Glass Furnace Device Patents (Class 373/27)
  • Patent number: 10858275
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for producing fibers from igneous rock, including basalt include heating igneous rock by electrical conductive coils to achieve an homogenous melt and forming homogenous fibers from the melt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: USB I, LLC
    Inventors: Oleksandr Biland, Robert Bruce Ferguson, Sr.
  • Publication number: 20150030048
    Abstract: An electric glass hot shop system is described herein that has at least one electrically powered heating unit (e.g., electric furnace, electric glory hole, electric pipe warmer, electric color box, electric annealer, electric crucible kiln) used in the processing of glass.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2014
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Applicant: SPIRAL ARTS INC
    Inventors: Steven Thomas Gibbs, Fred Charles Metz
  • Patent number: 8897335
    Abstract: A furnace for dehydrating and sintering a porous glass preform includes a core tube that passes through a center portion of a furnace body to accommodate therein the porous glass preform, a heater that is arranged around the core tube in the furnace body to heat the porous glass preform in the core tube, and a core tube weight dividing and bearing means that is arranged at an outer periphery of the core tube to divide and bear the weight of the core tube in its longitudinal direction. The core tube weight dividing and bearing means includes a plurality of collars that is protruded at a predetermined interval in the longitudinal direction at the outer periphery of the core tube, a first weight receiving means that supports the collars at the outer periphery of the core tube, and a second weight receiving means that bears the weight of the first weight receiving means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ichihiko Suganuma, Tatsuya Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 8891582
    Abstract: An electric glass hot shop system is described herein that has at least one electrically powered heating unit (e.g., electric furnace, electric glory hole, electric pipe warmer, electric color box, electric annealer, electric crucible kiln) used in the processing of glass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignees: Corning Museum of Glass, Spiral Arts Inc
    Inventors: Steven Thomas Gibbs, Fred Charles Metz
  • Patent number: 8718113
    Abstract: An apparatus for dehydrating a liquid sample of biological material has a microwave waveguide that is open to the atmosphere. It has a microwave generator, means for introducing a container of the material into the waveguide, means for evacuating the container, means for rotating the container and means for removing the container from the waveguide. It can include means for moving the container through the waveguide and for sealing it. In a dehydration method, a container of the liquid sample is put into the open waveguide, evacuated, rotated at high speed and microwaved. The container of dehydrated material is then removed from the waveguide. The apparatus and method are particularly suitable for dehydrating vaccines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: EnWave Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy D. Durance, Jun Fu, Parastoo Yaghmaee, Robert L. Pike, Vu Truong, Binh Pham
  • Publication number: 20130128912
    Abstract: The invention relates to an arc melted silica crucible having a polygonal opening, in particular square or rectangular, and its method of fabrication, which comprises preforming the silica powder in a hollow mold having a polygonal opening, said mold being provided with a multiplicity of channels passing through its bottom and its walls, said channels being distributed over its whole internal surface, to constitute a preform, then melting the silica by an electric arc inside the preform, sucking the gases through the mold and the preform, generating a gas speed of at least 0.15 m/second at every point of the inner surface of the preform at the onset of the melting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2011
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: SAINT-GOBAIN QUARTZ S.A.S.
    Inventor: Laurent Molins
  • Patent number: 8051682
    Abstract: There is provided an apparatus and method for making a glass preform with nanofiber reinforcement. The apparatus comprises a container for melting one or more glass components in a mixture comprising the glass components and one or more nanofibers. The container has an opening that allows escape of any gas released from the glass components when the glass components are melted in the container. The apparatus further comprises one or more heating elements for heating the container. The apparatus further comprises one or more electric field devices, positioned exterior to the glass components, that create an electric field in a volume of the mixture in order to orient the nanofibers within the glass components when the glass components are melted in the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: John Ralph Hull, Mark S. Wilenski, Michael Strasik
  • Publication number: 20110222575
    Abstract: A furnace for dehydrating and sintering a porous glass preform includes a core tube that passes through a center portion of a furnace body to accommodate therein the porous glass preform, a heater that is arranged around the core tube in the furnace body to heat the porous glass preform in the core tube, and a core tube weight dividing and bearing means that is arranged at an outer periphery of the core tube to divide and bear the weight of the core tube in its longitudinal direction. The core tube weight dividing and bearing means includes a plurality of collars that is protruded at a predetermined interval in the longitudinal direction at the outer periphery of the core tube, a first weight receiving means that supports the collars at the outer periphery of the core tube, and a second weight receiving means that bears the weight of the first weight receiving means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2011
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Applicant: FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ichihiko SUGANUMA, Tatsuya TANIGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20110019712
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for extending the furnace campaign by avoiding cracks in the stones and the chipping of parts of the stones, and reducing joints in melting furnaces. Said aim is achieved by a measurement of the forces/pressures/moments of the furnace stones occurring against each other, or of the furnace stones against the bracing and defined necessary counter forces, such that the forces between the stones, or between the bracings and the stones are below the maximum permissible compression (pressure force) of the stones, and the forces required for avoiding joints between the stones are ensured. Said process occurs automatically as a form of control by determining the force of sensors, analysis of processors and data, and activation of actuators for generating counter forces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2009
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Inventor: Uwe Geib
  • Patent number: 7297909
    Abstract: Microwave radiation of frequency 0.1 to 20 GHz, is applied to the melt of viscosity in the range 104 to 101 Pa·s. The outside surface of heated space, where an outlet of the waveguide of microwave radiation is located, can be cooled. The microwave radiation in the melt may be reflected by the reflective metallic elements in the melt back to the place of radiation entry into the melt and shielded from the surroundings by a shielding metallic element. An outlet is provided of at least one waveguide from the source of the microwave radiation, in any direction to the outside surface of the melt, into the space with the melt of a given viscosity. At least one waveguide is led, for example, to the outside surface of the bottom of the channel of the forehearth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: BH-F (Engineering) Ltd.
    Inventors: Josef Smr{hacek over (c)}ek, Milan Hájek, Peter Vilk
  • Patent number: 7137277
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for producing colored glasses. The aim of the invention is to obtain a paricularly intimate mixture and to enable a quick change of the melt at the same time. To this end, the following procedure steps are applied: a melt made of a compound or fragments of glass is produced, the glass melt is further processed in at least one additional vessel, the melt is supplied to a skull device (3) (skull pot or skull channel) during subsequent processing, a dye is supplied (6, 6.1) to the melt after the melt was in the melting station (1) but before the melt enters the skull device (3) or while said melt is in the skull device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: Schott AG
    Inventors: Hildegard Romer, Werner Kiefer, Wolfgang Schmidbauer
  • Patent number: 7120185
    Abstract: A waste vitrification apparatus (10) having rotatable mixer impeller (16) functioning as a shaft electrode (60) and metallic vessel (14) functioning as a vessel electrode (62). A stream (12) of waste material and vitrifiable material are mixed and melted in the vessel (14) for vitrification. The waste vitrification method converts a feed stream (12) by mixing the feed stream into a glass melt (13) and melting glass batch of the feed stream (12) to form a foamy mass. The stream is dispersed by the impeller (16) to form a foam which is then densified in a settling zone (22), recovered through a spout (24) and solidified in storage containers. Means are provided to adjust the location of the mixing impeller (16) in the vessel (14) to change the depth of the settling zone (22). The impeller (16) is mounted on a drive shaft (18) having a recirculating coolant flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Stir-Melter, Inc
    Inventor: Ray S. Richards
  • Patent number: 7024888
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for changing glass compositions in continuously operated melting installations which has a significantly shortened melt changeover time and therefore lower costs and in which the glass quality is not adversely affected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: Schott Glas
    Inventors: Guido Räke, Volker Ohmstede, Michael Leister, Sybill Nüttgens, Christoph Leuwer
  • Patent number: 7003985
    Abstract: In accordance with the invention, the polymeric coating is removed from a coated optical fiber by disposing the fiber within a non-oxidizing environment and applying sufficient heat to volatilize at least a portion of the polymeric coating. The result is that the coating material bursts from the fiber, yielding a clean glass surface virtually free of surface flaws. In a preferred embodiment the non-oxidizing environment is inert gas and the heat is provided by resistive filament heaters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Inventors: Robert F. Swain, Andrew D. Yablon
  • Patent number: 6889527
    Abstract: The invention relates to a skull pot (1) for melting, crystallizing or refining inorganic substances. Said pot comprises a pot wall (1.1), a pot bottom (1.2), an induction coil (2) which surrounds the pot wall (1.1) and by means of which high-frequency energy can be coupled into the content of the pot. The pot wall (1.1) is formed by a ring of metal pipes which can be connected to a cooling medium. Slits are embodied between adjacent metal pipes. The bottom (1.2) is provided with a discharge for the melt (3). A sleeve (4) is allocated to the discharge. The admission end (4.1) of the sleeve (4) protrudes far into the inner chamber of the skull pot (1) in such a way that, during use, the melt (3) can be withdrawn through the crystallized bottom layer (3.3) in a controlled manner without the danger of impairing quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Schott Glas
    Inventors: Hildegard Römer, Uwe Kolberg, Guido Räke
  • Patent number: 6880365
    Abstract: The use of blocks (1, 2, 3, 4) based on sintered tin oxide for producing the throat of a glass furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Societe Europeenne des Produits Refractaires
    Inventor: Jacques Marius Louis Guigonis
  • Patent number: 6853673
    Abstract: The present invention provides a process and a device for producing a quartz glass crucible, which generates a stable ring-like arc and is suitable for the production of an excellent crucible having the large open diameter. In a production process and a device for producing a quartz glass crucible, wherein a quartz powder in a mould is heated to be fused by an arc discharge of the electrodes being positioned at around of a rotational axis of a mould, this invention is characterized by using an electrode structure, in which electrodes neighboring each other are positioned at regular intervals in the ring configuration, to form the stable ring-like arc being generated between the electrodes neighboring each other without generating an continuous arc between electrodes facing each other across a central portion of the ring, and heating and fusing a quarts powder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Japan Super Quartz Corporation
    Inventors: Masanori Fukui, Masaru Satoh
  • Patent number: 6848275
    Abstract: This invention relates to a device for melting or refining glass or glass ceramics. According to the invention, such a device is provided with the following characteristics: a channel which is arranged in an essentially horizontal manner and which is provided with an inlet and an outlet for the glass melt; and an HF coil for coupling HF energy into the melt is allocated to the channel. The channel is made of a plurality of metal pipes in a similar way to a skull pot. Said pipes can be connected to a cooling medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: Schott Glas
    Inventors: Uwe Kolberg, Hildegard Römer, Frank-Thomas Lentes, Günter Weidmann
  • Patent number: 6810068
    Abstract: An electric glass-melting furnace including a floor made of refractory materials, four lateral walls, an upper roof, a glass composition feeder, and an output channel for the melted glass. The furnace includes a set of elements pivoting about horizontal axes and placed at the periphery of the furnace between at least one of the lateral walls and the roof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Isover
    Inventors: Hervé Cotonnec, Gérard Delahalle
  • Publication number: 20040196886
    Abstract: The present invention is to provide an all-electric glass-melting deep furnace and a method of refining and supplying glass in which high-quality molten glass can be efficiently produced in large quantity at high heat efficiency. An all-electric glass-melting deep furnace 20 has a bottom 2 and a side wall 4 constructed by piling up fireproof bricks 3 on the perimeter of the bottom 2. A height H of the side wall 4 is set to be twice or more than twice as long as an inside dimension D of the bottom 2 of the furnace. Since the furnace 20 is deep, there can be achieved a thick batch layer, a space in which glass is melted at high temperature, and a cooling area which is necessary to refine molten glass. The method of the present invention makes it possible to remove seeds which are generated when glass raw material are melted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2004
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Inventor: Motoaki Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 6799441
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for producing fused silica members having high internal transmission are disclosed. The apparatus and methods are capable of producing fused silica having internal transmission of at least 99.65%/cm at 193 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Floyd E. Marley, Daniel R. Sempolinski, Merrill F. Sproul
  • Patent number: 6795484
    Abstract: Provided is a method for reducing or removing a foam present in a glass melting furnace, including providing an ultrasonic energy emitted from at least one ultrasonic energy source to a foam present above the surface of a molten material in a glass melting furnace. The ultrasonic energy is effective to reduce or remove at least a part of the foam. Also provided is a system for reducing or removing a foam present in a glass melting furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Johns Manville International, Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron Morgan Huber, Brandon Dillan Tinianov
  • Patent number: 6757317
    Abstract: A device for the melting or purifying of inorganic substances, in particular of glass, which comprises a number of metal tubes which may be attached to a cooling medium and which are arranged next to each other, in such a way that together they form a container, a high frequency coil for the injection of energy into the container contents and a plastic coating for the metal tubes, the decomposition temperature of which lies below the temperature of the melt. The cooling system is configured and arranged such that the temperature of the boundary layer of the melt, immediately surrounding the component, lies below that of the decomposition temperature of the coating material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: Schott Glas
    Inventors: Christian Kunert, Uwe Kolberg, Hildegard Römer
  • Publication number: 20040081219
    Abstract: An electric glass-melting furnace including a floor made of refractory materials, four lateral walls, an upper roof, a glass composition feeder, and an output channel for the melted glass. The furnace includes a set of elements pivoting about horizontal axes and placed at the periphery of the furnace between at least one of the lateral walls and the roof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2003
    Publication date: April 29, 2004
    Inventors: Herve Cotonnec, Gerard Delahalle
  • Publication number: 20030136153
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for producing fused silica members having high internal transmission are disclosed. The apparatus and methods are capable of producing fused silica having internal transmission of at least 99.65%/cm at 193 nm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2003
    Publication date: July 24, 2003
    Inventors: Floyd E. Marley, Daniel R. Sempolinski, Merrill F. Sproul
  • Patent number: 6568215
    Abstract: Apparatus suitable for vitrifying nuclear waste comprises a tunable microwave cavity connected by a first wave guide to a source of microwave energy; cooling coils for cooling the exterior of the cavity; a hopper for loading particulate fusible material to the interior of the cavity; within the cavity a crucible made of melted and re-solidified fusible particulate material; an exit-chamber connected by a second waveguide to a second microwave source; and a pipe for supplying argon gas to the exit chamber so that a plasma torch can be generated. The separating of the crucible form the cavity walls by unmelted material gives significant advantages in case of cleaning and reduced energy consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: British Nuclear Fuels PLC.
    Inventors: John Anthony Schofield, James Lucas
  • Publication number: 20030051510
    Abstract: A device for the melting of highly pure optical glasses and/or for the treatment of melts is provided. The device is intended for a subsequent refining or homogenization process making use of the skull technique. The device uses a number of coated metal tubes whose surface is free of glass-coloring ions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2002
    Publication date: March 20, 2003
    Applicant: Schott Glas
    Inventors: Hildegard Romer, Uwe Kolberg, Werner Kiefer, Ernst-Walter Schafer, Guido Rake
  • Patent number: 6492628
    Abstract: A heater supporting structure includes heaters comprising plate-shaped electrical resistance heating elements and power applying portions for energizing the electrical resistance heating elements, mounts for mounting the electrical resistance heating elements, and first insulative supporters and second insulative supporters, the supporters being provided on the mounts with a certain distance and supporting edges of the electrical resistance heating elements, and the electrical resistance heating elements are formed in a shape so as to project toward the mounts and are provided apart from the mounts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignees: Asahi Glass Company, Limited, Teitokusha Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Maeda, Kimio Kitamura
  • Patent number: 6414982
    Abstract: A high-frequency device for melting and refining inorganic compounds having a high-frequency oscillation system and a crucible. The high-frequency system includes an induction coil looping around the crucible and at least two oscillator circuits connectable in parallel to the induction coil and providing redundant high frequency energy. Each self-exciting oscillator includes one of the capacitors and the induction coil. The device may further include a power supply, a control cabinet having operating units, and a process control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2002
    Assignee: Schott Glas
    Inventors: Guido Räke, Michael Kohl, Hildegard Römer, Wolfgang Schmidtbauer, Werner Kiefer
  • Publication number: 20020005404
    Abstract: A heater supporting structure includes heaters comprising plate-shaped electrical resistance heating elements and power applying portions for energizing the electrical resistance heating elements, mounts for mounting the electrical resistance heating elements, and first insulative supporters and second insulative supporters, the supporters being provided on the mounts with a certain distance and supporting edges of the electrical resistance heating elements, and the electrical resistance heating elements are formed in a shape so as to project toward the mounts and are provided apart from the mounts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2001
    Publication date: January 17, 2002
    Applicant: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Kenji Maeda, Kimio Kitamura
  • Patent number: 6339610
    Abstract: A glass melting tank with at least one pair of heating electrodes projecting into the glass melt and a process for melting glass are described. The glass melting tank has, at least in the area of the melt, a narrowed cross section area and the glass melting tank has at least one heating electrode in front of and a corresponding heating electrode behind the narrowed cross section area and in this way an increase in the temperature of the melt can be achieved in the narrowed area. A preferred application is the refining of glass melts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2002
    Assignee: Schott Glas
    Inventors: Patrick Hoyer, Alfred Drechsler, Peter Elzner, Frank-Thomas Lentes
  • Patent number: 6279352
    Abstract: The disclosed invention is a rotationally symmetrical resistance furnace heating element. The heating element has at least two ends. A respective cooling element is disposed in communication with each end. The heating element includes at least first and second high current density sections. The high current density sections are axially separated by at least one low current density section. The high current density sections have a smaller diameter than the low current density section. The invention also includes a multiple crucible method of drawing an optical fiber from the draw furnace described above. The method includes the step of heating an entire body of raw materials in a hot zone in the furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventor: Jackson P. Trentelman
  • Patent number: 6144688
    Abstract: A furnace having a combustion chamber, a fuel inlet for the combustion chamber, an electric heater operatively coupled with the combustion chamber, an electric generator coupled to the electric heater, and an internal combustion engine for driving the electric generator. The internal combustion engine includes an exhaust and a conduit. The conduit couples the exhaust to the combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Inventor: Axel Thienpont
  • Patent number: 6014403
    Abstract: In an induction furnace for the synthesis of glasses, in particular fluorozirconate glasses for optical fibres for telecommunications, the support device (6') for the crucible (3) is associated with a pair of sleeves (7, 9) between which an annular element (8) which constitutes the actual support element is inserted. The first sleeve (7) has such longitudinal dimensions that the crucible (3) is supported in the annular element (8) in such a way as to be spaced from the planar element (5'), and the second sleeve has such longitudinal dimensions that its top edge is at a level higher than that of the top edge of the crucible (3), to obtain a homogeneous temperature region extending at least along the entire height of the crucible (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2000
    Assignee: Cselt- Centro Studi e Laboratori Telecomunicazioni S.P.A.
    Inventors: Marco Braglia, Guojun Dai, Sabrina Mosso
  • Patent number: 5881090
    Abstract: An inner chamber is arranged inside an outer chamber and stores quartz crystal powder. A space is defined between the inner chamber and the outer chamber, and an oxygen gas is introduced into that space. The quartz crystal powder is supplied from the inner chamber into a burner section, together with the oxygen gas. The burner section is also supplied with a flammable gas from a gas control device. The flammable gas contains an NH.sub.3 gas. The heat produced by the combustion of the flammable and oxygen gases fuses the quartz crystal powder supplied from the inner chamber into the burner section. As a result, quartz containing nitrogen is produced. The nitrogen is contained in the fused quartz in an amount which is expressed as 1 to 10% by molar ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1999
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Akihito Yamamoto, Hideyuki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 5862169
    Abstract: A float glass production facility comprising a furnace including a melter, a refiner and a working end, the working end having two or more exits, each of which supplies a separate canal and float glass forming chamber, the working end being operable so that the glass flow through each of the two or more exits is independent of the flow of glass through the other exits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1999
    Assignee: Pilkington PLC
    Inventors: David Martlew, Robert Emmett Trevelyan, Graham Unwin, Peter James Whitfield
  • Patent number: 5743933
    Abstract: An apparatus for defibrating optically dense glass melts, such as a glass melt from basalt by the jet process, is proposed which is equipped with a feeding mechanism (1) for the melt and defibrating aggregates (2), the feeding mechanism (1) having a feed channel (3) and a subsequent distributing channel (4) with outlet ports (5) to the defibrating aggregates (2). To homogenize the glass temperature in the area before the defibrating aggregates (2) the feed channel (3) has on the bottom side at least in the area adjacent the distributing channel (4) a warming device (8) serving as a thermal barrier or active insulation and advantageously formed as an electric resistance heating device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1998
    Assignee: ISOVER Saint-Gobain
    Inventor: Joachim Mellem
  • Patent number: 5659564
    Abstract: The bottoms of exhaust stacks and systems on glass melting furnaces usually collect slag that is produced by volatiles in the exhaust gases condensing out and forming a glassy substance on the cooler walls of the stacks, etc. which then runs down the walls picking up refractory and forming a slag in the lowest places. This slag often cools to hardness or a high viscosity, tough mass. It has to be removed periodically to prevent building up to the point that slag would run back into the furnace damaging the glass and removal is a hot, dirty, time consuming job. This problem is worse on oxy-fuel furnaces which the industry is trending towards for other advantages. The present invention eliminates this problem by reducing the size of the reservoir in the bottom of the stack and adding a heated bushing with an orifice that continually drains the slag from the small reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1997
    Assignee: Schuller International, Inc.
    Inventor: Jack R. Elliott
  • Patent number: 5636240
    Abstract: An air pollution control process and apparatus for glass furnaces for use in the furnace's waste gas outlet including passing the waste gases through a spray type neutralization tower to remove sulphates in the waste gases by spraying an absorbent (NaOH) to reduce the opacity of exhaust gas, and employing a pneumatic powder feeding device to feed flyash or calcium hydroxide periodically in a path between the spray type neutralization tower and a bag house to maintain normal functioning of the filter bag in the bag house.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 3, 1997
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Jeng-Syan Tsai, Jyh-Feng Hwang
  • Patent number: 5628808
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for melting glass in a glass melter in such a way as to reduce deposition of particulates in the off-gas duct. Deposit accumulation is reduced by achieving an off-gas velocity above approximately 15 meters/second and an off-gas temperature as close as possible to, but not higher than, the glass softening point. Because the deposits are largely water-soluble, those that do form on the interior surface of the duct can be readily removed by injecting water or steam directly into the off-gas duct from its entrance or exit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1997
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventor: Carol M. Jantzen
  • Patent number: 5613994
    Abstract: The device for melting glass includes a compartment 1 for melting with a discharge throat 11 defined on top by a mobile carrier 16 having an upper part 18 extending upward above the level of glass and a lower part 17 intended to be totally immersed in the molten glass. Faces of the lower part are formed of a metal or an alloy of metals resistant to corrosion by the molten glass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 25, 1997
    Assignee: Saint-Gobain Vitrage International
    Inventors: Jose A. C. Muniz, Luis G. Goicoechea, Maurice Lemaille
  • Patent number: 5588978
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for the production of colored glass includes the steps of diverting a stream of clear molten glass from at least one glass melting furnace through one or more transport channels to a color treatment chamber. Recycled cullet and color additive are added to a charging end of the treatment chamber. The treatment chamber is heated to melt the cullet and further heat the remaining feedstock to form a molten bath of colored glass which is thermally and chemically homogenized in the treatment chamber. Refractory rotary paddle wheels positioned in the transport channels regulate the flow rate and level of the molten glass and provide for selective shut off of individual glass streams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 31, 1996
    Assignee: IMTEC
    Inventors: Ronald D. Argent, James A. Bolin
  • Patent number: 5550857
    Abstract: A waste vitrification apparatus (10) having rotatable mixer impeller (16) functioning as a shaft electrode (60) and metallic vessel (14) functioning as a vessel electrode (62). A stream (12) of waste material and vitrifiable material are mixed and melted in the vessel (14) for vitrification. The waste vitrification method converts a feed stream (12) by mixing the feed stream into a glass melt (13) and melting glass batch of the feed stream (12) to form a foamy mass. The stream is dispersed by the impeller (16) to form a foam which is then densified in a settling zone (22), recovered through a spout (24) and solidified in storage containers. An adjuster adjusts the location of the mixing impeller (16) in the vessel (14) to change the depth of the settling zone (22). The impeller (16) is mounted on a drive shaft (18) having a recirculating coolant flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 27, 1996
    Assignee: Stir-Melter, Inc.
    Inventor: Ray S. Richards
  • Patent number: 5490162
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the continuous treatment of silicon in which a slag in a pivotable low-shaft furnace (1) with a discharge pipe (4) reaching the bottom of the furnace tank is taken to a temperature of 1450.degree. to 1800.degree. C. and this slag is used to melt solid silicon and/or liquid silicon is continuously refined and the liquid refined silicon is then sprayed with compressed air or nitrogen (7) and continuously conveyed into a transport crucible (11) by being poured into a stream of water (9) in the channel (8) via a dewatering filter (10) and thus obtained in granular form. The invention also relates to devices for implementing the process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1996
    Assignee: Anton More
    Inventors: Anton More, Karl Hutzler, Rudolf Koch
  • Patent number: 5332702
    Abstract: A fired, porous, zircon refractory body consisting essentially of zircon and having a sodium ion content, as an impurity, of less than 30 ppm. A furnace for making fused silica constructed with a crown and cup of such zircon refractory, and a method of making fused silica using such furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 26, 1994
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Daniel R. Sempolinski, Latha I. Swaroop
  • Patent number: 5327452
    Abstract: A forehearth for a glass furnace comprises a trough and roof over the trough, the roof having two longitudinal ridges extending downwardly towards the surface of the glass to define three longitudinal chambers. The central chamber forms a conduit for the flow of cooling air over the central part of the stream of glass and the side chambers serve as conduits for the flow of combustion gas. Separate outlets are provided for the cooling and combustion gases and controllable dampers are provided at least on the combustion gas outlets. Balancing of the internal pressures between the three chambers can ensure that there is little or no significant mixing of the cooling air and combustion gases and accurate control of the cooling and/or heating can be obtained by control of the dampers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 5, 1994
    Assignee: Parkinson-Spencer Refractories Limited
    Inventor: John McMinn
  • Patent number: 5319669
    Abstract: An apparatus for processing various hazardous waste materials by melting in a vessel for subsequent solidification is disclosed which includes a seal for the cover thereof. Melter includes a high-speed mixing impeller powered by a drive shaft which extends through an opening in the cover. The vessel is electrically heated by discharge of electrical energy through the melt contained in the vessel. In one embodiment the impeller and shaft are included in the electrical heating circuit. A shaft seal engages the shaft at a point spaced from the cover. An axially extensible seal seals a space bounded by the shaft seal and the opening in the cover. Purge gas is supplied to the sealed space to provide positive gas flow from the sealed space into the vessel. A cold wall transport duct for off-gas porting is disclosed. A bottom drain structure including a sleeve and plug is also disclosed. The output of the melter may be subsequently heated in a holding tank to refine the output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 7, 1994
    Assignee: Stir-Melter, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen F. Cox, Ray S. Richards
  • Patent number: 5312471
    Abstract: The disclosed process involves the feeding of particulate SiO.sub.2 into a rotating cylindrical furnace in which a gas plasma arc has been established, for melting the feed at a temperature of at least 2400.degree. C. The feed rate is regulated so that the rate of growth of the radius of the ingot melt will not exceed the rate at which bubbles move through the melt to the inner cylindrical surface. The preferred apparatus is a rotating horizontal furnace having a pair of opposing hollow electrodes mounted in its opposing end surfaces for establishment of an arc therebetween. A feeding device introduces the SiO.sub.2 feed through the open bore of one of the electrodes for melting by the plasma arc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 17, 1994
    Inventor: Lothar Jung
  • Patent number: 5271032
    Abstract: A glass melter having a lid electrode for heating the glass melt radiantly. The electrode comprises a series of INCONEL 690 tubes running above the melt across the melter interior and through the melter walls and having nickel cores inside the tubes beginning where the tubes leave the melter interior and nickel connectors to connect the tubes electrically in series. An applied voltage causes the tubes to generate heat of electrical resistance for melting frit injected onto the melt. The cores limit heat generated as the current passes through the walls of the melter. Nickel bus connection to the electrical power supply minimizes heat transfer away from the melter that would occur if standard copper or water-cooled copper connections were used between the supply and the INCONEL 690 heating tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1993
    Inventor: Terrance D. Phillips
  • Patent number: 5265118
    Abstract: A silicon carbide whisker production apparatus manufactured by placing a plurality of lidded reaction vessels in the longitudinal direction of an Acheson furnace at intervals, packing graphite grains in the gaps between the adjacent reaction vessels and around the reaction vessels along the longitudinal direction of the furnace starting with the furnace-side ends of terminal electrodes to form a surrounding heating zone, and packing a heat insulating packing around the surrounding heating zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1993
    Assignee: Tokai Carbon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Takenaka, Shigeto Mori, Osamu Machida