Abstract: A melting and/or refining unit for conductively heatable melts, in particular glass melts, is provided. The melting and/or refining unit has a tank and at least one electrode. The electrode passes through an opening in a wall of the tank so as to be immersed in the conductively heatable melt. The melting and/or refining unit has an apparatus for reducing the local introduction of heating power into at least one region adjacent to the electrode.

Abstract: A device for the production of a glass rod is provided. The device has a Danner blowpipe constructed to avoid problems attributed to different heat expansion coefficients of the participating materials. The Danner blowpipe has an outer metal jacket surrounding a ceramic body and defines a supply end and a discharge end of the blowpipe. A clamping plate is provided at both the supply and discharge ends. The clamping plate on the discharge end is rigidly joined with a shaft and engages the outer metal jacket at the discharge end. The clamping plate on the supply end is joined in an axially displaceable manner on the shaft, which is rigidly joined with a pressure plate against displacement in an axial direction. A pressure spring is disposed between the pressure plate and the clamping plate on the supply end to urge the plates away from one another.

Abstract: To reduce the risk of damage to the refractory material, in particular caused by the formation of cracks and corrosion, the invention provides a unit, in particular a melting and/or refining unit and/or a distributor system and/or a channel system, for conductively heatable melts (30), in particular glass melts, which has a tank and at least one electrode (20), the electrode (20) passing through an opening in a wall (10) of the tank so as to be immersed in the conductively heatable melt (30), wherein the unit has an apparatus for reducing the local introduction of heating power into at least one region—adjacent to the electrode (20)—of the wall (10).

Abstract: An electrochemical system for the direct conversion of carbonaceous fuel into electrical energy and/or pure hydrogen. The system comprises at least two solid oxide fuel cell stack assemblies in communication with the other for production of hydrogen/electricity. The solid oxide fuel cell stack assemblies are in communication with a compressor, which in turn compresses the produced hydrogen into compressed pure hydrogen for storage and later use.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for producing a glass rod. The device comprises a Danner blowpipe (1); a nozzle for applying stream of glass to the surface of the Danner blowpipe (1) at one end of said blowpipe (supply end) at a relatively high temperature in order to form a glass film, which is removed at the other end (discharge end) in the form of a bulb at low speed. According to the invention, the device is characterised as follows: the Danner blowpipe (1) is constructed as follows: the peripheral wall consists of an external metal jacket (2) and a ceramic body (3) surrounded by said jacket; a respective clamping plate (6.1, 6.2) is provided at the supply end and at the discharge end; the discharge-end clamping plate (6.2) is connected in a fixed manner to the shaft (6); the supply-end clamping plate (6.