Multi-stage process and apparatus for refining glass or the like
First Claim
1. In a method of making glass or the like wherein batch material is liquefied in a first vessel from which the liquefied material flows in an incompletely melted condition and is passed to a separate refiner vessel in which a volume of the material is gathered and heated so as to refine the material, and the refined material is withdrawn from an outlet at one end of the refiner, the improvement comprising receiving the incompletely melted material from the liquefying vessel in an intermediate vessel, heating the material in the intermediate vessel so that the material is passed from the intermediate vessel to the refiner at a temperature between the highest and lowest temperatures of the material in the refiner, maintaining a high temperature zone of the material in the refiner at a location between the outlet and an opposite rear end, maintaining a decreasing temperature gradient between the high temperature zone and the rear end so as to induce a rearward surface flow of material from the high temperature zone toward the rear end thereby establishing a horizontally elongated recirculating flow pattern that serves to extend the residence time of the material in the refiner, passing the material from the intermediate vessel into the refiner at a location between the high temperature zone and the rear end so as to enter directly into the rearward surface flow.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a method of making glass or the like, wherein the batch materials are liquefied in a distinct zone from the refiner, the liquefied material is heated in an intermediate stage before being fed to the refiner. In preferred embodiments the intermediate stage comprises one or more channels extending from the side of the refiner.
105 Citations
18 Claims
- 1. In a method of making glass or the like wherein batch material is liquefied in a first vessel from which the liquefied material flows in an incompletely melted condition and is passed to a separate refiner vessel in which a volume of the material is gathered and heated so as to refine the material, and the refined material is withdrawn from an outlet at one end of the refiner, the improvement comprising receiving the incompletely melted material from the liquefying vessel in an intermediate vessel, heating the material in the intermediate vessel so that the material is passed from the intermediate vessel to the refiner at a temperature between the highest and lowest temperatures of the material in the refiner, maintaining a high temperature zone of the material in the refiner at a location between the outlet and an opposite rear end, maintaining a decreasing temperature gradient between the high temperature zone and the rear end so as to induce a rearward surface flow of material from the high temperature zone toward the rear end thereby establishing a horizontally elongated recirculating flow pattern that serves to extend the residence time of the material in the refiner, passing the material from the intermediate vessel into the refiner at a location between the high temperature zone and the rear end so as to enter directly into the rearward surface flow.
- 7. A method of making glass or the like comprising liquefying batch material and permitting the liquefied material to flow freely from the liquefying zone before it has completely melted, receiving the liquefied material in a horizontally extending channel of relatively narrow width where its temperature is increased, passing the material to a relatively wide refining vessel where its temperature is increased further, withdrawing refined molten material from an outlet end of the refining vessel, and the material entering the refining vessel from the channel is at a temperature compatible with joining a flow stream in the refining vessel that initially flows in a direction substantially away from the outlet end.
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11. Apparatus for making glass or the like comprising:
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a liquefying vessel having means for feeding pulverulent batch material into the vessel, means for heating the interior of the vessel to a liquefying temperature of the batch material, and a batch support surface extending to a drain opening; a channel aligned with the drain opening adapted to receive liquefied material from the liquefying vessel, means for heating the liquefied material in the channel; a refining vessel communicating with the channel so as to receive molten material from the channel, the refining vessel having a substantially greater area than the channel, means for heating the material in the refining vessel adapted to provide a relatively high temperature zone in a portion of the material in the refiner, and an outlet opening for withdrawing molten material from the refining vessel at a location spaced from the channel; wherein the refining vessel has a longitudinal dimension extending horizontally from a back wall toward the outlet opening with side walls extending substantially in the longitudinal direction, and the channel communications with the interior of the refining vessel through an opening in a side wall portion between the back wall and the high temperature zone. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification