Abstract: A chamber (101, 201), for holding molten glass (113, 202) having a free surface (114, 203), includes a bellows (4, 204), a sealing ring (10, 210), and a cover (30, 50, 230). The bellows is coupled to the chamber, and the sealing ring is coupled to the bellows. The sealing ring may include one or more various devices, associated with operation of the chamber, including: an atmosphere supply tube (14, 214), an electric lead (12), a pressure differential sensor (16, 216), a thermo couple, an oxygen sensor, and/or an auxiliary port (18). The sealing ring further includes an upper opening (21) having an inner diameter (22). The cover is removably coupled to the sealing ring and extends over the sealing-ring-upper-opening inner diameter, wherein the sealing ring is disposed between the cover and the chamber. The cover may include various separately removable sections (30, 32, 34, 35, 37, 50, 52, 54).

Abstract: A molten glass delivery system is modified to match it with the overflow downdraw process. A substantial number of defects not removed by the finer are diverted to the unusable inlet and distal edges of the sheet. In one embodiment, the stirring device is relocated from the outlet to the inlet of the finer. In another embodiment, the basic shape of the finer is preferably changed from a cylindrical shape to a Double Apex (or Gull Wing) shaped cross-section, whereby the apexes of the finer contain the glass that will form the unusable inlet end of the glass sheet. The finer vent or vents are preferably located at these apexes such that any homogeneity defects caused by the vents are diverted to the unusable inlet end of the glass sheet. The finer cross-section has a high aspect ratio for increased fining efficiency as compared to a cylindrical finer.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for homogenizing a glass melt in a melt receptacle, wherein at least one stirring device is disposed in a melt receptacle, which comprises a stirrer shaft and a plurality of stirrer blades, and wherein a gap (16) is formed between a wall region of the melt receptacle and the stirrer blades. According to the invention, the respective stirring device causes an axial feed action in an inner stirring region between the stirrer shaft and the stirrer blades in order to feed the melt in the stirring region along the stirrer shaft. A melt flow brought about by the axial feed action seals the gap against direct passage of the melt. According to the invention, a very high gap width can be achieved, thus preventing the abrasion of materials in the region of the marginal gap. This also reduces the complexity required for adjusting the device. According to the invention, a high level of homogenization can be achieved regardless of the entry point of the inhomogeneities.

Abstract: The device for homogenizing a glass melt has a melt receptacle and at least one stirring device arranged in the melt receptacle. Each stirring device consists of a stirrer shaft and stirrer blades extending toward an inside wall of the receptacle, which are configured to produce an axial feed of the glass melt in an inner stirring region between the stirrer shaft and front ends of the stirrer blades. The melt receptacle and the stirring device are configured so that a melt flow caused by the axial feed, which is opposite to the axial feed, seals a gap formed between the inside wall and the front ends of the stirrer blades, so that the glass melt cannot flow directly through the gap to a lower axial end of the inner stirring region. The invention also encompasses a method of homogenizing a glass melt.

Abstract: The invention relates to a furnace for the continuous melting of a composition comprising silica, the said furnace comprising at least two tanks in series, said tanks each comprising at least one burner submerged in the melt. The invention also relates to the process for manufacturing compositions comprising silica using the furnace, the silica and the fluxing agent for the silica being introduced into the first tank. The invention makes it possible to produce glass color frits, tile frits and enamel with a high productivity, low temperatures and short transition times.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to a device for homogenizing a glass melt in a melt receptacle, wherein at least one stirring device (10, 11) is disposed in the melt receptacle, which comprises a stirrer shaft (10) and a plurality of stirrer blades (11), and wherein a gap (16) is formed between a wall region of the melt receptacle (2) and the stirrer blades (11). According to the invention, the respective stirring device causes an axial feed action in an inner stirring region (12) between the stirrer shaft (10) and the stirrer blades (11) in order to feed the melt in the stirring region along the stirrer shaft (10). A melt flow brought about by the axial feed action seals the gap (16) against direct passage of the melt. According to the invention, a very high gap width can be achieved, thus preventing the abrasion of materials in the region of the marginal gap. This also reduces the complexity required for adjusting the device.

Abstract: A charged glass raw material B is melted in a melting tank 10 by heating with a burner 31 and by heating with electrodes 12, to form molten glass G. Then, the molten glass G flows into a tank additionally provided as a noble gas dissolving tank 20 through a throat 40. The noble gas dissolving tank 20 is provided with a noble gas dissolving device 53, and the noble gas dissolving device 53 is provided with sixteen noble gas inlets 22 for introducing a helium or neon gas supplied to a hearth through heat resistant gas introduction tubes 21 into the noble gas dissolving tank 20. Bubbles of a helium gas A having a purity of 99% are blown out from the noble gas inlets 22 in volumes such that the bubbles have an average diameter of 80 mm or less in the molten glass G.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to a device for homogenizing a glass melt in a melt receptacle, wherein at least one stirring device (10, 11) is disposed in the melt receptacle, which comprises a stirrer shaft (10) and a plurality of stirrer blades (11), and wherein a gap (16) is formed between a wall region of the melt receptacle (2) and the stirrer blades (11). According to the invention, the respective stirring device causes an axial feed action in an inner stirring region (12) between the stirrer shaft (10) and the stirrer blades (11) in order to feed the melt in the stirring region along the stirrer shaft (10). A melt flow brought about by the axial feed action seals the gap (16) against direct passage of the melt. According to the invention, a very high gap width can be achieved, thus preventing the abrasion of materials in the region of the marginal gap. This also reduces the complexity required for adjusting the device.

Abstract: A molten glass pump preferably includes one or more pumps which form either a single-stage apparatus or are combined in series to form a multi-stage apparatus. The exact configuration depends on the required process pressure and the required degree of glass homogenization. Examples of the invention include an auger pump and a mixing auger pump which have varying degrees of mixing action, as well as a homogenizing pump which provides some pumping action but is primarily a homogenizer. All three pumps preferably include a centerline flow recirculation feature which remixes inhomogeneous glass into the incoming glass stream. A counter-rotating sleeve, which straightens the glass flow exiting the apparatus and provides an additional flow recirculation path, is also preferably included.