Abstract: A heater control system for heating components of a substrate processing system includes N heater zones, where N is an integer greater than zero. Each of the N heater zones heats a component of the substrate processing system and includes a resistive heater and a temperature sensor to sense a local temperature in a corresponding one of the N heater zones. A controller is configured to determine an average temperature of each of the N heater zones based on a resistance of the resistive heater in each of the N heater zones. The controller controls the resistive heater based on the average temperature and the local temperature in each of the N heater zones.

Abstract: Processes and systems for producing glass fibers having regions devoid of glass using submerged combustion melters, including feeding a vitrifiable feed material into a feed inlet of a melting zone of a melter vessel, and heating the vitrifiable material with at least one burner directing combustion products of an oxidant and a first fuel into the melting zone under a level of the molten material in the zone. One or more of the burners is configured to impart heat and turbulence to the molten material, producing a turbulent molten material comprising a plurality of bubbles suspended in the molten material, the bubbles comprising at least some of the combustion products, and optionally other gas species introduced by the burners. The molten material and bubbles are drawn through a bushing fluidly connected to a forehearth to produce a glass fiber comprising a plurality of interior regions substantially devoid of glass.

Abstract: A bushing system may include a bushing that is configured to receive a molten material. The bushing may include a plate defining a first plurality of apertures through which the molten material flows. The plate may include a longitudinal axis, as well as a first side wall and a second side wall disposed on a side of the plate opposite the first side wall. The first side wall and the second side wall may extend at an upward angle from the plate. The plate may also include a plurality of ribs extending along at least a portion of the plate. The bushing system may also include a tip plate coupleable with the bushing. The tip plate may be configured to receive the molten material from the bushing and may define a second plurality of apertures through which the molten material flows to form fibers.

Abstract: A reinforcement device, especially for the bottom of a bushing having a multitude of holes from which filaments, e.g., glass filaments, are drawn, including a reinforcement piece that includes a hollow first part defining at least one receiving housing and a second part that extends at least partly over the length of the hollow part, and also at least one stiffener inserted into the receiving housing of the hollow part. The cross section of the stiffener is substantially identical to the internal cross section of the hollow part.

Abstract: Electrical resistant bushings and methods for making fibers such as glass fibers by passing molten glass through these bushings to form fibers wherein the bushings have novel ears for attaching to electrical terminal clamps bringing electrical current to the bushing are disclosed. The novel ears have at least one generally V shaped notch at or near the unattached end of the ear to produce an improved temperature profile on the tip plate of the bushing. One preferred bushing of the invention has ears having 5 generally V shaped notches therein.

Abstract: A plurality of different structural members for reinforcing a plate-like structure, such as a bushing tip plate for intended use in forming fibers from a fluid material supplied to a bushing assembly, are disclosed. Each reinforcing member includes a body having a first portion for attachment to the structure and a second portion having a profile with a variable height including at least one apex. The body may be integrally formed of a single piece of material, or two or formed from more separate pieces of material bonded or secured together. The body may be T-shaped, L-shaped, or F-shaped in cross-section. The second portion of the body may have an inverted V-shaped profile, an inverted W-shaped profile, or an arcuate profile. The at least one apex may be located at the midpoint or elsewhere along the length of the body.

Abstract: A bushing assembly/support structure arrangement is provided. The arrangement comprises a bushing assembly and a support structure. The bushing arrangement includes a bushing main body comprising at least first and second side walls and a tip plate extending between the side walls. The tip plate contains a plurality of orifices through which molten mineral material flows prior to being attenuated into fibers. The bushing assembly further comprises a first support rail coupled to the main body first side wall, and at least one first bracket having an intermediate member coupled to the main body first side wall. The support structure comprises a bushing frame, and at least one first support strap. The support strap has a first end fixedly coupled to the bushing frame and second end extending toward a first location on the support rail adjacent the first bracket for supporting the bushing assembly.

Abstract: A bushing tip plate support assembly for a bushing in a filament forming apparatus is disclosed. The support assembly improves the flatness of the tip section within the spans between the external support and the center support. The filament forming apparatus includes a bushing having a bottom plate from which nozzles or tips depend. The disclosed support assembly is an improvement on the internal support assemblies in conventional bushings because it has several functions. The support assembly includes two vertical dividers mounted in the bushing. The bottom ends of the dividers are welded to the tops of tip plate gussets in the bushing. The dividers are attached to side plates of the bushing as well. An upper portion of each divider serves as an upper side wall for the bushing and defines part of the throat of the bushing into which the molten glass flows. The dividers also include middle and lower portions with perforations through which the glass in the bushing may flow.

Abstract: An electric open-top melter for use in the manufacture of mineral fibers, such as fiberglass, is provided with a side-discharge outlet. The side-discharge outlet allows the melter, conditioner/refiner, and forehearth to all be located on substantially the same level, thereby allowing molten glass to flow from the side of the melter, through the conditioning zone, and into the forehearth from which spinners produce glass fibers or the like. Isolation members are provided in the conditioning or refining area so as to enable molten glass therein to be isolated from the melter and forehearth when the molten glass level is lowered below the tops the isolation members.

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.

Abstract: For obtaining mineral fibers from a thermoplastic material having a high melting point, and more precisely for the regulation of the flow rate and temperature of the stream of molten material distributed on the fiber-drawing machine, the molten material is conveyed via a reservoir where the flow rate is regulated and the height of the molten material at the base of the tapping aperture is controlled by inclining the reservoir. Preferably the molten material is subject to a basic heating process which raises its temperature close to the fiber-drawing temperature and, in the vicinity of the tapping aperture, it is subject to additional heating in order to adjust the temperature precisely.

Abstract: A batch charger for feeding raw batch material to a glass making furnace of the type having a reciprocating charger plate positioned under a hopper chute. A pusher bar is supported substantially parallel to the front edge of the charger plate, and rams are connected to the pusher bar to move it from a position under the charger plate such that raw batch that has been delivered over the edge of the charger plate can be pushed further into the furnace.

Abstract: The invention relates to a novel palladium-based alloy.This palladium-based alloy comprises tin in an amount, preferably of 5 to 20% by weight, which is sufficient to impart an acceptable resistance to corrosion by molten glass, preferably being essentially equivalent to that of platinum-rhodium 10% alloys.An alloy of this type can be used in the glass industry for making components which come into contact with molten glass, which preferably essentially contains no oxides less stable than tin oxide, such as lead oxide, because it has an excellent resistance to corrosion by molten glass and is much less expensive than the platinum-rhodium 10% alloy normally used. Moreover, by the addition of at least one element selected from platinum (0-50% by weight), rhodium (0-20% by weight), iridium (0-20% by weight) and ruthenium 0-20% by weight), the mechanical strength at high temperature, especially the creep strength, is significantly improved.

Abstract: A bushing balance controller controls the overall average temperature of a multiple segment glass fiber forming bushing and the temperature of each individual bushing segment. Current shunting loops divert current away from each bushing segment as required to provide the proper bushing segment temperature profile as well as the desired average bushing temperature.

Abstract: The invention relates to a novel palladium-based alloy.This palladium-based alloy comprises at least one additional element selected from indium, bismuth, silver and copper, in an amount sufficient to impart an acceptable resistance to corrosion by molten glass, preferably being essentially equivalent to that of platinum-rhodium 10% alloys.An alloy of this type can be used in the glass industry for making components which come into contact with molten glass, which preferably essentially contains no oxides less stable than the oxide of the additional element, such as lead oxide, because is has an excellent resistance to corrosion by molten glass and is less expensive than the platinum-rhodium 10% alloy normally used. Moreover, by the addition of at least one element selected from platinum (0-50% by weight), rhodium (0-20% by weight), iridium (0-20% by weight), ruthenium (0-20% by weight) and tin (0-20%), the mechanical strength at high temperature, especially the creep strength, is significantly improved.

Abstract: An improved bushing controller is shown which utilizes an auxiliary transformer in each of the variable impedance circuits in the controller and the bushing tha the controller is connected to increase the current capability of the controller by a significant percentage. Improved performance of fiber glass bushings producing multiple forming packages is realized.

Abstract: A refractory metal substrate suitable for use in contact with an oxygen- or nitrogen-containing environment at a temperature greater than the oxidation or mitridation acceleration temperature of the substrate is disclosed. The refractory metal substrate comprises a refractory metal comprised of molybdenum and having a coating comprised of chromium metal. In an alternative embodiment the refractory metal can be an alloy comprised of in weight percent: from about 10 to about 20 chromium, from about 0 to about 5 alumina (Al.sub.2 O.sub.3), from about 0 to about 1 yttria (Y.sub.2 O.sub.3), from about 0 to about 0.5 titanium, from about 0 to about 0.1 zirconium, the balance being essentially molybdenum to make 100% of the composition; and, optionally having a coating of chromium metal.

Abstract: A control system for a fiber glass forming bushing is described in which two thermocouple circuits are connected to a transformer having two sets of windings on a common core in series aiding configuration. A third thermocouple circuit is connected to the transformer. This configuration measures bushing temperatures, weight averages the signals representing those temperatures, and feeds a signal to a temperature controller for the bushing. The interposed transformer prevents the improper operation of the controller and possible damage to the bushing.

Abstract: A bushing balance controller senses the temperature of each section of a multiple section glass fiber forming bushing by thermocouples or resistance (voltage drop) measuring techniques and injects electrical energy to all but one of the individual bushing sections and adjusts the supply of electrical energy to the entire bushing assembly thereby controlling the temperature of each individual section of the bushing. When thermocouples sensors are utilized, standard thermocouple driven temperature controllers may be utilized to provide a signal to a plurality of power packs, a primary power pack providing electrical energy to the entire bushing and smaller power packs controlling the injection of electrical energy to all but one of the bushing segments. A similar power pack and bushing control scheme accompanies the use of resistance (voltage drop) measurement techniques.

Abstract: The bushing balance controller is an electronic device which measures the voltage drop across each segment of a multiple segment glass fiber forming bushing and measures the current flow in the bushing. The device uses these measurements to produce error signals proportional to the difference in the set point temperature and the instantaneous temperature of each segment of the bushing. The device diverts current from each segment of the bushing whose error signal is greater than the average of the error signals for all segments of the bushing. The device also sums all error signals and passes this signal to a bushing controller which adds current to the bushing when the sum of the error signals falls below a preset value.

Abstract: A bushing controller circuit for regulating the current flow through a fiber glass bushing to thereby control the temperature of the molten glass being drawn into fibers is disclosed. The bushing temperature is measured by a plurality of thermocouples which produce an average temperature reading that is used to control the power fed to the bushing. The bushing controller circuit is a three-terminal device connected across two sections of the bushing to regulate relative current flow in the two sections, in order to control the amount of fiber produced by each section. The bushing controller circuit includes a pair of timing circuits which operate in response to the polarity and magnitude of a control signal, produced at a remote control panel, to control the conductivity of a corresponding pair of current control devices connected across respective sections of the bushing. A reset circuit produces a signal corresponding to the zero crossing of the input AC power to synchronize the timing circuits.

Abstract: A flat plate bushing is described which eliminates extensive precious metal use in drain and/or production bushings. The bushing utilizes a novel arrangement of insulation members and support plates that allow the bushing to be electrically heated and a novel method of connecting the bushing to a power source using the bushing face plate as the connection point is also shown.

Abstract: A method of equalizing production on a split fiber glass forming bushing is described involving averaging the temperature measured across a bushing face plate, and controlling the power input to the bushing in response to that measured average. The two halves of the bushing are controlled by placing a variable resistor in the power supply lines to the bushing and adjusting current input to the sides in response to variations in weight or yardage measured for the two strands produced by the split bushing.

Abstract: A process for forming molten material in a melting furnace is disclosed. Bushings made of refractory or noble metal in the furnace are protected from cracking by applying a positive or anodic D.C. bias.