance end.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.