Abstract: A cleaning system for cleaning the inside of a glass element with a fluid includes a nozzle head including a cleaning opening for releasing a part of the fluid and pointing in a first direction and a pressure balancing opening for releasing a part of the fluid and pointing in a second direction. Two half spaces including a first one and a second one are separated by a plane which is perpendicular to a center axis of the nozzle head. A first direction vector of the first direction points in a direction at least one of towards the first half space or away from the second half space. A second direction vector of the second direction points in a direction at least one of towards the second half space or away from the first half space.

Abstract: At least one glass element includes: a first end; a second end; and a hollow portion including a first end section including the first end of the at least one glass element, a middle section, and a second end section including the second end of the at least one glass element. Each section has an inner surface and an outer surface and all sections are of equal length. A ratio of a number of particles on the inner surface at the first end section and/or the second end section to a number of particles on the inner surface at the middle section is 20 or less.

Abstract: A method for processing glass elements is provided. The method includes introducing a perforation line for parting a glass element introduced into the glass element during or after a hot processing process at an elevated temperature of at least 100° C. Spaced-apart filamentary flaws are introduced into the glass element along the predetermined course of the perforation line by a pulsed laser beam of an ultrashort pulse laser, and, during or after the introduction of the filamentary flaws, the glass element is cooled down so as to produce a temperature gradient, which induces a mechanical stress at the filamentary flaws, whereby the breaking force required for parting the glass element along the perforation line is reduced.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for treating refractory material which consists of fireclay, light-weight refractory bricks, silimanite bricks, zirconium and zirconium-containing bricks, and fusion-cast bricks with compositions from Al2O3, SiO2, ZrO2 and/or MgO or CrO in order to render it corrosion-resistant so that it withstands contact with a glass melt for a longer time. The surface of the material is treated by laser radiation, forming a vitreous surface layer having a thickness of 100 to 1000 ?m.