An infrared optical glass melting furnace and its application

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of infrared optical glass technology, and more particularly to an infrared optical glass melting furnace and its application. The infrared optical glass melting furnace includes: a furnace body unit, a stirring unit, a furnace bottom slide rail lifting unit, and a control unit. By incorporating the furnace bottom slide rail lifting unit, and utilizing the cooperation of a horizontal sliding beam and a frame-type support, the furnace bottom can be opened and closed from the bottom of the melting furnace. This allows the melting furnace to lower and bring out the melting crucible for adding clinker and pouring molten glass, avoiding splashing of the molten glass. Simultaneously, the bottom discharge design enables direct pouring, reducing the exposure time of the molten glass to air, minimizing flow links, and improving work efficiency. Furthermore, the bottom discharge method increases the usable working volume of the furnace cavity, achieving an effective utilization rate of over 91.6%, and allowing for single-batch feeding of over 60 kg, enabling large-scale feeding.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of infrared optical glass technology, and in particular to an infrared optical glass melting furnace and its applications. Background Technology

[0002] Melting furnaces are typically used in the field of metal smelting to melt metal ingots, purify metal materials, and obtain the desired metal materials through processes such as melting and casting. The melting process of optical glass is similar to that of metal smelting. Powder is sintered into briquettes through pretreatment, then added to the melting chamber for sintering, resulting in molten glass that is then cast into a mold.

[0003] Currently available melting furnaces have small melting chambers, making it impossible to adjust the height for feeding and casting operations. They also typically use electric heating wires for heating, which have a low and uneven heating temperature. When casting is required, external containers are usually used, but these containers are generally small and cannot effectively improve production efficiency. Furthermore, it is difficult to pour or remove the molten glass from the furnace for casting, and the molten glass may splash, causing personal injury and production safety issues.

[0004] Meanwhile, due to the special nature of infrared optical glass, after the raw materials are melted into glass liquid, a high-density, high-viscosity, and highly corrosive molten environment will inevitably appear. For molten fluorine gallate raw materials, the high-temperature molten salt environment formed during the melting process will also pose a significant threat to the long-term high-temperature operation of the equipment. Long-term heating operation and cooling maintenance processes will generate a large accumulation of thermal stress on the equipment's insulation layer, leading to equipment damage.

[0005] Therefore, existing technologies still need to be improved and developed. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the purpose of this invention is to provide an infrared optical glass melting furnace and its application, which aims to solve the problems of existing melting furnaces being unable to feed on a large scale, and the splashing of molten glass during pouring or casting.

[0007] The technical solution of the present invention is as follows:

[0008] An infrared optical glass melting furnace, comprising:

[0009] The furnace body unit includes a furnace wall, a furnace cover that forms a furnace cavity with the furnace wall, and a furnace bottom; the furnace cover and the furnace bottom are movably connected to the furnace wall;

[0010] The stirring unit includes a mechanical arm rotatably connected to the furnace body unit, a stirring transmission arm slidably connected to the mechanical arm, and a stirrer detachably connected to the stirring transmission arm;

[0011] The furnace bottom slide rail lifting unit includes an auxiliary operating platform, a lifting motor fixed to the auxiliary operating platform, a horizontal sliding beam fixed to the furnace bottom, and a frame-type support perpendicular to the horizontal sliding beam; the lifting motor is connected to the horizontal sliding beam and the frame-type support respectively by steel cables;

[0012] The control unit is used to control the stirring unit and the furnace bottom slide rail lifting unit.

[0013] The infrared optical glass melting furnace, wherein the furnace wall includes a shell, a heat-insulating corundum layer coaxially disposed with the shell, a plurality of heating rods disposed on the side of the heat-insulating corundum layer away from the shell, and a furnace top disposed on the end of the heat-insulating corundum layer near the furnace cover.

[0014] In the infrared optical glass melting furnace, a plurality of heating rods are spaced apart on the side of the insulating corundum layer near the furnace cavity; the plurality of heating rods are disposed through the furnace top, and an insulating corundum brick is provided at the end of the heating rod near the furnace cover.

[0015] The infrared optical glass melting furnace, wherein the furnace cover includes an insulated corundum wall with an opening and a corundum protective wall disposed along the opening away from the furnace bottom; the opening is disposed corresponding to the furnace cavity.

[0016] The infrared optical glass melting furnace, wherein the furnace bottom includes a tray and a crucible fixing component fixed on the tray; the crucible fixing component is used to fix the crucible.

[0017] The infrared optical glass melting furnace is provided with an eccentric discharge port at the bottom of the crucible and at the crucible fixing component.

[0018] The infrared optical glass melting furnace further includes a stirring unit that includes a first motor for controlling the movement of the stirring transmission arm along the Z-axis of the mechanical arm, and a second motor for rotating the stirrer; the first motor is fixed to the end of the mechanical arm away from the furnace body unit, and the second motor is fixed to the end of the stirring transmission arm close to the mechanical arm.

[0019] The infrared optical glass melting furnace, wherein the auxiliary operating platform includes a horizontal slide rail, a vertical slide rail, and a support frame arranged perpendicularly to the vertical slide rail; the vertical slide rail and the support frame are connected by a first support beam and a second support beam; the horizontal slide rail is slidably connected to the horizontal sliding beam; and the vertical slide rail is slidably connected to the frame bracket.

[0020] In the infrared optical glass melting furnace, a slider is provided on the vertical slide rail to limit the movement range of the frame-shaped support.

[0021] Application of an infrared optical glass melting furnace in the melting of fluorogallate infrared optical glass.

[0022] Beneficial Effects: This invention provides an infrared optical glass melting furnace and its application. The infrared optical glass melting furnace includes: a furnace body unit, including a furnace wall, a furnace cover and a furnace bottom that form a furnace cavity with the furnace wall; the furnace cover and the furnace bottom are movably connected to the furnace wall; a stirring unit, including a mechanical arm rotatably connected to the furnace body unit, a stirring transmission arm slidably connected to the mechanical arm, and a stirrer detachably connected to the stirring transmission arm; a furnace bottom slide rail lifting unit, including an auxiliary operating platform, a lifting motor fixed to the auxiliary operating platform, a horizontal sliding beam fixed to the furnace bottom, and a frame-type support perpendicular to the horizontal sliding beam; the lifting motor is connected to the horizontal sliding beam and the frame-type support respectively via steel cables; and a control unit for controlling the stirring unit and the furnace bottom slide rail lifting unit. This invention, through the installation of a furnace bottom sliding rail lifting unit and the cooperation of a horizontal sliding beam and frame-type support, allows the furnace bottom to open and close from the bottom of the melting furnace. This enables the melting furnace to lower and bring out the melting crucible for adding clinker and pouring molten glass, avoiding splashing of the molten glass. Simultaneously, the bottom discharge design for direct pouring reduces the exposure time of the molten glass to air, minimizes flow links, and improves work efficiency. Furthermore, the bottom discharge method increases the usable working volume of the furnace cavity, achieving an effective utilization rate of over 91.6%, and allowing for single-filling of over 60 kg, enabling large-scale feeding. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a top view of an infrared optical glass melting furnace according to the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of an infrared optical glass melting furnace according to the present invention;

[0025] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the furnace body unit structure of an infrared optical glass melting furnace according to the present invention;

[0026] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the working state of an infrared optical glass melting furnace according to the present invention;

[0027] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: Furnace body unit 10, furnace wall 11, shell 111, insulating corundum layer 112, heating rod 113, furnace top 114, insulating corundum brick 115, furnace cavity 12, furnace cover 13, insulating corundum wall 131, corundum protective wall 132, fixed dome 133, furnace bottom 14, tray 141, crucible fixing component 142, furnace bottom insulation layer 143, stirring unit 20, robotic arm 21, stirring transmission arm 22, stirrer 23, stirring blade connection 231, stirring blade 232, first motor 24, second motor 25, furnace bottom slide rail lifting unit 30, auxiliary operating platform 31, vertical slide rail 311, support frame 312, first support beam 313, second support beam 314, lifting motor 32, horizontal sliding beam 33, frame bracket 34, slider 35, control unit 40, crucible 50, crucible cover 51, discharge port guide 52, eccentric discharge port 60, counterweight 70, auxiliary unit 80. Detailed Implementation

[0028] This invention provides an infrared optical glass melting furnace and its applications. To make the objectives, technical solutions, and effects of this invention clearer and more explicit, the invention is further described in detail below. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention.

[0029] It will be understood by those skilled in the art that, unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. It should also be understood that terms such as those defined in general dictionaries should be understood to have the same meaning as in the context of the prior art, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless specifically defined as herein.

[0030] Current glass melting furnaces typically employ a closed design, using a platinum crucible as a reaction vessel within the melting chamber. During casting, the entire melting chamber must be tilted or the platinum crucible removed for pouring. Tilting the melting chamber easily leads to glass contamination, and due to its large mass, molten glass can splash and injure people, causing personal injury or production safety issues. Removing the platinum crucible for pouring is problematic because, due to objective factors, the mass of the platinum crucible and molten material cannot be too large. Furthermore, platinum readily reacts with and adheres to other metals at high temperatures, resulting in metal residue contamination of the molten glass or rendering the equipment unusable.

[0031] Based on this, such as Figure 1-2 As shown, the present invention provides an infrared optical glass melting furnace, comprising:

[0032] The furnace body unit 10 includes a furnace wall 11, a furnace cover 13 and a furnace bottom 14 that form a furnace cavity 12 with the furnace wall 11; the furnace cover 13 and the furnace bottom 14 are movably connected to the furnace wall 11;

[0033] The stirring unit 20 includes a mechanical arm 21 rotatably connected to the furnace body unit 10, a stirring transmission arm 22 slidably connected to the mechanical arm 21, and a stirrer 23 detachably connected to the stirring transmission arm 22.

[0034] The furnace bottom slide rail lifting unit 30 includes an auxiliary operating platform 31, a lifting motor 32 fixed on the auxiliary operating platform 31, a horizontal sliding beam 33 fixed to the furnace bottom 14, and a frame-type support 34 perpendicularly arranged to the horizontal sliding beam 33; the lifting motor 32 is connected to the horizontal sliding beam 33 and the frame-type support 34 respectively by steel cables.

[0035] Control unit 40 is used to control the stirring unit 20 and the furnace bottom slide rail lifting unit 30.

[0036] In this embodiment, the infrared optical glass melting furnace adopts a vertical structure design. The furnace bottom slide rail lifting unit enables direct casting from the bottom, reducing the exposure time of the molten glass to air, minimizing circulation steps, and improving work efficiency. Specifically, the furnace bottom slide rail lifting unit 30 supports the furnace bottom 14, forming an L-shaped support structure. This supports the lowering of the melting crucible from below the furnace cavity for adding clinker and pouring molten glass. Furthermore, the control unit 40 controls the stirring unit 20 and the furnace bottom slide rail lifting unit 30, allowing simultaneous operation of the furnace body, stirring unit, and furnace bottom slide rail lifting unit on the same platform, facilitating large-scale industrial production.

[0037] Specifically, the furnace unit adopts a cylindrical design, and the furnace cavity is cylindrical with an effective volume of 71.4L. The usable working volume after loading the crucible is 65.4L, achieving an effective utilization rate of 91.6%. It can feed more than 60kg of material at a time, making it the largest vertical infrared optical glass melting furnace currently available. When feeding or casting is required, the furnace bottom 14 can be lowered via the control unit 40 to reduce the height of the crucible, preventing splashing of molten glass and allowing for complete collection and casting, effectively reducing production safety hazards. During the melting process, the control unit 40 can be used to load the crucible cover, the stirring blades of the agitator, and control the stirring height of the stirring blades. Simultaneously, the infrared optical glass melting furnace can perform large-scale, commercial, long-term, and stable production of optical glass under high-density, high-viscosity, and highly corrosive molten salt conditions, featuring large capacity, high-temperature heating, and good temperature uniformity.

[0038] In some implementations, such as Figure 3 As shown, the furnace wall 11 includes a shell 111, a heat-insulating corundum layer 112 coaxially arranged with the shell 111, a plurality of heating rods 113 disposed on the side of the heat-insulating corundum layer 112 away from the shell 111, and a furnace top 114 disposed on the end of the heat-insulating corundum layer 112 near the furnace cover 13. Using corundum for insulation, with the heat-insulating corundum layer having a thickness of at least 350 mm and the furnace top being made of corundum with a thickness of at least 300 mm, this structural design is simple, low-cost, and possesses good thermal insulation properties, effectively ensuring stable production operating temperature and minimizing deviation of the actual temperature from the theoretical production temperature.

[0039] Specifically, the insulating corundum layer 112 can be composed of multiple layers of insulating corundum, which facilitates equipment assembly. For example, as shown in the figure, the insulating corundum layer consists of two layers of corundum, including an inner insulating corundum layer located near the furnace cavity and an outer insulating corundum layer located between the shell 111 and the inner insulating corundum layer (shown as unfilled in the figure). Corundum has extremely strong heat resistance, and its cost is reduced, which can appropriately lower production costs.

[0040] In a preferred embodiment, the heating rod is a U-shaped silicon molybdenum rod, which has a maximum temperature of approximately 1700°C. It also has high energy conversion efficiency, uniform heating, and precise control over heat generation. It does not soften or break at a working temperature of 1400°C, and it hardly generates thermal stress accumulation during long-term heating, exhibiting strong stability.

[0041] In some embodiments, the furnace top 114 has an opening, which is sealed by a fixed dome 133 made of corundum material, thereby sealing the furnace cavity; the thickness of the dome is at least 300 mm. The fixed dome is made of 95% corundum material and has a thickness of 300 mm.

[0042] In a preferred embodiment, the furnace top 114 is a double-hole lid with a handle, allowing the crucible lid inside the furnace cavity to connect to an external protective gas duct. The protective gas duct is a unidirectional, independent duct, allowing for the introduction of a separate, dry, and pure protective gas into the crucible.

[0043] In some embodiments, the shell of the infrared optical glass melting furnace is made of stainless steel, and the side of the shell 111 facing away from the furnace cavity is provided with multiple fixing bolts. The infrared optical glass melting furnace is fixed in the air by an external elevated frame, which ensures that the whole furnace has sufficient rigidity and strength. In conjunction with the furnace bottom slide rail lifting unit 30, the purpose of opening the furnace cavity from below and sinking the melting crucible can be achieved.

[0044] In some embodiments, a plurality of heating rods 113 are spaced apart on the side of the insulating corundum layer 112 near the furnace cavity 12; the plurality of heating rods 113 are disposed through the furnace top 114, and an insulating corundum brick 115 is provided at one end of the heating rod 113 near the furnace cover 13; the insulating corundum brick 115 can be used to fix the heating rods 113, and a furnace cavity with uniform temperature can be provided by the heating rods.

[0045] Specifically, the insulating corundum brick 115 is provided with a 75mm*46mm cross-shaped loading port for loading 10 sets of 500mm U-shaped silicon molybdenum heating rods to ensure uniform heating. Simultaneously, the silicon molybdenum heating rods can reach a maximum temperature of approximately 1700℃, while exhibiting high energy conversion efficiency and uniform heating, and will not soften or break at an operating temperature of 1400℃. Meanwhile, the heating rods 113 are embedded from the furnace top 114 into the furnace cavity 12, ensuring uniform heat transfer and reaction of the molten glass throughout the entire operation, resulting in a small temperature gradient.

[0046] In a preferred embodiment, the heating rod 113 is embedded in a 95% corundum wall with a thickness of 9-11 mm to indirectly heat the furnace cavity; a platinum crucible is loaded in the furnace cavity, and the outer wall of the platinum crucible and the inner wall of the furnace cavity are kept at a distance of 2-5 mm to ensure that they will not stick together during long-term operation, which would cause serious production safety problems when using the furnace bottom slide rail lifting unit for feeding or casting; the platinum crucible opening and the fixed dome 133 are kept at a distance of 5-8 mm; during operation, the furnace cover needs to be opened to fix the platinum crucible cover.

[0047] In some embodiments, the furnace cover 13 includes an insulating corundum wall 131 with an opening, and a corundum protective wall 132 disposed along the opening away from the furnace bottom 14; the opening is correspondingly disposed to the furnace cavity 12. The insulating corundum wall 131 can further improve the heat preservation effect of the melting furnace, while the corundum protective wall 132 can protect the operator from injury caused by accidental splashing of molten glass when the stirring unit 20 inserts the stirrer 23 from the furnace cover 13 position into the furnace cavity, and when protective gas and dehumidifying gas are introduced during the melting process.

[0048] In some embodiments, the furnace bottom 14 includes a tray 141 and a crucible fixing member 142 fixed to the tray 141; the crucible fixing member 142 is used to fix the crucible 50. The crucible fixing member 142 is fixed to the tray 141, can be opened and closed by the frame bracket 34, and can be moved horizontally by the horizontal sliding beam, which facilitates the addition of clinker and the pouring of molten glass.

[0049] Specifically, the furnace bottom 14 seals and supports the furnace cavity 12 in the working state. Located at the bottom of the furnace cavity 12, it is used for feeding or casting operations at the start or end of melting. The furnace bottom slide rail lifting unit 30 can be controlled to open and lower the entire furnace bottom through the tray support. After opening the furnace cavity, the feeding operation is completed, which can effectively improve the feeding efficiency. At the same time, it can effectively reduce the risk of burns caused by operator errors during operation. During casting, the distance between the discharge port and the casting mold is shortened, and the casting is carried out after removing the top material. This can effectively reduce the contact time between the molten metal and the air, avoid the formation of bubbles and crystals inside the cast glass due to rapid cooling, and prevent cracks. At the same time, it reduces the probability of molten glass splashing during casting to zero, effectively reducing production safety hazards and preventing serious production operation accidents during operation.

[0050] In a preferred embodiment, the bottom of the furnace cavity 12 is provided with a furnace bottom insulation layer 143, and the furnace bottom 14 abuts against the furnace bottom insulation layer 143 to achieve a better insulation effect of the furnace cavity.

[0051] In some embodiments, the stirrer 23 includes a stirring blade connector 231 for connection with the stirring drive arm 22, and stirring blades 232 for stirring.

[0052] Specifically, the crucible 50 also includes a crucible lid 51 with an opening; in the furnace chamber 12, the stirring blade 232 passes through the crucible lid 51, and the central circular opening of the furnace lid 13 is connected to the stirring drive arm 22 through the stirring blade connector 231, thereby realizing the stirring of the molten glass. The stirring shaft of the stirring blade 232 must maintain a distance of more than 2mm from the crucible lid to prevent platinum from sticking together under high temperature environment, which could damage the equipment and cause safety problems.

[0053] In some embodiments, the crucible lid is provided with two gas passages, including an inlet passage and an outlet passage; the inlet passage continuously introduces nitrogen and a small amount of oxygen during operation to maintain a protective atmosphere and low-oxygen environment for melting the fluorinated gallium salt solution; the outlet passage is connected to an external cooling device, and after cooling, it can be recycled through processing.

[0054] In some embodiments, the bottom of the crucible 50 and the crucible fixing member 142 are provided with an eccentric discharge port 60; the discharge port is 1.4m above the ground to ensure that flat mold casting can be performed. The lower end of the crucible 50 is connected to the discharge port guide tube 52, which leads out from the eccentric discharge port.

[0055] Specifically, the bottom of the crucible and the crucible fixing component have a 1 / 3 eccentric opening as a discharge port. The purpose of this is to make the glass melt flow more evenly and stably during the casting process, so that the density and temperature remain uniform and the same during casting. This eliminates the uneven casting caused by the Coriolis force generating vortices, which leads to the melt flowing out first and the density and temperature decreasing and then increasing again, as well as the crystallization of the cast glass. It also removes air bubbles and impurities, so that the casting material does not crystallize or splash, thus improving the quality of the glass product.

[0056] In some embodiments, the crucible 50 is a platinum crucible. Melting is carried out inside the furnace using a removable platinum crucible with a discharge port at the bottom. After casting, the waste material can be used to seal the furnace, ensuring the purity of the molten glass.

[0057] In some embodiments, to ensure the stability of the platinum crucible and prevent it from shaking during the lifting and pouring process, the crucible fixing component is provided with a plurality of first crucible claws, a plurality of second crucible claws, and a plurality of third crucible claws for gripping and fixing, which can stably fix the crucible and its discharge port on the crucible fixing component 142; the length of the first crucible claw is less than the length of the second crucible claw, and the length of the second crucible claw is less than the length of the third crucible claw.

[0058] In some embodiments, the stirring unit 20 further includes a first motor 24 for controlling the movement of the stirring drive arm 22 along the Z-axis direction of the robotic arm 21, and a second motor 25 for rotating the stirrer 23. The first motor 24 is fixed to the end of the robotic arm 21 away from the furnace unit 10, and the second motor 25 is fixed to the end of the stirring drive arm 22 near the robotic arm 21. The second motor 25 drives the stirring blade connector 231 through the stirring drive arm 22 to drive the stirring blade 232 to perform stirring. The first motor 24 serves as an auxiliary device, which can fully raise the stirring drive arm 22 during use, facilitating the installation and removal of the blades by workers. During operation, the height of the stirring blade 232 can be adjusted, and the working depth of the stirring blade can be adjusted in real time during the stirring process to control the stirring intensity of the blade, preventing the protective gas from entering the melt or the bottom of the crucible during the stirring process, thus preventing the accumulation of high-density, high-viscosity components and causing product quality problems. The connection between the robotic arm 21 and the furnace unit 10 is a rotatable structure, which can be rotated to the outside when not in use, without interfering with normal process operations.

[0059] Specifically, the first motor 24 drives the stirring transmission arm 22 to move along the vertical sliding track on the mechanical arm 21 in the Z-axis direction, realizing the lifting and lowering of the stirrer; and the stirring unit 20 as a whole can bear a load of more than 15Kg, while supporting the stirring blade 232 to maintain stability. The stirring unit 20 uses a dual-motor slide rail structure, and the stirring transmission arm 22 can control the stirring blade 232 to be positioned at the center line of the furnace cavity 12, maintaining a distance of 2cm from the inner wall of the crucible and a distance of 1cm from the bottom of the crucible, with a swing error of no more than 5mm, which can effectively prevent contact with the crucible wall during the stirring process and thus prevent adhesion; the second motor 25 has the characteristic of high torque, driving the stirring blade 232 to the target of 50r / min under normal operating conditions in the infrared optical glass liquid (fluorine gallate solution in this embodiment) with a viscosity range of 10^8-10^14 Pa·s. Meanwhile, the stirrer can be controlled by the control unit 40, so that the stirrer can rise along the vertical sliding track on the robotic arm 21 to remove the platinum stirring blades, making it convenient to disassemble and adjust the stirring depth.

[0060] In some embodiments, the auxiliary operating platform 31 includes a horizontal slide rail, a vertical slide rail 311, and a support frame 312 perpendicular to the vertical slide rail; the vertical slide rail 311 and the support frame 312 are connected by a first support beam 313 and a second support beam 314; the horizontal slide rail is slidably connected to the horizontal sliding beam 33; and the vertical slide rail 311 is slidably connected to the frame-type bracket 34. A counterweight 70 is provided at the end of the horizontal sliding beam away from the furnace bottom, providing better stability during the loading of the furnace bottom and crucible.

[0061] Specifically, such as Figure 4 As shown, the lifting motor 32 drives the frame-type support 34 and the horizontal sliding beam 33, realizing the vertical lifting movement of the frame-type support 34 and the horizontal movement of the horizontal sliding beam 33. This achieves the purpose of lifting the furnace bottom via the furnace bottom slide rail lifting unit, thereby increasing the amount of clinker added, reducing the difficulty of casting, and improving the casting quality. Simultaneously, the first support beam 313 and the second support beam 314 form a triangular structure with the vertical slide rail 311 and the support frame 312, strengthening the stability of the furnace bottom slide rail lifting unit. Furthermore, the vertical slide rail 311 ensures the lifting stability of the frame-type support 34, and the lifting of the frame-type support 34 can be controlled using a single motor.

[0062] In some embodiments, the vertical slide rail 311 is provided with a slider 35 to limit the range of motion of the frame support 34. By using the slider, the range of motion of the frame support 34 can be limited, allowing the frame support 34 to move up and down 1.3m along the z-axis, facilitating material feeding and pouring operations.

[0063] In some embodiments, the control unit 40 mainly controls the heating temperature of the heating rod 113, the rotation speed of the stirrer 23, and the lifting and lowering of the furnace bottom slide rail lifting unit 30.

[0064] In some embodiments, the infrared optical glass melting furnace further includes an auxiliary unit 80, which includes a steel elevated frame, handrails, stairs, etc.; mainly to facilitate operators to climb the stairs to the steel elevated frame and use the control unit to complete the operation and control of the entire glass melting furnace, and to perform maintenance and other operations.

[0065] It should be noted that the corundum involved in this embodiment is all 95% corundum, which has excellent thermal insulation effect, effectively ensuring stable production temperature and minimizing deviation of actual temperature from theoretical production temperature. Due to its good thermal insulation performance, it can effectively reduce heat loss throughout the process and reduce the heat generation of the silicon molybdenum rod in the heating structure, thereby reducing equipment wear and tear and energy consumption, achieving the requirements of green and environmentally friendly production, energy conservation and emission reduction. The high purity and low cost of structural corundum are also important reasons why it is used as the main thermal insulation material for the furnace body.

[0066] In addition, the present invention also provides an application of an infrared optical glass melting furnace in the melting of fluorogallate infrared optical glass.

[0067] In this embodiment, the infrared optical glass melting furnace is used for melting high-density, high-viscosity fluorogallate infrared glass, which has the advantages of large capacity, high-temperature heating and good temperature uniformity. When it is necessary to add material or cast, the furnace bottom sliding rail lifting unit can be controlled by the control unit to lower the furnace bottom and reduce the height of the crucible, so that the molten glass does not splash and can be completely collected and cast, effectively reducing production safety hazards. In addition, during the melting process, the control unit can load the crucible cover, stir blades and control the stirring height of the stir blades.

[0068] The following examples further illustrate the present invention in detail. It should also be understood that the following examples are only for further explanation of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention. Any non-essential improvements and adjustments made by those skilled in the art based on the above description of the present invention are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0069] Example 1

[0070] To better illustrate the application of the infrared optical glass melting furnace, this embodiment provides further explanation through a processing flow, as detailed below:

[0071] 1. When starting work, first load the platinum crucible. Then, load the first, second, and third crucible claws at the eccentric 1 / 3 outlet of the cake, securing them in place. Load the crucible itself, connecting the lower end to the outlet conduit, extending from the eccentric outlet. Clamp the crucible claws to secure it, ensuring stability before closing the furnace chamber. Raise the furnace temperature to 1430℃ using heating rods and maintain this temperature for 3-5 hours to eliminate thermal gradients within the furnace. Use infrared thermography to correct the furnace temperature against the drying chamber temperature, eliminating the thermal difference caused by heat dissipation and ensuring the actual working temperature equals the theoretical working temperature. After temperature calibration, begin the feeding operation. The controller unit lowers the furnace bottom slide rail lifting unit, lowering the tray and crucible fixture approximately 1.3m along the z-axis, fully opening the furnace chamber. Workers add the clinker (pre-sintered powder in block form) through a special feeding system until the crucible is full. Then, raise the furnace bottom, close the furnace chamber, and begin melting. After the first batch of clinker melts in the crucible at the appropriate time, the furnace bottom is lowered again for a second feeding. Once the crucible is full, it is loaded for further melting. About one hour after the second feeding, the clinker is almost completely melted, and the formal melting process begins.

[0072] 2. After the clinker has completely melted, open the fixed dome-shaped loading crucible lid. The two gas channels on the crucible lid pass through the opening in the center of the furnace lid and connect to an external drying gas device. Nitrogen gas is introduced for protective melting, and the inside of the crucible is completely sealed. The furnace temperature is maintained at 1430℃ for 36 hours.

[0073] 3. After the melting process begins, load the impeller and ensure that the impeller and drive rod are not deformed. If deformation occurs, correct it. Remove the crucible lid and replace it with a lid that has an open top. Insert the impeller through the opening in the new lid, positioning it approximately 2cm from the crucible wall along the centerline. Connect the impeller connector on the stirring drive arm to the tail end and secure it in place. The worker operates the first and second motors via the control unit to lower the impeller, open the crucible lid, and fix the dome to the working position. After the impeller enters the bottom of the crucible, operate the first motor to raise the impeller to the working position, maintaining a 1cm distance from the bottom of the crucible. Set the second motor to maintain a speed of 65 rpm while simultaneously introducing nitrogen to create a protective atmosphere.

[0074] 4. Before unloading, adjust the current of the heating rod to reduce heat generation and lower the furnace temperature to 1300℃; reduce the speed of the second motor to 45r / min by controlling the control unit, while reducing the nitrogen flow rate and increasing the oxygen supply to create a low-oxygen combustion environment.

[0075] 5. Stop the paddle stirring 5 minutes before pouring. During pouring, the control unit controls the furnace bottom slide rail lifting unit to lower the furnace bottom along the Z-axis by about 1.3m, fully opening the furnace cavity. The bottom outlet is opened for heating. After the first material flows out, the template is pushed forward for pouring. The template covers a large area, and a small gap is maintained between the pouring and outlet to prevent molten metal from splashing. This also reduces the exposure time of the molten metal to air, reducing defects such as cracks in the poured glass.

[0076] 6. After casting is completed, collect all the tailings and add them again to the crucible using the feeding device. Remove the stirring blades and the top-opening crucible lid, shut off the protective gas, and repeat the above example for re-production. During the first and second clinker melting processes, restore the furnace temperature to 1430℃.

[0077] 7. Stop production for maintenance. Shut down the protective gas supply and disconnect the gas devices connected to the inlet and outlet gas ducts. Turn off the power to the heating rod via the control unit. Open the furnace cover. Operate the stirring unit to remove the stirring blades and the crucible cover with the top opening. Rotate the stirrer to a non-working position for natural cooling. Once completely cooled to room temperature, disassemble and remove them for maintenance. Lower the furnace bottom slide rail lifting unit to the bottom and wait for it to cool naturally to room temperature. Use platinum tongs to remove the platinum crucible and disassemble the furnace bottom and crucible fixing parts, including the crucible claws, crucible support, heat insulation cylinder, and 1050℃ aluminosilicate fiber felt. After disassembly, wear heat insulation equipment to remove the silicon molybdenum rod heating device. Open the furnace top to fully open the chamber and accelerate the cooling process. Once the average temperature inside the melting chamber reaches room temperature, wear heat insulation equipment to perform internal maintenance.

[0078] In summary, the present invention provides an infrared optical glass melting furnace and its application. The infrared optical glass melting furnace includes: a furnace body unit, including a furnace wall, a furnace cover and a furnace bottom that form a furnace cavity with the furnace wall; the furnace cover and the furnace bottom are movably connected to the furnace wall; a stirring unit, including a mechanical arm rotatably connected to the furnace body unit, a stirring transmission arm slidably connected to the mechanical arm, and a stirrer detachably connected to the stirring transmission arm; a furnace bottom slide rail lifting unit, including an auxiliary operating platform, a lifting motor fixed to the auxiliary operating platform, a horizontal sliding beam fixed to the furnace bottom, and a frame-type support perpendicular to the horizontal sliding beam; the lifting motor is connected to the horizontal sliding beam and the frame-type support respectively by steel cables; and a control unit for controlling the stirring unit and the furnace bottom slide rail lifting unit. This invention, through the installation of a furnace bottom sliding rail lifting unit and the cooperation of a horizontal sliding beam and frame-type support, allows the furnace bottom to open and close from the bottom of the melting furnace. This enables the melting furnace to lower and bring out the melting crucible for adding clinker and pouring molten glass, avoiding splashing of the molten glass. Simultaneously, the bottom discharge design for direct pouring reduces the exposure time of the molten glass to air, minimizes flow links, and improves work efficiency. Furthermore, the bottom discharge method increases the usable working volume of the furnace cavity, achieving an effective utilization rate of over 91.6%, and allowing for single-filling of over 60 kg, enabling large-scale feeding.

[0079] It should be understood that the application of the present invention is not limited to the examples above. Those skilled in the art can make improvements or modifications based on the above description, and all such improvements and modifications should fall within the protection scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An infrared optical glass melting furnace, characterized in that, include: The furnace body unit includes a furnace wall, a furnace cover that forms a furnace cavity with the furnace wall, and a furnace bottom; the furnace cover and the furnace bottom are movably connected to the furnace wall; The stirring unit includes a mechanical arm rotatably connected to the furnace body unit, a stirring transmission arm slidably connected to the mechanical arm, and a stirrer detachably connected to the stirring transmission arm; the stirrer includes a stirring blade connector for connecting to the stirring transmission arm, and stirring blades for stirring. The furnace bottom slide rail lifting unit includes an auxiliary operating platform, a lifting motor fixed to the auxiliary operating platform, a horizontal sliding beam fixed to the furnace bottom, and a frame-type support perpendicular to the horizontal sliding beam; the lifting motor is connected to the horizontal sliding beam and the frame-type support respectively by steel cables; the furnace bottom slide rail lifting unit supports the furnace bottom to form an L-shaped support structure; The control unit is used to control the stirring unit and the furnace bottom slide rail lifting unit; The furnace bottom includes a tray and a crucible fixing component fixed to the tray. The crucible fixing component has several first crucible claws, several second crucible claws, and several third crucible claws for gripping and fixing. The length of the first crucible claws is shorter than the length of the second crucible claws, and the length of the second crucible claws is shorter than the length of the third crucible claws. The crucible fixing component is used to fix the crucible. The bottom of the crucible and the crucible fixing component have a 1 / 3 eccentric discharge port. The crucible also includes a crucible lid with an opening, and the crucible lid has two air passages, including an air inlet passage and an air outlet passage. The stirring unit further includes a first motor for controlling the movement of the stirring transmission arm along the Z-axis direction of the mechanical arm, and a second motor for realizing the rotation of the stirrer; the first motor is fixed to the end of the mechanical arm away from the furnace body unit, and the second motor is fixed to the end of the stirring transmission arm close to the mechanical arm; The auxiliary operating platform includes a horizontal slide rail, a vertical slide rail, and a support frame perpendicular to the vertical slide rail; the vertical slide rail and the support frame are connected by a first support beam and a second support beam; the horizontal slide rail is slidably connected to the horizontal sliding beam; and the vertical slide rail is slidably connected to the frame bracket.

2. The infrared optical glass melting furnace according to claim 1, characterized in that, The furnace wall includes a shell, a heat-insulating corundum layer coaxially arranged with the shell, a plurality of heating rods disposed on the side of the heat-insulating corundum layer away from the shell, and a furnace top disposed on the end of the heat-insulating corundum layer near the furnace cover.

3. The infrared optical glass melting furnace according to claim 2, characterized in that, A plurality of heating rods are spaced apart on the side of the insulating corundum layer near the furnace cavity; a plurality of heating rods are disposed through the furnace top, and an insulating corundum brick is provided at the end of the heating rod near the furnace cover.

4. The infrared optical glass melting furnace according to claim 1, characterized in that, The furnace cover includes an insulated corundum wall with an opening, and a corundum protective wall arranged along the opening away from the furnace bottom; the opening is arranged corresponding to the furnace cavity.

5. The infrared optical glass melting furnace according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vertical slide rail is equipped with a slider to limit the range of motion of the frame-shaped support.

6. The application of the infrared optical glass melting furnace as described in any one of claims 1-5 in the melting of fluorogallate infrared optical glass.

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