Method for controlling foam production in reduced pressure fining

• US 6,854,290 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2001
• Issued: 02/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Corning Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Corning Incorporated
• Inventors: Murnane, Rand A., Hayes, James C., Palmquist, Ronald W., Woolley, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Peter
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hug, Eric
• Application Number:
  US09/908,302
• Publication Number:
  US 20030015000A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,308 Days
• Field of Search: 65178-180, 65/291.7, 65/34, 65/994, 651/25, 651/341, 651/342, 651/344, 651/346, 651/347, 651/348, 651/349, 651/351, 651/352, 651/353, 651/354, 651/356, 651/57, 65/20, 65346-347, 961/55, 962/02, 962/03, 96176-180, 226207-212, 226233-235, 75/106.4, 373/27, 373 33- 35
• US Class Current: 65/134.2
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 5/20 Bridges, shoes, throats, or other devices for withholding dirt, foam, or batch
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 5/202 Devices for blowing onto the melt surface, e.g. high momentum burners
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 5/205 Mechanical means for skimming or scraping the melt surface
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 5/2252 under reduced pressure, e.g. with vacuum refiners
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 5/262 Drains, i.e. means to dump glass melt or remove unwanted materials

Abstract

A method for controlling the foam produced when a molten material encounters reduced pressure in a vacuum chamber includes passing the molten material through an aging zone in the vacuum chamber in which the molten material is allowed to drain from between the bubbles of the foam and then collapsing the bubbles of the drained foam.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the foam produced when a molten material encounters reduced pressure in a vacuum chamber, comprising:

passing the molten material through the vacuum chamber; and

using a mechanical rotator to stretch, rupture and reduce foam on the molten material within the vacuum chamber, wherein said mechanical rotator is positioned within the vacuum chamber at a location where molten material has already started to drain from between bubbles in the foam on top of the molten material.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said mechanical rotator includes a rotating cone at an end of a rod.

3. A method for controlling the foam produced when a molten material encounters reduced pressure in a vacuum chamber, comprising:

passing the molten material through the vacuum chamber; and

using a nozzle that emits a gas jet including a first gas and a second gas, wherein the gas jet ruptures and reduces foam on the molten material within the vacuum chamber.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said nozzle emits a gas jet which contains particulates that further help rupture and reduce foam on the molten material.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said nozzle is a rotating nozzle.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein said nozzle emits a pulsed gas jet.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein said gas jet is adsorbed in the molten material.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein said nozzle is positioned within the vacuum chamber at a location where molten material has already started to drain from between bubbles in the foam on top of the molten material.

9. A method for controlling the foam produced when a molten material encounters reduced pressure in a vacuum chamber, comprising:

passing the molten material through the vacuum chamber; and

using a nozzle that emits a gas jet which ruptures and reduces foam on the molten material within the vacuum chamber, wherein said nozzle is made from two concentric tubes where one tube emits oxygen and the other tube emits hydrogen to form the gas jet.