Apparatus and method for extracting heat during glass ribbon formation

Abstract

A glass forming apparatus is disclosed, comprising a glass conveying device and a hot extraction assembly. The glass conveying device includes a trough through which molten glass flows to form a glass ribbon, and the trough includes a plurality of channels formed therein. The hot extraction assembly includes an outer tube, an inner tube, a cooling fluid source, and a drain manifold. The outer tube includes a proximal end and a distal end connected to one of the plurality of channels. The inner tube extends within the outer cavity of the outer tube. The cooling fluid source is fluidly coupled to the inner tube to supply cooling fluid into the inner cavity of the inner tube. The drain manifold is fluidly coupled to a drain channel defined between the inner tube and the outer tube for draining the cooling fluid.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 63 / 428174, filed November 28, 2022, pursuant to 35 U.SC §119, the contents of which are reliable and are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Technical Field

[0003] This specification relates to glass manufacturing equipment, and more specifically, to glass manufacturing equipment having glass forming equipment including a heat extraction assembly. Background Technology

[0004] Glass manufacturing equipment may include various discrete components for melting, processing, and forming glass. For example, among other components, typical glass manufacturing equipment may include a melter for melting a batch of glass constituent components to form a molten material (e.g., molten glass), a clarification system for removing dissolved gases from the molten glass, a mixing vessel for homogenizing the molten glass, and forming equipment for forming the molten glass into desired shapes (e.g., strips, cylinders, tubes, etc.).

[0005] In the production of glass ribbons, which can be segmented into discrete glass sheets for use in display applications including televisions, computer monitors, and handheld devices, molten glass can be formed into ribbons by flowing molten glass into a glass forming apparatus and drawing the glass ribbon from the apparatus. However, challenges may arise in producing glass ribbons with acceptable dimensional characteristics. For example, ribbon stability issues may occur during the forming process, such as ribbon deflection (ribbon movement from one side to the other) and sheet width variations.

[0006] Therefore, alternative designs for glass forming equipment are needed to mitigate glass ribbon stability issues and thereby improve the quality of the resulting glass ribbons and the glass sheets they cut. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The first aspect includes a glass forming apparatus comprising: a glass conveying device including a trough, through which molten glass flows and forms a glass ribbon as it exits a slot in the trough, the trough including a vertical dimension corresponding to the flow direction of the molten glass, a width dimension orthogonal to the vertical dimension, a thickness dimension orthogonal to the vertical dimension and the width dimension, and a plurality of channels formed in the trough at a position adjacent to the slot; and a heat extraction assembly including: an outer tube having a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end of the outer tube being connected to... The system comprises: an inner tube extending within the outer cavity of the outer tube, the inner tube having a distal end and a proximal end, and the inner tube being located within the outer cavity of the outer tube such that the distal end of the inner tube is located adjacent to the distal end of the outer tube; a cooling fluid source fluidly connected to the inner tube to supply cooling fluid to the inner cavity of the inner tube; and a discharge manifold fluidly connected to the outer cavity of the outer tube for discharging the cooling fluid from a discharge passage defined between the inner surface of the outer tube and the outer surface of the inner tube.

[0008] The second aspect includes the glass forming apparatus of the first aspect, further comprising a housing defining an internal channel, wherein: the outer tube is connected to the housing such that the outer cavity of the outer tube is in fluid communication with the internal channel of the housing; the discharge manifold is fluidly connected to the internal channel of the housing such that the discharge cavity of the discharge manifold is in fluid communication with the internal channel of the housing; and the inner tube extends at least partially through the internal channel of the housing.

[0009] The third aspect includes a glass forming apparatus according to any of the foregoing aspects, wherein: the housing includes a connector slidably located within the housing; the connector includes an internal passage; and the inner tube extends through the internal passage of the connector and is coupled to the connector, thereby translating the connector relative to the housing to adjust the distance between the distal end of the inner tube and the distal end of the outer tube.

[0010] The fourth aspect includes the glass forming equipment of any of the foregoing aspects, and further includes a fixing screw threaded into the housing, the fixing screw being used to lock the connector to the housing and to prevent the connector from sliding when the fixing screw is rotated in a first direction.

[0011] The fifth aspect includes glass forming equipment of any of the foregoing aspects, wherein the inner tube is threadedly connected to the connector, thereby adjusting the distance between the distal end of the inner tube and the distal end of the outer tube by rotation of the inner tube in the connector.

[0012] The sixth aspect includes glass forming equipment of any of the foregoing aspects, and further includes an insulating insert disposed in one or more of the plurality of channels, the insulating insert having at least one opening through which material adjacent to the slot is exposed to enhance heat extraction from the material.

[0013] The seventh aspect includes glass forming equipment of any of the preceding aspects, wherein at least one opening of the insulating insert faces the bottom side of the slot block, and the glass strip exits the slot through the bottom side of the slot block.

[0014] The eighth aspect includes glass forming equipment comprising any of the preceding aspects, further comprising: an exhaust temperature sensor operatively connected to the exhaust manifold for measuring the output temperature of a cooling fluid in the exhaust manifold; and a cooling fluid temperature sensor operatively connected to the cooling fluid source for measuring the input temperature of a cooling fluid supplied to the inner tube.

[0015] The ninth aspect includes the glass forming apparatus of any of the foregoing aspects, and further includes a controller operatively coupled to the controller of the cooling fluid temperature sensor and the discharge temperature sensor, the controller being programmed to calculate heat extraction at the tank based on the output temperature of the cooling fluid in the discharge manifold and the input temperature of the cooling fluid supplied by the cooling fluid source.

[0016] The tenth aspect includes glass forming equipment according to any of the preceding aspects, wherein the controller is operable to adjust the flow rate of the cooling fluid supplied by the cooling fluid source based on the calculated heat extraction.

[0017] The eleventh aspect includes a glass forming apparatus comprising any of the foregoing aspects, and further includes a glass strip sensor for measuring the width of the glass strip exiting the slot, the controller being operatively connected to the glass strip sensor and operable to adjust the flow rate of cooling fluid supplied by the cooling fluid source based on the width of the glass strip measured by the glass strip sensor.

[0018] The twelfth aspect includes the glass forming equipment of any of the preceding aspects, wherein an insulating sleeve is provided on at least a portion of the outer tube.

[0019] The thirteenth aspect includes glass forming equipment according to any of the preceding aspects, and further includes a glass strip sensor for measuring the width of the glass strip leaving the groove block.

[0020] The fourteenth aspect includes a glass forming apparatus comprising any of the foregoing aspects, further comprising a controller operatively connected to the cooling fluid source and the glass strip sensor, the controller being operable to adjust the flow rate of the cooling fluid supplied by the cooling fluid source based on the width of the glass strip measured by the glass strip sensor.

[0021] The fifteenth aspect includes a glass forming apparatus according to any of the preceding aspects, wherein at least one of the plurality of channels extends in a plane defined by the vertical dimension and the width dimension, and the length of at least one of the plurality of channels is parallel to the vertical dimension.

[0022] The sixteenth aspect includes a glass forming apparatus according to any of the preceding aspects, wherein at least one of the plurality of channels extends in a plane defined by the vertical dimension and the width dimension, and the length of at least one of the plurality of channels is not parallel to the vertical dimension.

[0023] The seventeenth aspect includes a glass forming apparatus according to any of the preceding aspects, wherein at least one of the plurality of channels extends in a plane defined by the width dimension and the thickness dimension, and the length of at least one of the plurality of channels is parallel to the thickness dimension.

[0024] The eighteenth aspect includes a glass forming apparatus according to any of the preceding aspects, wherein at least one of the plurality of channels extends in a plane defined by the width dimension and the thickness dimension, and the length of at least one of the plurality of channels is not parallel to the thickness dimension.

[0025] The nineteenth aspect includes glass forming equipment according to any of the preceding aspects, wherein the cooling fluid is an inert gas.

[0026] The twentieth aspect includes the glass forming apparatus of any of the preceding aspects, wherein the distal end of the outer tube is fixed to the groove block.

[0027] The twenty-first aspect includes a glass forming apparatus comprising: a glass conveying device including a trough, through which molten glass flows and forms a glass ribbon as it exits an orifice of the trough, the trough having a vertical dimension corresponding to the flow direction of the molten glass, a width dimension orthogonal to the vertical dimension, and a thickness dimension orthogonal to the vertical dimension and the width dimension, the trough including an internal chamber located adjacent to an orifice of the trough, at least one inlet port in fluid communication with the internal chamber, and at least one outlet port in fluid communication with the internal chamber; and a heat extraction assembly including: a cooling fluid input pipe connected to the at least one inlet port such that an inner cavity of the cooling fluid input pipe is in fluid communication with the internal chamber; a cooling fluid source fluidly coupled to the cooling fluid input pipe to supply cooling fluid to the inner cavity of the cooling fluid input pipe and the internal chamber; and a cooling fluid output pipe connected to the at least one outlet port such that an inner cavity of the cooling fluid output pipe is in fluid communication with the internal chamber.

[0028] The twenty-second aspect includes the glass forming apparatus of the twenty-first aspect, wherein the at least one inlet port comprises a single inlet port.

[0029] The twenty-third aspect includes a glass forming apparatus according to any one of the twenty-first and twenty-second aspects, wherein the at least one outlet port comprises a single outlet port.

[0030] The twenty-fourth aspect includes a glass forming apparatus according to any one of the twenty-first to twenty-third aspects, wherein the at least one outlet port comprises a plurality of outlet ports, and the cooling fluid output pipe comprises a plurality of cooling fluid output pipes, each of the plurality of cooling fluid output pipes corresponding to one of the plurality of outlet ports.

[0031] The twenty-fifth aspect includes a glass forming apparatus according to any one of the twenty-first to twenty-fourth aspects, wherein at least one of the plurality of cooling fluid outlet pipes is closed.

[0032] The twenty-sixth aspect includes a glass forming apparatus according to any one of the twenty-first to twenty-fifth aspects, wherein each of the plurality of cooling fluid outlet pipes includes a valve for controlling the flow of cooling fluid from each of the plurality of cooling fluid outlet pipes.

[0033] Additional features and advantages of the glass forming apparatus described herein will be set forth in the following detailed description, and will be apparent in part from the description to those skilled in the art, or will be recognized by practice of the embodiments described herein (including the following detailed description, claims and drawings).

[0034] It should be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description describe various embodiments and are intended to provide an overview or framework for understanding the nature and characteristics of the claimed subject matter. The included drawings provide further understanding of the various embodiments and are incorporated in and form part of this specification. The drawings illustrate the various embodiments described herein and, together with the specification, serve to explain the principles and operation of the claimed subject matter. Attached Figure Description

[0035] The embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings are illustrative and exemplary in nature and are not intended to limit the subject matter defined by the claims. The following detailed description of the illustrative embodiments can be understood when read in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein the same structures are indicated by the same reference numerals, and wherein:

[0036] Figure 1 A glass manufacturing apparatus for forming glass ribbons is schematically shown;

[0037] Figure 2A A glass forming apparatus for forming glass ribbons from molten glass is schematically shown according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein;

[0038] Figure 2B The illustration schematically depicts one or more embodiments according to those shown and described herein. Figure 2A glass forming equipment along Figure 2A The bottom view of line 2B-2B;

[0039] Figure 2C The illustration schematically depicts one or more embodiments according to those shown and described herein. Figure 2A and 2B The glass conveying device along Figure 2A The perpendicular cross section of line 2C-2C;

[0040] Figure 3A The illustration schematically depicts one or more embodiments of the present invention. Figure 2A-2C A hot extraction component used in glass forming equipment;

[0041] Figure 3B It is based on one or more embodiments shown and described herein. Figure 3A Detailed view of the discharge channel of the thermal extraction component;

[0042] Figure 3C It is based on one or more embodiments shown and described herein. Figure 3A A detailed view of a portion of the thermal extraction component;

[0043] Figure 4A The illustration schematically depicts an engagement with a slot block according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein. Figure 3A Thermoextraction components;

[0044] Figure 4B The illustration schematically depicts one or more embodiments of the present invention. Figure 3A thermal extraction components and Figure 4A Insulating inserts used in conjunction with cooling channels;

[0045] Figure 4C It is located in one or more embodiments shown and described herein. Figure 4B Detailed view of the insulating insert within the cooling channel;

[0046] Figure 5 A glass conveying device trough block according to embodiments shown and described herein is schematically illustrated, the trough block including an internal chamber for use with an alternative thermal extraction assembly;

[0047] Figure 6 The relationship between the flow rate of the cooling fluid (X-axis) and the width of the glass ribbon (Y-axis) according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein is illustrated graphically.

[0048] Figure 7 The standard deviations of the left and right bead positions are shown graphically as the beads are subjected to different flow rates of cooling fluid.

[0049] Figure 8 The relationship between sheet width variation and the rate at which cooling fluid is introduced into the channel is illustrated graphically; and

[0050] Figure 9 The thermal modeling calculations for the channel position relative to the corner radius of the slot are illustrated graphically. Detailed Implementation

[0051] Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of a hot extraction assembly for a glass forming apparatus and to glass forming apparatus including said hot extraction assembly, embodiments of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numerals are used in all drawings to denote the same or similar parts. Figure 3AThe accompanying drawings schematically illustrate one embodiment of a heat extraction assembly. The heat extraction assembly may include an outer tube and an inner tube extending within the outer cavity of the outer tube. The distal end of the outer tube is connected to a channel formed in a tank of a glass forming apparatus, and the inner tube is located within the outer tube to deliver cooling fluid to the channel, thereby extracting heat from the tank. Various embodiments of the heat extraction assembly, the glass forming apparatus including the heat extraction assembly, and the method of manufacturing glass ribbons using the heat extraction assembly will be described herein with specific reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0052] A range may be expressed herein as from “about” a specific value, and / or to “about” another specific value. When expressing this range, another embodiment includes from one specific value and / or to another specific value. Similarly, when a value is expressed as an approximation using the antecedent “about,” it should be understood that the specific value forms another embodiment. It should also be understood that the endpoints of each range are significant, not only in relation to but also independent of the other endpoint.

[0053] As used herein, directional terms such as up, down, right, left, front, back, top, bottom, high, low are drawn with reference to the accompanying drawings only and are not intended to imply absolute directions. The terms “near” and “far” are defined herein relative to the slot in the glass forming apparatus. The term “far” refers to a position where the element is closer to the slot, and the term “near” refers to a position where the element is further away from the slot.

[0054] Unless otherwise expressly stated, no method described herein is intended to require its steps to be performed in a particular order, nor is any particular orientation required for any device. Therefore, in any instance where a method claim does not actually describe the order in which its steps are performed, or any device claim does not actually describe the order or orientation of the components, or where the claims or description do not otherwise specifically state that the steps are limited to a particular order, or where a particular order or orientation of the device's components is not described, no inference is ever made of any order or orientation. This applies to any possible unexpressed basis for interpretation, including: logical questions concerning the arrangement of steps, the flow of operations, the order of components, or the orientation of components; the general meaning derived from grammatical organization or punctuation; and the number or type of embodiments described in the specification.

[0055] As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural references unless the context explicitly states otherwise. Thus, for example, unless the context explicitly indicates otherwise, reference to a component “a” includes aspects having two or more such components.

[0056] Reference Figure 1As an example, an embodiment of a glass manufacturing apparatus 100 for forming glass ribbons from molten glass is schematically shown. The glass manufacturing apparatus 100 may include a melter 111, a refining system 113, a mixing vessel 114, a conveying vessel 118, and a glass forming apparatus 120. A batch of glass is introduced into the melter 111 through a batch inlet port 112. The batch is melted in the melter 111 to form molten glass 116. The melter 111 is fluidly connected to the refining system 113 via a connecting pipe 115. Molten glass 116 flows from the melter 111 into the refining system 113 through the connecting pipe 115.

[0057] The refining system 113 may include a high-temperature processing zone for receiving molten glass 116 from the melter 111. While the molten glass 116 resides in the refining system 113, dissolved gases and / or bubbles are removed from it. The refining system 113 may be fluidly connected to a mixing container 114 via a connecting pipe 140. That is, molten glass 116 flowing from the refining system 113 to the mixing container 114 may flow through the connecting pipe 140. As the molten glass 116 passes through the mixing container 114, it may be agitated to homogenize it. The mixing container 114 may also be fluidly connected to a delivery container 118 via a connecting pipe 117, such that molten glass 116 flowing from the mixing container 114 to the delivery container 118 flows through the connecting pipe 117.

[0058] The delivery container 118 supplies molten glass 116 to the glass forming apparatus 120 via a lower conduit 119. In the embodiments described herein, the glass forming apparatus 120 is a slot drawing machine for forming the molten glass 116 into a glass ribbon 123. The glass forming apparatus 120 typically includes a glass conveying device 121, which includes a trough 122 through which the molten glass 116 flows and forms the glass ribbon 123. The glass conveying device 121 may include an inlet conduit 124 in fluid communication with an inlet orifice of the trough 122, and the lower conduit 119 may be positioned to convey the molten glass 116 from the delivery container 118 to the inlet conduit 124 of the glass conveying device 121. In an embodiment, the lower conduit 119 may be nested within and spaced apart from the inner surface of the inlet conduit 124.

[0059] The glass conveying device 121 includes a trough 122 with slots 125 through which a glass ribbon 123 flows continuously in the flow direction 126 and into an annealing region 127. The trough 122 includes a lip 128 located at its lower end, and the slot 125 is disposed within the lip 128. The slot 125 may be an elongated shape with a generally rectangular cross-section, having semi-circular or circular edges corresponding to the edges 123a, 123b of the glass ribbon 123 formed therefrom. The glass conveying device 121 defines a passage 129 in which molten glass 116 may accumulate and then exit from the slots 125 in the form of a glass ribbon 123 having a width W measured between the edges 123a, 123b of the glass ribbon 123. The glass conveying device 121 and the trough 122 (including the lip 128) may be made of a refractory metal (such as platinum or a platinum alloy). Furthermore, although... Figure 1 Although not shown, the glass manufacturing apparatus 100 may include additional components located downstream of the glass conveying device 121. For example, an annealing device and a glass separating device for separating the glass strip 123 into individual glass sheets may be provided downstream of the glass forming apparatus 120 in the flow direction 126.

[0060] In a conventional glass conveying device 121 including a trough block 122, the glass strip 123 discharged from the trough block 122 may exhibit stability problems, such as glass strip deflection (strip movement from one side to the other) and variations in the width W of the glass strip 123 (hereinafter referred to as "sheet width variation"). These stability problems may be due to non-uniform thermal properties of the glass strip 123 as it leaves the trough block 122. These non-uniform thermal properties may adversely affect the dimensional characteristics of the glass strip 123, and consequently, the quality of the glass strip 123. Thermal extraction can be used to control the stability of the glass strip 123, thereby minimizing strip deflection and sheet width variation, ensuring that the glass strip 123 dispensed from the trough block 122 exhibits appropriate dimensional characteristics (or quality).

[0061] For example, in a conventional glass conveying device 121, for example Figure 1As schematically illustrated, water-cooled arms 150, 152 can be used to extract heat from the glass strip 123 as the glass strip 123 passes through the trough 122 of the glass conveying device 121. The water-cooled arms 150, 152 may be made of the same material as the trough 122 and are configured to contact (e.g., abut against) the outer surface of the lip 128, such that heat is extracted through the material of the lip 128 and enters the water-cooled arms 150, 152, where it exchanges heat with water flowing through them. However, it has been found that it is difficult to establish good thermal coupling between the water-cooled arms 150, 152 and the lip 128 to effectively extract heat from the glass strip 123. For example, the water-cooled arms may not be sufficiently thermally coupled to the outer surface of the lip 128, thus affecting the ability of the water-cooled arms 150, 152 to extract the desired heat from the trough 122. Furthermore, oxidation may occur on the surfaces of the water-cooled arms 150, 152 and / or the outer surface of the lip 128. The accumulation of oxide layers between the water-cooled arms 150 and 152 and the lip 128 may act as a thermal barrier, inhibiting thermal extraction from the water-cooled arms 150 and 152. Oxidation not only inhibits thermal extraction, but it may also ultimately require replacement of the tank block 122, which can be expensive and time-consuming, and may reduce production output because the glass manufacturing equipment 100 may be shut down for extended periods for maintenance and / or replacement.

[0062] This document discloses a glass forming apparatus that includes a heat extraction assembly to mitigate the aforementioned problems. In this embodiment, the glass forming apparatus includes a trough block with adjacent slots formed within the trough block. The heat extraction assembly can be thermally coupled to the channels to introduce cooling fluid into the channels. A glass forming apparatus including the heat extraction assembly described herein can improve sheet width variation and band deflection by providing localized heat extraction within the channels formed adjacent to the slots.

[0063] Now for reference Figure 2A-2C , Figure 2A A glass forming apparatus 200 for forming glass strip 123 from molten glass 116 is schematically shown. In the embodiments described herein, the glass forming apparatus 200 is a slot drawing machine that typically includes a glass conveying device 221 comprising a trough block 204 and a heat extraction assembly 400. Figure 2B It is slot block 204 edge Figure 2A The bottom view of line 2B-2B, and Figure 2C It is part of the trough block 204 and the glass conveying device 221 along Figure 2AA cross-sectional view along line 2C-2C. The channel block 204 includes a vertical dimension in the Z-axis direction of the coordinate axes shown in the figure, a width dimension in the X-axis direction of the coordinate axes shown in the figure, and a thickness dimension in the Y-axis direction of the coordinate axes shown in the figure. The vertical dimension generally corresponds to the flow direction 126. The width dimension is orthogonal to the vertical dimension, and the width W of the glass strip 123 can be evaluated in the width dimension. The thickness dimension is orthogonal to both the vertical and width dimensions, and the thickness of the glass strip 123 (i.e., a measurement between opposing surfaces of the glass strip 123) can be evaluated in the thickness dimension.

[0064] Glass forming equipment 200 typically includes a glass conveying device 221, which includes a trough 204 through which molten glass flows to form a glass ribbon 123. The glass conveying device 221 may include an inlet conduit 203 in fluid communication with an inlet orifice (not shown) of the trough 204, such that molten glass flowing through the inlet conduit 203 flows through the glass conveying device 221 and into the trough 204. Therefore, the inlet conduit 203 is fluidly connected to a lower conduit 119 (…). Figure 1 This allows the inlet conduit 203 to receive molten glass from the delivery container 118, as described herein.

[0065] The glass conveying device 221 includes a trough 204 with a slot 206 from which a glass ribbon 123 is discharged as a continuous glass ribbon along a flow direction 126. The trough 204 includes a lip 228 located at its lower end, and the slot 206 is disposed within the lip 128. The slot 206 may be an elongated shape with a generally rectangular cross-section, having semi-circular or circular edges corresponding to the edges 123a, 123b of the glass ribbon 123. The glass conveying device 221 defines a passage 208 in which molten glass 116 from the inlet conduit 203 can accumulate and then be discharged as a glass ribbon 123 from the slot 206, the glass ribbon 123 having a width W measured between the edges 123a, 123b of the glass ribbon 123. The glass conveying device 221 and the trough 204 (including the lip 228) may be made of a refractory metal (such as platinum or a platinum alloy).

[0066] In an embodiment of the glass forming apparatus 200 described herein, the trough 204 of the glass conveying device 221 includes at least one channel 201 (e.g., multiple channels 201a, 201b, 201c, 201d, 201e, 201f, 201g, 201h, 201i, 201j) in which cooling fluid is introduced to facilitate the extraction of heat from the trough 204 and the molten glass flowing through the trough 204. As used herein, reference to “channel 201” refers to any channel formed in the slot 204 (e.g., channels 201a, 201b, 201c, 201d, 201e, 201f, 201g, 201h, 201i, 201j), while reference to “channel 201” with a specific letter designation (i.e., channels 201a, 201b, 201c, 201d, 201e, 201f, 201g, 201h, 201i, 201j) refers to a channel with that specific letter designation. The at least one channel 201 is formed in the slot 204 and includes a length L, and the length L of the at least one channel 201 defines the distance the corresponding channel extends into the material of the slot 204. The at least one channel 201 may be manufactured at a desired location within the slot 204, for example, to reduce the distance between the heat extraction point and the interface between the slot 206 and the glass ribbon 123 discharged therefrom. With this arrangement, heat transfer occurs between the cooling fluid and the surfaces within at least one channel 201 through which the cooling fluid flows, providing a better heat transfer interface compared to water-cooled arms 150, 152 where heat is exchanged at the solid-to-solid interface. That is, compared to... Figure 1 Compared to the solid-to-solid interface of the water-cooled arms 150, 152 depicted herein, the contact between the cooling fluid and the surface of at least one channel 201 is more consistent and reproducible. Furthermore, the formation of at least one channel 201 within the tank block 204 ensures that the heat extraction point remains consistent over time. Additionally, the heat extraction assembly 400 described herein allows for adjustment of the cooling fluid flow rate to achieve the desired heat extraction. Furthermore, the type of cooling fluid used can be selected to prevent or mitigate oxidation within the at least one channel 201, thereby maintaining heat transfer at the surface of the at least one channel 201 (i.e., at a desired amount unaffected by oxidation) for the duration of the service life of the tank block 204 and / or the lip 228.

[0067] See also Figure 2A The thermal extraction component 400 is shown as being connected to channel 201f. Although Figure 2AA heat extraction assembly 400 connected to channel 201f is shown, but individual heat extraction assemblies may be connected to each channel formed in slot 204. Heat extraction assembly 400 injects cooling fluid into channel 201f, and the cooling fluid interacts with the material of slot 204 (including lip 228) at the forming temperature of glass ribbon 123. This interaction causes heat to be exchanged from glass ribbon 123 through the material of slot 204 into the cooling fluid, thereby increasing the temperature of the cooling fluid and decreasing the temperature of slot 204, lip 228, and glass ribbon 123. In other words, heat from glass ribbon 123 exiting slot 206 is extracted through thermal conduction with slot 204 and cooling fluid, which thereby increases the viscosity of glass ribbon 123, with heat extraction concentrated at the edges of slot 206 adjacent to edges 123a, 123b of glass ribbon 123. This increased viscosity provides edge flow stability and reduces the occurrence of ribbon misalignment and sheet width variations.

[0068] exist Figure 2A In the diagram, the heat extraction assembly 400 is shown extending at an angle relative to the vertical dimension. In this way, the heat extraction assembly 400 is coupled to the corresponding channel 201f while avoiding interference with other components of the glass manufacturing apparatus 100 and / or glass forming apparatus 200 (e.g., annealing zone 127). However, the heat extraction assembly 400 may extend at other angles, such as parallel or perpendicular to the flow direction 126, and the corresponding channel may extend into the tank block 204 in the same direction. Furthermore, when using multiple heat extraction assemblies 400, they may each extend at the same angle.

[0069] The heat extraction components 400 can be arranged in pairs. In one embodiment, a second heat extraction component similar to heat extraction component 400 can also be coupled to channel 201i, such that the first pair of heat extraction components (each similar to heat extraction component 400) is located at channels 201f, 201i. In addition to or instead of providing the first pair of heat extraction components at channels 201f, 201i, a second pair of heat extraction components (each similar to heat extraction component 400) can be provided at channels 201e, 201h; a third pair of heat extraction components (each similar to heat extraction component 400) can be provided at channels 201g, 201j; a fourth pair of heat extraction components (each similar to heat extraction component 400) can be provided at channels 201a, 201c; and / or a fifth pair of heat extraction components (each similar to heat extraction component 400) can be provided at channels 201b, 201d. When using a single pair of heat extraction components 400, they can each extend at the same angle. For example, the heat extraction assembly 400 connected to channel 201f and the heat extraction assembly 400 connected to channel 201i can extend at the same angle. When using more than one pair of heat extraction assemblies 400, all heat extraction assemblies 400 can extend at the same angle, or at least one pair of heat extraction assemblies 400 can extend at different angles. For example, the heat extraction assemblies 400 connected to channels 201a and 201c can extend at a first angle, and the heat extraction assemblies 400 connected to channels 201b and 201d can be oriented differently, such that they extend at a second angle different from the first angle. Therefore, as further described herein, the heat extraction assemblies 400 can be connected to any one or more of the at least one channel 201 and can extend in different directions.

[0070] Now for reference Figure 2B Multiple channels 201a, 201b, 201c, 201d, 201e, 201f, 201g, 201h, 201i, and 201j are formed in the bottom surface 202 of the slot block 204. The multiple channels 201a, 201b, 201c, 201d, 201e, 201f, 201g, 201h, 201i, and 201j are located at different positions relative to the slot hole 206. The slot hole 206 includes a width axis 212' parallel to the width dimension of the slot block 204, and the width of the slot hole 206 is evaluated along the width axis 212'. The slot hole 206 also includes a thickness axis 214' parallel to the thickness dimension, and the thickness of the slot hole 206 is evaluated along the thickness axis 214'. The width axis 212' and the thickness axis 214' bisect the width and thickness of the slot hole 206, respectively. Furthermore, the vertical axis 210', which extends parallel to the vertical dimension, is located at the intersection of the width axis 212' and the thickness axis 214'.

[0071] The positions and orientations of multiple channels 201a, 201b, 201c, 201d, 201e, 201f, 201g, 201h, 201i, and 201j, as well as the number and distribution of channels, can be selected based on the required heat extraction and / or desired temperature distribution within the slot 204 for a specific application. Furthermore, the orientation, number, and distribution of channels 201 can be selected to control the thickness and / or width W of the glass strip 123 exiting the slot 206. Thermal modeling and testing can be performed to determine how many channels 201 are used in a specific application, the positioning of channels 201 relative to the slot 206, and the orientation of channels 201 relative to the slot 206. Therefore, channels 201 can be formed as needed to achieve the desired heat extraction and / or temperature distribution within the slot 204 during operation.

[0072] exist Figure 2B In the exemplary embodiment depicted, multiple channels 201a, 201b, 201c, 201d, 201e, 201f, 201g, 201h, 201i, and 201j are each positioned relative to the slot 206 such that localized thermal extraction occurs at or near the edges 240 and 242 of the slot 206. Here, the edges 240 and 242 of the slot 206 are each semi-circular and defined by a corner radius, having a corner radius axis 244 extending through the corner radius of edge 240 and a corner radius axis 246 extending through the corner radius of edge 242. The corner radius axes 244 and 246 bisect the circle formed by rotating the radii of edges 240 and 242 by 360 degrees. The corner radius axes 244 and 246 are parallel to the thickness axis 214'. In addition, each of the multiple channels 201a, 201b, 201c, 201d, 201e, 201f, 201g, 201h, 201i, and 201j is positioned on the first side 230 or the second side 232 of the slot block 204 along an axis parallel to the width axis 212', and is offset from the corner radius axes 244 and 246 toward the thickness axis 214' of the slot 206.

[0073] In the illustrated embodiment, each of the plurality of channels 201a, 201b, 201c, 201d, 201e, 201f, 201g, 201h, 201i, and 201j is located at the midpoint between the slot 206 and the peripheral sidewall 216 of the slot block 204. Specifically, channels 201e, 201f, 201g, 201h, 201i, and 201j are each formed at the midpoint between the first inner wall 270 of the slot 206 and the first side 230 of the peripheral sidewall 216, wherein the glass strip 123 contacts the first inner wall 270 during formation. Similarly, channels 201a, 201b, 201c, and 201d are each formed at the midpoint between the second inner wall 272 of the slot 206 and the second side 232 of the peripheral sidewall 216, wherein the glass strip 123 also contacts the second inner wall 272 during formation. However, any one or more of the at least one channel 201 may be closer to or further away from the slot 206, depending on the heat extraction required at a particular location.

[0074] In the illustrated embodiment, channel 201e can be offset from its associated corner radius axis 244 toward thickness axis 214' by approximately 5 mm, channel 201f can be offset from its associated corner radius axis 244 toward thickness axis 214' by approximately 17.5 mm, and channel 201g can be offset from its associated corner radius axis 244 toward thickness axis 214' by approximately 30 mm. In the embodiment, channels 201h, 201i, and 201j are symmetrical with respect to channels 201e, 201f, and 201g about thickness axis 214', respectively. Therefore, channel 201h can be offset from corner radius axis 246 toward thickness axis 214' by approximately 5 mm; channel 201i can be offset from corner radius axis 246 toward thickness axis 214' by approximately 17.5 mm; and channel 201j can be offset from corner radius axis 246 toward thickness axis 214' by approximately 30 mm. Furthermore, in the illustrated embodiment, channel 201a can be offset from the corner radius axis 244 toward the thickness axis 214' by approximately 10 mm, and channel 201b can be offset from the corner radius axis 244 toward the thickness axis 214' by approximately 25 mm. In this embodiment, channels 201c and 201d are symmetrical with channels 201a and 201b about the thickness axis 214', respectively. Therefore, channel 201c can be offset from the corner radius axis 246 toward the thickness axis 214' by approximately 10 mm, and channel 201d can be offset from the corner radius axis 246 toward the thickness axis 214' by approximately 25 mm. However, Figure 2B Examples of the number and relative positions of channels 201 are shown, and other numbers and relative positions of channels 201 are expected and possible based on the heat extraction and temperature distribution required for a specific application.

[0075] In the illustrated embodiment, each of the plurality of channels 201a, 201b, 201c, 201d, 201e, 201f, 201g, 201h, 201i, 201j may extend in a plane defined by a vertical dimension and a width dimension (i.e., the XZ plane of the coordinate axes shown in the figure). As described herein, the length L of each of the plurality of channels 201a, 201b, 201c, 201d, 201e, 201f, 201g, 201h, 201i, 201j corresponds to the distance the channel extends into the material of the groove block 204 in the direction corresponding to the long axis of the channel. In the depicted embodiment, the length L of each of the plurality of channels 201a, 201b, 201c, 201d, 201e, 201f, 201g, 201h, 201i, 201j is not parallel to the vertical dimension. Specifically, in the illustrated embodiment, each of the plurality of channels 201a, 201b, 201c, 201d, 201e, 201f, 201g, 201h, 201i, 201j is oriented relative to the bottom surface 202 of the slot block 204 such that each channel extends at a non-zero angle to the vertical dimension in the XZ plane. In the illustrated embodiment, each of the plurality of channels 201a, 201b, 201c, 201d, 201e, 201f, 201g, 201h, 201i, 201j is oriented at a 45-degree angle to the vertical dimension in the XZ plane. However, any one or more of the channels 201a, 201b, 201c, 201d, 201e, 201f, 201g, 201h, 201i, 201j may extend into the bottom surface 202 of the slot block 204 at different angles.

[0076] However, any one or more of the multiple channels 201a, 201b, 201c, 201d, 201e, 201f, 201g, 201h, 201i, and 201j can be coupled with... Figure 2BThe channels shown have different angular orientations. For example, in one embodiment, any one or more of the plurality of channels 201a, 201b, 201c, 201d, 201e, 201f, 201g, 201h, 201i, 201j may be parallel to the vertical dimension (i.e., parallel to the Z-axis of the coordinate axes depicted in the figures). In other embodiments, one or more of the plurality of channels 201a, 201b, 201c, 201d, 201e, 201f, 201g, 201h, 201i, 201j may extend in a plane defined by the vertical dimension and the thickness dimension (i.e., in the YZ plane of the coordinate axes depicted in the figures), wherein the length L of the channel is not parallel to the vertical dimension of the slot 204 (i.e., not parallel to the Z-axis of the coordinate axes depicted in the figures). In other embodiments, one or more of the plurality of channels 201a, 201b, 201c, 201d, 201e, 201f, 201g, 201h, 201i, 201j may be oriented in a plane partially defined by a vertical dimension such that the channels are not parallel to the XZ and YZ planes of the coordinate axes depicted in the figure.

[0077] In an embodiment, at least one channel 201 may be provided on a first peripheral side 234 and / or a second peripheral side 236 of the slot 204. For example, the at least one channel 201 may be formed in the bottom surface 202 at the first peripheral side 234 and / or the second peripheral side 236, and such a channel may extend in a plane defined by a vertical dimension (i.e., the Z-axis of the coordinate axes depicted in the figures) and a thickness dimension (i.e., the Y-axis of the coordinate axes depicted in the figures) and / or in a plane defined by a vertical dimension (i.e., the Z-axis of the coordinate axes depicted in the figures) and a width dimension (i.e., the X-axis of the coordinate axes depicted in the figures); and, in such an example, any or all channels may be parallel to or not parallel to the vertical dimension (i.e., the Z-axis of the coordinate axes depicted in the figures). In some examples, these channels may extend in the XZ plane along the width axis 212' into the bottom surface 202 and / or may be laterally offset from the width axis 212' (i.e., toward the first side 230 and / or the second side 232). In some examples, these channels may extend into the bottom surface 202 at locations adjacent to the first peripheral side 234 and / or the second peripheral side 236 and extend toward the edges 240, 242 of the slot 206 in various orientations not parallel to the width axis 212'.

[0078] In addition to or as an alternative to the above-described embodiments, any one or more of the plurality of channels 201a, 201b, 201c, 201d, 201e, 201f, 201g, 201h, 201i, and 201j may be formed in the peripheral sidewall 216 of the slot block 204. For example, one or more of the plurality of channels 201a, 201b, 201c, 201d, 201e, 201f, 201g, 201h, 201i, and 201j may extend in the XY plane of the coordinate axes shown in the figure, such that one or more channels are horizontally oriented. In these embodiments, the length L of the at least one channel 201 may be oriented parallel to the thickness axis 214', such that the channel extends through the peripheral sidewall 216 toward the slot 206 as indicated by arrows 218a and 218b. It should be understood that while any one of the multiple channels 201a, 201b, 201c, 201d, 201e, 201f, 201g, 201h, 201i, 201j may be oriented as shown by arrows 218a, 218b, they may be offset from the thickness axis 214' by various distances, as can be determined by thermal modeling and testing. In embodiments, one or more of the multiple channels 201a, 201b, 201c, 201d, 201e, 201f, 201g, 201h, 201i, 201j may extend horizontally in the XY plane of the coordinate axes depicted in the figure, wherein the length L of the at least one channel 201 is not parallel to the thickness axis 214'. In these embodiments, the channel may extend horizontally into the peripheral sidewall 216, for example, as shown by any one or more of arrows 219a, 219b, 219c, 219d. It should be understood that arrows 219a and 219b are exemplary, and one or more of the plurality of channels 201a, 201b, 201c, 201d, 201e, 201f, 201g, 201h, 201i, and 201j may be oriented at different angles and / or may be offset from the thickness axis 214' by various other distances, as can be determined by thermal modeling and testing. As indicated by arrows 219c and 219d, in an embodiment, one or more of the plurality of channels 201a, 201b, 201c, 201d, 201e, 201f, 201g, 201h, 201i, and 201j may extend horizontally in the XY plane of the coordinate axes depicted in the figure, wherein the length L of at least one channel 201 is parallel to the width axis 212', such that the channel extends in the horizontal direction indicated by arrows 219c and 219d.However, arrows 219c and 219d are exemplary, and one or more of the plurality of channels 201a, 201b, 201c, 201d, 201e, 201f, 201g, 201h, 201i, and 201j may deviate from the width axis 212' (and on either side of the width axis 212') by various other distances, as can be determined by thermal modeling and testing. In even other embodiments, any one or more of the plurality of channels 201a, 201b, 201c, 201d, 201e, 201f, 201g, 201h, 201i, and 201j may be formed in the peripheral sidewall 216, but extending downward toward the bottom surface 202 or upward away from the bottom surface 202 (i.e., in a direction outside the XY plane of the coordinate axes depicted in the figure).

[0079] In the implementation scheme, multiple channels 201a, 201b, 201c, 201d, 201e, 201f, 201g, 201h, 201i, and 201j can be organized into channel groups. In the illustrated implementation scheme, multiple channels 201a, 201b, 201c, 201d, 201e, 201f, 201g, 201h, 201i, and 201j may include a first group of channels 220, a second group of channels 222, a third group of channels 224, and a fourth group of channels 226. Here, the first group of channels 220 includes channels 201e, 201f, and 201g, which are located gradually away from the corner radius axis 244; the second group of channels 222 includes channels 201h, 201i, and 201j, which are located gradually away from the corner radius axis 246; the third group of channels 224 includes channels 201a and 201b, which are located gradually away from the corner radius axis 244; and the fourth group of channels 226 includes channels 201c and 201d, which are located gradually away from the corner radius axis 244. The first group of channels 220 and the second group of channels 220 are located on the first side 230 of the slot block 204, and the third group of channels 224 and the fourth group of channels 226 are located on the second side 232 of the slot block 204, such that the first group of channels 220 and the second group of channels 220 are located opposite to the third group of channels 224 and the fourth group of channels 226 relative to the width axis 212'. Furthermore, the first group of channels 220 and the third group of channels 224 are located opposite to the second group of channels 222 and the fourth group of channels 226 relative to the thickness axis 214'. Additionally, the first group of channels 220 and the third group of channels 224 are symmetrically located on opposite sides of the thickness axis 214', and the second group of channels 222 and the fourth group of channels 226 are also symmetrically located on opposite sides of the thickness axis 214'. In an embodiment, individual channels within each group of channels can be used in conjunction with other channels in the group to achieve the desired heat extraction within a portion of the tank block 204. For example, the cooling fluid flow within each channel in the group of channels can be controlled to be the same as that within the other channels in the group to achieve the desired heat extraction distribution along a portion of the tank block 204. Alternatively, the cooling fluid flow within individual channels within each group of channels can be controlled independently to achieve the desired heat extraction distribution along a portion of the tank block 204. However, it should be understood that... Figure 2B Only a few exemplary channel groups are shown, and other channel groups can be used to achieve specific heat extraction or temperature distribution.

[0080] See now Figure 2C , Figure 2C A heat extraction assembly 400 connected to channel 201f is schematically depicted. As described in step one herein, cooling fluid is discharged from the heat extraction assembly 400 and introduced into channel 201f to extract heat from the material of tank 204, and further from the glass ribbon 123 discharged from tank 204. Figure 2C In the illustrated embodiment, channel 201f includes an open port 320 formed in the bottom surface 202 of the slot 204, a closed port 322 opposite to the open port 320, and a sidewall 330 extending between the open port 320 and the closed port 322. Channel 201f is formed to a sufficient length such that, when evaluated in the vertical dimension, the closed port 322 of channel 201f is spaced apart from the bottom surface 202 of the slot 204 by a distance 312.

[0081] The closed port 322 of channel 201f defines a surface that provides an interface for heat transfer between the trough 204 and the cooling fluid delivered by the heat extraction assembly 400. Sidewall 330 also defines a surface, and in some embodiments, at least a portion of sidewall 330 also contacts the cooling fluid and serves as an interface for heat transfer. The heat extraction assembly 400 includes an outer tube 402 coupled to channel 102f and an inner tube 410 extending within the outer tube 402 and discharging cooling fluid into channel 102f. In some embodiments, the distal end 404 of the outer tube 402 may extend into channel 201f such that the outer tube 402 is attached to the sidewall 330 of channel 201f. In some of these embodiments, the distal end 404 of the outer tube 402 is fully inserted into the channel 201f, such that only the closed port 322 of the channel 201f is exposed to the cooling fluid injected by the inner tube 410 (e.g., when the sidewall 330 is covered by the distal end 404 of the outer tube 402); however, in other embodiments, the distal end 404 of the outer tube 402 is only partially inserted into the channel 201f, such that a portion of the closed port 322 and the sidewall 330 of the channel 201f are exposed to the cooling fluid, thereby facilitating greater heat extraction from the material of the tank block 204. In even other embodiments, the distal end 404 of the outer tube 402 may be attached to the channel 201f at its open port 320 on the bottom surface 202 of the tank block 204, thereby exposing the entire sidewall 330 and the closed port 322 of the channel 201f to the cooling fluid, thereby facilitating even greater heat extraction from the material of the tank block 204. Furthermore, the inner tube 410 of the heat extraction assembly 400 may be positioned relative to the outer tube 402 and the closed port 322 of the channel 201f to further control how the cooling fluid is distributed on the surface area of ​​the channel 201f, as described in further detail herein. For example, a portion of the inner tube 410 of the heat extraction assembly 400 may be at least partially inserted into the channel 201f, such that the cooling fluid discharged therefrom will be concentrated at specific surfaces within the channel 201f (e.g., the closed port 322 of the channel 201f). Alternatively, the inner tube 410 may be retracted to diffuse the injection of cooling fluid, such that the cooling fluid is distributed on relatively large surfaces within the channel 201f (e.g., on the closed port 322 of the channel 201f and at least a portion of the sidewall 330). Thus, heat extraction is typically increased by positioning the inner tube 410 more closely adjacent to the closed port 322 of the channel 201f. However, when the inner tube 410 is located closer to the closed port 322 of the channel 201f, the back pressure in the channel 201f increases, and if the inner tube 410 is located too close to the closed port 322 of the channel 201f, the desired heat extraction may be difficult to achieve. Regardless of how much surface area within the channel 201f is exposed to the cooling fluid, the contact between the cooling fluid and the surface area of ​​the channel 201f is improved (e.g., more consistent and reproducible) compared to the solid-solid interface of the water-cooled arm described herein.

[0082] In the illustrated embodiment, the closed port 322 defines a conical surface. However, it should be understood that the surface defined by the closed port 322 can have other geometries. For example, the closed port 322 can define a flat surface, a semi-circular surface, etc.

[0083] See now Figures 3A-3C , Figure 3A A heat extraction assembly 400 according to one or more embodiments described herein is schematically depicted. In the illustrated embodiment, the heat extraction assembly 400 includes an outer tube 402 having a distal end 404 and a proximal end 406. During use, the distal end 404 of the outer tube 402 is secured to a corresponding channel formed in a groove 204, for example, as shown in the diagram. Figure 2C As shown. Various methods can be used to secure the outer tube 402 to at least one channel 201, including but not limited to welding (including diffusion welding and brazing), using glass frit materials (which seal the outer tube 402 to the corresponding channel when heated to the operating temperature of the glass manufacturing equipment 100), threaded joints, compression fittings, etc. In an embodiment, the distal end 404 is secured to the corresponding channel at a separation point that allows an operator to detach and remove the heat extraction assembly 400 from the tank block 204.

[0084] The outer tube 402 defines an outer cavity 408 extending between a distal end 404 and a proximal end 406 of the outer tube 402. The heat extraction assembly 400 also includes an inner tube 410 extending within the outer cavity 408 of the outer tube 402. The inner tube 410 includes a distal end 412 and a proximal end 414. The inner tube 410 is located within the outer cavity 408 of the outer tube 402 such that the distal end 412 of the inner tube 410 is adjacent to the distal end 404 of the outer tube 402. Figure 3B and 3C As shown, it is a detailed view of the inner tube 410 located within the outer cavity 408 of the outer tube 402. The outer surface 410' of the inner tube 410 is spaced apart from the inner surface 402' of the outer tube 402 to form a discharge channel 411 between the inner tube 410 and the outer tube 402. Moreover, as Figure 3CAs shown, the inner tube 410 includes an inner cavity 413 extending through the inner tube 410 between a proximal end 414 and a distal end 412. In the illustrated embodiment, the distal end 412 of the inner tube 410 is open to allow cooling fluid to drain from the inner cavity 413 of the inner tube 410. In the embodiment, the opening in the distal end 412 of the inner tube 410 may have a geometry that facilitates the guidance of the cooling fluid drained therefrom. In the embodiment, a chamfer may be formed between the opening at the distal end 412 and the sidewall of the inner tube 410 (e.g., by cutting off the distal corner of the inner tube 410), wherein the inner cavity 413 of the inner tube 410 is exposed by the chamfer, allowing cooling fluid to be guided out of the chamfer in the inner tube 410. In the embodiment, the chamfer may be formed in the inner tube 410 such that it points toward or faces the bottom surface 202 of the slot block 204.

[0085] Refer again Figure 3A In the illustrated embodiment, the cooling fluid source 420 is fluidly connected to the inner tube 410, thereby supplying cooling fluid to the inner cavity 413 of the inner tube 410. Figure 3C Cooling fluid can circulate from cooling fluid source 420, pass through inner cavity 413 of inner pipe 410, and enter channel 201 of tank block 204. Figure 2A-2C And through the discharge channel 411 formed between the inner tube 410 and the outer tube 402 in the outer cavity 408 of the outer tube 402, it is discharged from the channel 201 of the tank block 204. Figure 3A As shown, connector 422 may be located on the proximal end 414 of inner tube 410, and cooling fluid source 420 may be connected to connector 422 via conduit 424 (e.g., hose). In an embodiment, the cooling fluid supplied by cooling fluid source 420 is a gas or liquid. In an embodiment, the cooling fluid may be an inert gas that helps suppress oxidation within at least one channel 201. In an embodiment, the inert gas is nitrogen or argon. In an embodiment, the cooling fluid may be liquid water or another liquid coolant. Furthermore, a pressure sensor 425 may be provided for measuring the pressure of the cooling fluid supplied to the inner cavity 413 of inner tube 410. In an embodiment, pressure sensor 425 is a pressure transducer.

[0086] In this embodiment, the flow rate of the cooling fluid supplied by the cooling fluid source 420 is controllable. For example, the cooling fluid source 420 may include a variable-speed pump and / or valve operable to control the flow rate of the cooling fluid supplied to the inner pipe 410. In this embodiment, the flow rate of the supplied cooling fluid may be between 0 standard liters per minute (“slpm”) and 100 slpm. In this embodiment, the flow rate of the cooling fluid may be as high as 80 slpm or even as high as 60 slpm. In this embodiment, the flow rate of the supplied cooling fluid is selected to achieve the desired temperature distribution in the tank block 204.

[0087] In one embodiment, the heat extraction assembly 400 may include a cooling fluid temperature sensor 426 operable to measure the temperature of the cooling fluid supplied to the inner tube 410 (i.e., the input temperature of the cooling fluid). In one embodiment, the cooling fluid temperature sensor 426 may be located at the cooling fluid source 420; however, it should be understood that the cooling fluid temperature sensor 426 may be located elsewhere. For example, in one embodiment, the cooling fluid temperature sensor 426 may be integrated within a portion of the conduit 424 or located near the proximal end 414 of the inner tube 410. In one embodiment, the cooling fluid temperature sensor 426 is a thermocouple.

[0088] In an embodiment, the inner tube 410 and the outer tube 402 can be designed to control the pressure and / or velocity of the cooling fluid when it is introduced into the channel 201 in the tank block 204. For example, the inner diameter of the inner tube 410 and the inner diameter of the outer tube 402 can be selected to have a specific ratio, wherein the ratio of the inner diameters controls the pressure and / or velocity of the cooling fluid introduced into the corresponding channel. For example, in an embodiment, the cooling fluid may have a pressure up to about 586 kPa. Because the flow rate of the cooling fluid entering the channel 201 depends on the inner diameter of the inner tube 410, increasing the cross-sectional area of ​​the inner cavity 413 of the inner tube 410 will allow a higher flow rate of cooling fluid to be supplied through it; however, the diameter of the outer tube 402 can be selected such that the cross-sectional area of ​​the discharge channel 411 is large enough to discharge the cooling fluid and minimize (or maintain) the back pressure formed within the channel 201 to a level that does not adversely affect heat extraction. In an embodiment, the cross-sectional surface area of ​​the discharge channel 411 is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the inner cavity 413 of the inner tube 410.

[0089] In one embodiment, the thermal extraction assembly 400 may further include a housing 430 defining an internal channel 432. In the illustrated embodiment, an outer tube 402 is connected to the housing 430 such that an outer cavity 408 of the outer tube 402 is in fluid communication with the internal channel 432 of the housing 430. In this embodiment, a proximal end 406 of the outer tube 402 may extend into a corresponding hole 431 formed in a distal end 433 of the housing 430, such that the outer cavity 408 of the outer tube 402 is in fluid communication with the internal channel 432. In this embodiment, an inner tube 410 passes through the internal channel 432 of the housing 430.

[0090] The heat extraction assembly 400 may further include a discharge manifold 434, which includes a discharge chamber 436. The discharge manifold 434 is fluidly connected to an internal passage 432 of the housing 430, such that the discharge chamber 436 of the discharge manifold 434 is fluidly connected to the internal passage 432 of the housing 430. During operation, a cooling fluid source 420 supplies cooling fluid to the inner cavity 413 of the inner tube 410, which then guides the cooling fluid into contact with the surfaces of corresponding passages formed in the slot 204, as described herein. The cooling fluid is then discharged from the heat extraction assembly 400 via an outer tube 402, specifically through a discharge passage 411 formed between the inner tube 410 and the outer tube 402, into the internal passage 432 of the housing 430, and discharged from the internal passage 432 of the housing through the discharge chamber 436 of the discharge manifold 434. That is, the discharge manifold 434 is fluidly connected to the outer cavity 408 of the outer tube 402 for discharging cooling fluid from the outer cavity 408 and specifically through the discharge channel 411 formed between the inner surface 402' of the outer tube 402 and the outer surface 410' of the inner tube 410.

[0091] The heat extraction assembly 400 may include a discharge temperature sensor 460 for measuring the temperature of the cooling fluid discharged by the heat extraction assembly 400 (i.e., the output temperature of the cooling fluid). In one embodiment, the discharge temperature sensor 460 is operatively coupled to a discharge manifold 434, for example, to measure the temperature of the cooling fluid as it is discharged through a discharge chamber 436. In another embodiment, a discharge device 462 is provided in fluid communication with the discharge chamber 436, such that the discharge device 462 receives the discharged cooling fluid. The discharge device 462 may be connected to the discharge manifold 434 via a conduit 464, such as a hose. In one embodiment, the discharge temperature sensor 460 is located in the discharge chamber 436 of the discharge manifold 434, such that it measures the temperature of the cooling fluid within the discharge chamber 436. In other embodiments, the discharge temperature sensor 460 may be located in the discharge device 462, or the discharge temperature sensor 460 may be located on the conduit 464 to measure the temperature of the cooling fluid within its inner cavity. In another embodiment, the discharge temperature sensor 460 may be located on a housing 430 to measure the temperature of the cooling fluid within an internal passage 432 of the housing 430. In the implementation scheme, the emission temperature sensor 460 is a thermocouple.

[0092] In one embodiment, at least a portion of the outer surface of the outer tube 402 is insulated to minimize or eliminate the effect of ambient temperature outside the outer tube 402 on the cooling fluid during discharge. In one embodiment, a portion of the outer tube 402 may be covered with an insulated sleeve. Similarly, depending on the location of the discharge temperature sensor 460, at least a portion of the housing 430, the discharge manifold 434, and / or the conduit 464 may be insulated to minimize or eliminate the effect of ambient temperature.

[0093] In the illustrated embodiment of the heat extraction assembly 400, the connector 440 is slidably located within the housing 430. The connector 440 may include an internal passage through which an inner tube 410 extends. Specifically, the connector 440 may be slidably located in a connector channel 442 of the housing 430. As described herein, the inner tube 410 extends through the internal channel 432 of the housing 430 and into the internal passage of the connector 440. In these embodiments, the inner tube 410 is fixedly coupled to the connector 440, thereby slidably adjusting the distance 446 between the distal end 412 of the inner tube 410 and the distal end 404 of the outer tube 402 by translating the connector 440 relative to the housing 430 along axis 444. This arrangement allows for coarse adjustment of the distal end 412 of the inner tube 410 relative to the distal end 404 of the outer tube 402, and also allows for coarse adjustment of the distal end 412 of the inner tube 410 within the corresponding channel of the slot 204. For example, in one embodiment, connector 440 can be translated into housing 430 to adjust the relative gap 446 between the distal end 412 of inner tube 410 and the distal end 404 of outer tube 402. In these embodiments, connector 440 can be translated into housing 430 such that the distal end 412 of inner tube 410 protrudes from the distal end 404 of outer tube 402. Conversely, connector 440 can also be translated out of housing 430 to adjust the gap 446 between the distal end 412 of inner tube 410 and the distal end 404 of outer tube 402.

[0094] In one embodiment, the inner tube 410 may extend through the internal passage of the connector 440 such that the proximal end 414 of the inner tube 410 is located proximal to the connector 440 and the distal end 412 of the inner tube 410 is located distal to the connector 440. In other embodiments, the inner tube 410 may be formed of more than one discrete tube, for example, the distal end 412 may be provided on a first tube and the proximal end 414 may be provided on a second tube separate from the first tube, wherein the proximal end of the first tube and the distal end of the second tube are each sealed within the internal passage of the connector 440 such that the internal passage fluidly connects the first tube and the second tube.

[0095] In one embodiment, connector channel 442 can restrict distal movement of connector 440. For example, connector channel 442 can have a larger diameter (or size) than inner channel 432, such that interface 448 is defined between connector channel 442 and inner channel 432. In this embodiment, the diameter of connector 440 is approximately dimensionally corresponding to connector channel 442 to allow connector 440 to translate within connector channel 442. As connector 440 slides into housing 430 within connector channel 442, connector 440 eventually contacts interface 448, which prevents connector 440 from moving further into housing 430. In another embodiment, connector channel 442 is sized such that when distal end 443 of connector 440 contacts interface 448, distal end 412 of inner tube 410 extends out of outer cavity 408 of outer tube 402, such that distal end 412 of inner tube 410 extends out of distal end 404 of outer tube 402. In this way, the distal end 412 of the inner tube 410 can extend into the channel 201. In an embodiment, when the distal end 443 of the connector 440 contacts the interface 448, the distal end 412 of the inner tube 410 contacts the closed port 322 of the channel 201f.

[0096] Still referencing Figure 3A The housing 430 may include a retaining screw 450 for locking the connector 440 in place within the housing 430. In the illustrated embodiment, the retaining screw 450 is threaded into the housing 430 and operable to lock the connector 440 to the housing 430, thereby inhibiting further translation of the connector 440 when the retaining screw 450 is rotated in a first rotational direction. Here, rotation of the retaining screw 450 in the opposite second rotational direction will loosen the retaining screw 450, thereby allowing the connector 440 to translate within the housing 430.

[0097] In the illustrated embodiment, the inner tube 410 is threadedly connected to the connector 440, such that rotation of the inner tube 410 within and relative to the connector 440 adjusts the gap 446 between the distal end 412 of the inner tube 410 and the distal end 404 of the outer tube 402. Specifically, the outer surface 454 of the inner tube 410 may include a thread 452 that engages with a corresponding thread within the internal passage of the connector 440. The thread 452 and the corresponding thread of the connector 440 may have a known pitch, allowing the distance the inner tube 410 translates along the axis 444 to be determined based on the degree of rotation of the inner tube 410 relative to the connector 440. The threaded interface between the inner tube 410 and the connector 440 allows for fine-tuning of the distal end 412 of the inner tube 410 relative to the distal end 404 of the outer tube 402.

[0098] Based on the foregoing, the heat extraction assembly 400 may include coarse adjustment features and fine adjustment features, both of which can be used to adjust the relative spacing 446 between the distal end 412 of the inner tube 410 and the distal end 404 of the outer tube 402. Adjusting the relative spacing 446 between the distal end 412 of the inner tube 410 and the distal end 404 of the outer tube 402 can be used to adjust the degree of contact between the inner surface of the corresponding channel in the tank block 204 and the cooling fluid ejected from the inner tube 410, and thus can be used to control the heat extracted from the material of the tank block 204 and the heat extracted from the glass ribbon discharged from the tank block 204. Using the coarse adjustment feature, the retaining screw 450 can be loosened, after which the connector 440 can be translated along the axis 444, thereby moving the inner tube 410 toward the closed port 322 of at least one channel 201. When the distal end 412 of the inner tube 410 contacts the closed port 322 of at least one channel 201 (or some other feature in at least one channel 201 that prevents further translation), the retaining screw 450 can be tightened, thereby locking the connector 440 in place, which then serves as a reference point. The distal end 412 of the inner tube 410 can then be precisely positioned relative to the closed port 322 of the corresponding channel 201 using fine-tuning features. For example, the inner tube 410 can be rotated a certain number of times relative to the connector 440 to translate the distal end 412 of the inner tube 410, thereby creating the required spacing 446 for a specific amount of heat extraction. In several embodiments, the inner tube 410 can be rotated within the connector 440 by a certain amount, which translates the distal end 412 into a position where the distal end 412 of the inner tube 410 is located 0 mm to 10 mm from the distal end 404 of the outer tube 402, wherein the distal end 404 of the outer tube 402 is located at a predetermined distance from the closed port 322 of the at least one channel 201. Therefore, the coarse adjustment feature allows the user to set a reference point during installation, and the fine adjustment feature allows the user to position the distal end 412 of the inner tube 410 in a target position relative to the closed port 322 of the at least one channel 201. The coarse and fine adjustment features, together with the fixed dimensions of the corresponding channels 201 formed in the slot 204, allow the user to precisely position the heat extraction assembly 400 to achieve a specific amount of heat extraction and, furthermore, to reproduce the heat extraction during subsequent use. For example, a coarse adjustment feature can be used to insert the inner tube 410 further into the channel 201 to be closer to its closed port 322, thereby increasing heat extraction, and then a fine adjustment feature can be used to properly reposition the inner tube 410 to achieve an acceptable amount of back pressure while maximizing heat extraction.

[0099] In the embodiments described herein, heat extraction is achieved by injecting cooling fluid into channel 201 coupled to heat extraction assembly 400. In these embodiments, the amount of heat extraction can be quantified using data captured by cooling fluid temperature sensor 426 and discharge temperature sensor 460, wherein cooling fluid temperature sensor 426 measures the temperature of the cooling fluid supplied to inner pipe 410, and discharge temperature sensor 460 measures the temperature of the cooling fluid in discharge manifold 434. In the illustrated embodiment, controller 470 is operatively connected to cooling fluid temperature sensor 426 and discharge temperature sensor 460. Controller 470 can be programmed to calculate the heat extracted from tank block 204 based on the temperature of the cooling fluid in discharge manifold 434 and the temperature of the cooling fluid supplied by cooling fluid source 420. In these embodiments, controller 470 is communicatively coupled to cooling fluid source 420 and operable to adjust the flow rate of cooling fluid supplied by cooling fluid source 420 based on the calculated heat extraction. For example, controller 470 may be communicated with and operable to control the operation of cooling fluid source 420, and if controller 470 determines that the calculated heat extraction in at least one channel 201 deviates from the target heat extraction of the corresponding channel 201, controller 470 causes cooling fluid source 420 to adjust the flow rate of cooling fluid, thereby increasing or decreasing the heat extraction from the corresponding channel 201 until the calculated heat extraction reaches the target heat extraction. In one embodiment, controller 470 includes a mass flow controller for controlling the flow rate of cooling fluid source 420. In other embodiments, the controller of cooling fluid source 420 may be a mass flow controller.

[0100] In one implementation, controller 470 is communicatively coupled to pressure sensor 425 and operable to calculate back pressure within channel 201. The back pressure of the cooling fluid in channel 201 can be calculated based on various operating parameters monitored in real time, such as the flow rate of the cooling fluid measured by cooling fluid source 420, the input pressure of the cooling fluid supplied to inner tube 410 measured by pressure sensor 425, the temperature of the cooling fluid input to channel 201 measured by cooling fluid temperature sensor 426, and the temperature of the cooling fluid discharged from channel 201 measured by discharge temperature sensor 460. Based on the calculated back pressure, the operator can then adjust the position of inner tube 410 within outer tube 402, and in some implementations, controller 470 is operable to adjust the flow rate of cooling fluid supplied by cooling fluid source 420 based on the calculated back pressure.

[0101] In one embodiment, the glass forming apparatus 200 may include a glass strip sensor 472 for measuring the width W of the glass strip 123. In use, the glass strip sensor 472 may be positioned to measure the width W of the glass strip 123 after it has exited the trough 204. For example, refer to... Figure 2A and3A The glass ribbon sensor 472 may be located downstream of the annealing region 127 and the slot 204, enabling accurate measurement of the width W of the glass ribbon 123 as it exits the slot 206. In other embodiments, the glass ribbon sensor 472 may be located downstream of the slot 206 and upstream of the annealing region 127. In some embodiments, the glass ribbon sensor 472 may be a thermal camera.

[0102] In one embodiment, the controller 470 is operatively coupled to the glass strip sensor 472 and operable to adjust the flow rate of the cooling fluid supplied by the cooling fluid source 420 based on the width W of the glass strip 123 as measured by the glass strip sensor 472. As previously described, the amount of heat exchange occurring within the plurality of channels 201 depends on the flow rate of the cooling fluid supplied by the cooling fluid source 420, and the controller 470 controls the cooling fluid source 420 based on feedback from the cooling fluid temperature sensor 426 and the discharge temperature sensor 460 to achieve the target heat extraction.

[0103] If the controller 470 determines, based on feedback signals from the glass ribbon sensor 472, that the glass ribbon 123 exhibits a change in sheet width, the controller 470 can be used to adjust the thermal extraction occurring in the plurality of channels 201 formed in the groove block 204 to control the width W of the glass ribbon 123 in real time. For example, increased thermal extraction from the groove block 204 (and thus the glass ribbon 123 discharged from the groove block 204) corresponds to an increase in the viscosity of the glass ribbon 123, and the increased viscosity at the edges 123a, 123b of the glass ribbon 123 reduces the amount of attenuation (narrowing) of the width W of the glass ribbon 123. However, excessive thermal extraction at the edges 123a, 123b of the glass ribbon 123 may cause the width W of the glass ribbon 123 to narrow. For example, excessive heat extraction at the edges 240, 242 of the slot 206 can cause increased viscosity at the edges 123a, 123b of the glass ribbon 123, resulting in effective freezing of the molten glass 116 within the slot 206 near the edges 240, 242. This increases flow through the center of the slot 206, as this path is the path of least resistance, and consequently narrows the glass ribbon 123. Therefore, the heat extracted from the glass ribbon 123 can be controlled to ensure that the width W of the glass ribbon 123 remains within the desired tolerance. In an embodiment, the controller 470 is operable to stabilize the glass ribbon 123 by controlling the cooling fluid source 420 based on feedback from the cooling fluid temperature sensor 426, the discharge temperature sensor 460, and the glass ribbon sensor 472.

[0104] See now Figure 4A , Figure 4A A bottom view schematically illustrates an embodiment of a slot block 204 having channels formed therein, according to one or more embodiments. Specifically, Figure 4A This is a partial view of the slot 204 and the slot 206. In the illustrated embodiment, a channel 488 is formed in the material of the slot 204. The channel 488 is shown extending toward the slot 206. During use, the heat extraction assembly 400 injects cooling fluid into the channel 488, thereby extracting heat from the slot 204.

[0105] In the illustrated embodiment, channel 488 includes a proximal portion 540 closest to the heat extraction assembly 400 (e.g., furthest from slot 206) and a distal portion 542 furthest from the heat extraction assembly 400 (e.g., closest to slot 206), wherein the distal portion 542 includes a closed port 550. In this embodiment, the distal portion 542 of channel 488 may have a smaller diameter than the proximal portion 540, such that channel 488 also includes a proximal-facing annular wall 544 defined between the proximal portion 540 and the distal portion 542 of channel 488.

[0106] The heat extraction assembly 400 can be connected to the channel 488 to facilitate the injection of cooling fluid into the channel 488. Specifically, the outer tube 402 of the heat extraction assembly can be located within and fixed therein the proximal portion 540 of the channel 488, with the distal end 404 of the outer tube 402 abutting a proximal-facing annular wall 544 defined between the proximal portion 540 and the distal portion 542 of the channel 488. The distal end 404 of the outer tube 402 can be fixed in various ways, such as by welding, assembly, threading, or using a glass frit material (when heated) that forms a seal between the channel 488 and the outer tube 402.

[0107] In one embodiment, the proximal portion 540 of channel 488 may have a known length (e.g., the distance between the proximal-facing annular wall 544 and the closed port 550 is known), such that when the distal end 404 of the outer tube 402 abuts the proximal-facing annular wall 544, the distal end 404 of the outer tube 402 will similarly be located at a known distance from the closed port 550 of channel 488. After the outer tube 402 is secured to the slot block 204, the inner tube 410 can be translated using coarse and fine adjustment features, thereby adjusting the position of the distal end 412 of the inner tube 410. In the illustrated embodiment, the inner tube 410 has been adjusted such that the distal end 412 of the inner tube 410 is spaced apart from the closed port 550 of at least one channel 488. Once the distal end 412 of the inner tube 410 has been properly positioned, cooling fluid can be injected from the inner cavity 413 of the inner tube 410 into the at least one channel 488, allowing heat extraction to occur via forced convection. An embodiment of channel 488 having a proximal-facing annular wall 544 (defined between the proximal portion 540 of the channel and the distal portion 542 of the channel 488) can be used in conjunction with any embodiment of the glass conveying device described herein.

[0108] See now Figure 4B and 4C , Figure 4B An implementation scheme is shown in which the heat extraction from the channel 488 of the slot 204 can be controlled using the insulating insert 560. Figure 4C It shows the location Figure 4B A detailed view of the insulating insert 560 within the channel 488. As shown, the insulating insert 560 may be partially disposed within the channel 488 and partially disposed within the outer tube 402 of the heat extraction assembly 400. In the illustrated embodiment, the insulating insert 560 may include a proximal portion 562 most adjacent to the heat extraction assembly 400 and a distal portion 564 most distant from the heat extraction assembly 400. The distal portion 564 of the insulating insert 560 may be located within the distal portion 542 of the channel 488, and the proximal portion 562 of the insulating insert 560 may be located within the proximal portion 540 of the channel 488.

[0109] In the described embodiment, the insulating insert 560 may be generally cylindrical, such that the proximal portion 562 and the distal portion 564 have the same outer diameter. The outer diameter of the insulating insert 560 corresponds to the inner diameter of the distal portion 542 of the channel 488, such that the outer surface of the distal portion 564 of the insulating insert 560 contacts the inner surface of the distal portion 542 of the channel 488. However, because the diameter of the proximal portion 540 of the channel 488 is larger than the diameter of the distal portion 542 of the channel 488, an annular space is defined between the outer surface of the proximal portion 562 of the insulating insert 560 and the inner surface of the proximal portion 540 of the channel 488.

[0110] When the heat extraction assembly 400 is fixed to the slot block 204, the distal end 404 of the outer tube 402 is located within the proximal portion 540 of the channel 488, and the outer surface of the distal end 404 of the outer tube 402 contacts the inner surface of the proximal portion 540 of the channel 488. Specifically, the distal end 404 of the outer tube 402 will be located in an annular space defined between the outer surface of the proximal portion 562 of the insulating insert 560 and the inner surface of the proximal portion 540 of the channel 488. The distal end 404 of the outer tube 402 can be permanently or detachably connected to the proximal portion 540 of the channel 488, for example, by welding, sintering material, threading, etc.

[0111] In the embodiment described, the proximal portion 562 of the insulating insert 560 extends into the outer tube 402 of the heat extraction assembly 400, such that the proximal portion 562 of the insulating insert 560 can be located within a discharge channel 411 defined between the inner surface 402' of the outer tube 402 and the outer surface 410' of the inner tube 410. Here, the outer surface of the proximal portion 562 of the insulating insert 560 contacts the inner surface 402' of the outer tube 402. Furthermore, the inner surface of the insulating insert 560 can be spaced apart from the outer surface 410' of the inner tube 410, such that the insulating insert 560 does not completely occupy the discharge channel 411 and provides a gap for discharging the cooling fluid as described herein.

[0112] In some embodiments, the proximal portion 562 of the insulating insert 560 is press-fitted into the outer cavity 408 of the outer tube 402. In some embodiments, the insulating insert 560 is secured to the outer tube 402 using an adhesive. In some embodiments, the outer surface of the proximal portion 562 of the insulating insert 560 may include threads corresponding to the threads formed in the outer cavity 408 of the outer tube 402, such that the insulating insert 560 engages threadedly with the heat extraction assembly 400.

[0113] The insulating insert 560 can be configured to control the direction of heat extraction from the channel 488. In embodiments, the insulating insert 560 may be at least partially open. For example, one or more openings 561 may be formed in the insulating insert 560, and when the insulating insert 560 is installed in the channel 488, the material of the slot 204 within the channel 488 is exposed through one or more openings 561, and cooling fluid can contact the exposed material of the slot 204. Greater heat extraction can occur in the area of ​​the channel 488 exposed to the cooling fluid compared to the area of ​​the channel 488 covered by the insulating insert 560. Therefore, one or more openings 561 may be formed in the insulating insert 560 to guide or enhance heat extraction in certain areas of the slot 204 while minimizing heat extraction in other areas of the slot 204 (e.g., areas where cooling could cause devitrification). For example, one or more openings 561 may be oriented toward the slot 206 and / or the bottom surface 202 of the slot 204. Furthermore, by orienting one or more openings 561 toward the bottom surface 202 of the slot 204, the heat leaving the glass strip 123 through the slot 206 can be reduced, and the area below the slot 204, where a muffle assembly (not shown) can be placed, can also be cooled.

[0114] In the illustrated embodiment, one or more openings 561 of the insulating insert 560 include opening ports 566 and openings 568. Here, opening ports 566 and openings 568 are formed in the distal portion 564 of the insulating insert 560. In other embodiments, opening 568 may extend at least partially through the proximal portion 562 of the insulating insert 560. Here, opening port 566 faces the slot 206 and opening 568 faces the bottom surface 202 of the slot block 204. Moreover, opening 568 may be in the form of a proximal extension gap in the insulating insert 560. Therefore, Figure 4B and 4C The heat-insulating insert 560 shown can be configured to provide increased heat extraction and cooling to a portion of the bottom surface 202 of the adjacent slot 204 facing the slot 206 and towards the bottom surface 202 of the slot 204, while relatively reducing heat extraction and cooling towards the top of the slot 204 (i.e. opposite to the bottom surface 202).

[0115] However, the insulating insert 560 can be different Figure 4B and 4C The partially open configuration is provided as shown. For example, the insulating insert 560 may include a closed port or a partially closed port, the opening 568 may be large or small, the proximal portion 562 and / or the distal portion 564 may include one or more other openings, and the proximal portion 562 and / or the distal portion 564 may include one or more gaps (e.g., in addition to the opening 568), etc. In other embodiments, the insulating insert 560 may not include any such openings and may completely insulate the entire surface within the channel 488.

[0116] In one embodiment, the insulating insert 560 may be made of an insulating material that reduces heat exchange between the cooling fluid and the material of the slot 204 when placed between them. Specifically, the insulating insert 560 may be made of a material with a lower thermal conductivity relative to the material of the slot 204. In another embodiment, the insulating insert 560 may be made of ceramic, pure silica, quartz, or alumina. Figure 4B and 4C The embodiment of the insulating insert 560 shown can be used in conjunction with any embodiment of the glass conveying equipment described herein.

[0117] Figure 5 A bottom view schematically depicts an embodiment of a slot block 204 having an internal cavity 572, according to one or more embodiments. Specifically, Figure 5A partial view of the slot 204 and slot 206 is shown. In the illustrated embodiment, an internal chamber 572 is formed in the material of the slot 204 and extends along the slot 206 in width dimension (e.g., along the X-axis of the coordinate axis shown in the figure). During use, the heat extraction assembly 570 may inject cooling fluid into the internal chamber 572 to extract heat from the slot 204, as described below.

[0118] In the illustrated example, a plurality of ports 574 may be formed in the slot 204. As shown, the plurality of ports 574 may extend from the internal chamber 572 to the outside of the slot 204, such as the peripheral sidewall 216 of the slot 204. As further described, at least one of the plurality of ports 574 may be an inlet port in fluid communication with the internal chamber 572, and at least one of the plurality of ports 574 may be an outlet port in fluid communication with the internal chamber 572. Although the plurality of ports 574 in the illustrated embodiment includes a first port 574a, a second port 574b, a third port 574c, and a fourth port 574d, more or fewer than four plurality of ports 574 may be used in other embodiments.

[0119] The thermal extraction assembly 570 may include a plurality of tubes 578, each extending through a corresponding one of a plurality of ports 574. In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of tubes 578 may include a first tube 584a, a second tube 584b, a third tube 584c, and a fourth tube 584d. However, in embodiments utilizing more or fewer of the plurality of ports 574, a similar number of tubes 578 may be used, such that the number of tubes 578 corresponds to the number of ports 574.

[0120] Here, a first tube 584a extends through a first port 574a, a second tube 584b extends through a second port 574b, a third tube 584c extends through a third port 574c, and a fourth tube 584d extends through a fourth port 574d. Furthermore, the cavity of the first tube 584a, the cavity of the second tube 584b, the cavity of the third tube 584c, and the cavity of the fourth tube 584d are in fluid communication with the internal chamber 572.

[0121] At least one of the plurality of pipes 578 may be a cooling fluid inlet pipe operable to inject cooling fluid into the internal chamber 572 of the tank block 204, and at least one of the plurality of pipes 578 may be a cooling fluid outlet pipe operable to discharge cooling fluid from the internal chamber 572 of the tank block 204. Furthermore, a cooling fluid source 580 may be fluidly coupled to the cooling fluid inlet pipe to supply cooling fluid to the inner cavity of the cooling fluid inlet pipe and the internal chamber 572. The cooling fluid source 580 may include a mass flow controller. A discharge device 582 may be fluidly coupled to the cooling fluid outlet pipe to discharge cooling fluid from the internal chamber 572 through the cavity of the cooling fluid outlet pipe. The heat distribution formed in the tank block 204 during operation, as well as the amount of heat extracted from the tank block 204 and the amount of time (i.e., residence time) of the cooling fluid retained in the internal chamber 572, can be controlled by selecting which of the plurality of pipes 578 is used as the cooling fluid inlet pipe, which is used as the cooling fluid outlet pipe, and which is closed or blocked to render it inactive.

[0122] In the illustrated embodiment, the first pipe 584a is fluidly connected to a cooling fluid source 580, while the second pipe 584b, third pipe 584c, and fourth pipe 584d are each fluidly connected to a discharge device 582. Therefore, in this embodiment, the first pipe 584a supplies cooling fluid to the internal chamber 572, while the second pipe 584b, third pipe 584c, and fourth pipe 584d discharge cooling fluid from the internal chamber 572. In other embodiments, one or more of the second pipe 584b, third pipe 584c, and fourth pipe 584d may be fluidly connected to the cooling fluid source 580 instead of the discharge device 582, such that more than one of the plurality of pipes 578 can be used as a cooling fluid inlet pipe. In even other embodiments, the first pipe 584a may replace the cooling fluid source 580 in fluid connection to the discharge device 582, so that it is used as a cooling fluid output pipe, and one or more of the second pipe 584b, the third pipe 584c and the fourth pipe 584d may replace the discharge device 582 in fluid connection to the cooling fluid source 580, so that it is used as a cooling fluid input pipe.

[0123] In one embodiment, only one of the plurality of pipes 578 is fluidly connected to a cooling fluid source 580, such that only one cooling fluid inlet pipe exists, and at least one of the remaining pipes 578 is closed. In some of these embodiments, the remaining pipes 578 that are not closed are fluidly connected to a discharge device 582. However, in other embodiments, all of the plurality of pipes 578 not connected to the cooling fluid source 580 are fluidly connected to the discharge device 582, and each pipe includes a valve for selectively opening or closing its chamber.

[0124] In the illustrated embodiment, each of the second pipe 584b, the third pipe 584c, and the fourth pipe 584d may include valves 586b, 586c, and 586d operable to open or close their associated chamber, thereby regulating access to the discharge device 582. Each of the valves 586b, 586c, and 586d may be connected to a controller, such as the controller 470 described above, to control the opening and closing of valves 586b, 586c, and 586d. Furthermore, in embodiments where any one or more of the second pipe 584b, the third pipe 584c, and the fourth pipe 584d are fluidly connected to the cooling fluid source 580, the associated valves 586b, 586c, and 586d will similarly operate to regulate the input of cooling fluid from the cooling fluid source 580 to the internal chamber 572.

[0125] Also in the illustrated embodiment, the first pipe 584a includes a valve 586a operable to open or close its associated chamber, thereby regulating the passage to the cooling fluid source 580, thus allowing regulation of the input of cooling fluid to the internal chamber 572. The valve 586a can be similarly connected to a controller, such as the controller 470 described above, to control the opening and closing of the valve 586a. In an embodiment where the first pipe 584a is in communication with a discharge device 582, the valve 586a is operable to open or close the chamber of the first pipe 584a, thereby regulating the passage to the discharge device 582.

[0126] While one or more of valves 586a, 586b, 586c, and 586d can be configured to open or close their associated chambers, any one of them can also be configured to partially close their associated chambers, thereby limiting the input flow of cooling fluid into or from the internal chamber 572, and thus further controlling the heat distribution formed in the tank block 204 during operation. In some embodiments, one of the plurality of pipes 578 (e.g., the first pipe 584a) may be fluidly connected to the cooling fluid source 580, while the remaining pipes of the plurality of pipes 578 (e.g., the second pipe 584b, the third pipe 584c, and the fourth pipe 584d) may be fluidly connected to the discharge device 582, but the associated valves (e.g., valves 586b, 586c, and 586d) are partially open or partially closed. In one of these embodiments, valve 586d of the fourth pipe 584d can be opened to a greater extent than valve 586b of the second pipe 584b, and valve 586c of the third pipe 584c can be opened to a degree between that of valves 586b and 586d, thereby allowing control over the flow pattern of the cooling fluid within the internal chamber 572 and its residence time in the various regions of the internal chamber 572. Therefore, the amount of cooling fluid leaving the internal chamber 572 through the second pipe 584b, third pipe 584c, and fourth pipe 584d can be controlled, and thus heat extraction from the internal chamber 572 can be regulated. For example, if valves 586c and 586d are closed, the cooling fluid input through the first pipe 584a will be discharged only through the second pipe 584b, and the heat extraction in the internal chamber 572 will be concentrated in the area between the first pipe 584a and the second pipe 584b; however, if valves 586b and 586c are closed, the cooling fluid will be emptied only through the fourth pipe 584d, and the heat extraction in the internal chamber 572 will be concentrated in a relatively large area therein, because the cooling fluid will circulate around the internal chamber 572 between the first pipe 584a and the fourth pipe 584d.

[0127] Refer again Figure 2A , 2C In operations, molten glass 116 flows into the glass conveying device 221 of the glass forming equipment 200 through the inlet conduit 203. The molten glass 116 flows through the passage 208 of the glass conveying device 221 and enters the trough 204. As the molten glass 116 passes through the slot 206, it is formed by the trough 204 and discharged from the trough 204 as a glass belt 123 along the flow direction 126. In this embodiment, the thermal extraction assembly 400 ( Figure 2A One of the shown can be connected to a corresponding channel 201 formed in the trough 204 of the glass conveying device 221. Cooling fluid from the cooling fluid source 420 can be guided to each heat extraction assembly 400. Figure 3A) inner tube 410 ( Figure 3C The cooling fluid flows into the inner cavity 413 of the ) and into the tank block 204. Figure 2C In the corresponding channel 201 of the heat extraction assembly 400. As the molten glass 116 flows through the slot 206, heat is transferred from the molten glass 116 to the material of the slot 204. Cooling fluid from the cooling fluid source 420, introduced into the channel 201, extracts heat from the material of the slot 204 surrounding the channel 201, and thus from the molten glass 116 of the glass strip 123 formed in the slot 206. The cooling fluid introduced into the channel 201 of the slot 204 (now heated by interaction with the material of the slot 204) is discharged through the discharge channel 411 located between the inner tube 410 and the outer tube 402 of the heat extraction assembly 400. The heated cooling fluid is discharged from the discharge channel 411 into the internal channel 432 of the housing 430 of the heat extraction assembly 400, and discharged from the internal channel 432 through the discharge manifold 434, thereby extracting heat from the slot 204 of the glass forming apparatus 200, and from the glass strip 123 formed by the slot 204 of the glass forming apparatus 200.

[0128] As described herein, the heat extracted from the material of the trough 204 and the resulting glass strip 123 can be controlled by the position of the outer tube 402 of the heat extraction assembly 400 relative to its corresponding channel 201. When the outer tube 402 is connected to the channel 201, the distal end 404 of the outer tube 402 can be fixed above the opening port 320 of the channel 201 to the bottom surface 202 of the trough 204, allowing the cooling fluid to directly contact and interact with substantially all surface areas within the channel 201, or the distal end 404 of the outer tube 402 can be at least partially inserted into and fixed therein into the channel 201, such that the outer tube 402 covers at least some surface areas within the channel 201, thereby preventing the cooling fluid from directly contacting and interacting with the covered surface areas of the channel 201. Furthermore, the heat extracted from the material of the trough 204 and the glass strip 123 can be controlled by adjusting the position of the inner tube 410 of the heat extraction assembly 400 within the corresponding channel of the trough 204. For example, as described herein, coarse and fine adjustments to the heat extraction assembly 400 can facilitate further insertion or removal of the inner tube 410 from the corresponding channel 201. Further insertion of the inner tube 410 into the corresponding channel 201 concentrates the injection of cooling fluid at the closed port 322 of the channel 201, maximizing heat extraction at the closed port 322 of the channel 201, which can help create a temperature gradient within the material surrounding the channel 201. Conversely, removing the inner tube 410 from the corresponding channel 201 allows the injection of cooling fluid to diffuse over a relatively large surface area of ​​the channel 201, resulting in more uniform contact of the cooling fluid with the surface area of ​​the channel 201, which can help create a more uniform temperature distribution within the material surrounding the channel 201. Furthermore, since the distance between the distal end 412 of the inner tube 410 and the closed port 322 of the channel 201 affects the back pressure within the heat extraction assembly 400, and the back pressure can alter the flow rate and dispersion of the cooling fluid, the coarse and fine adjustments of the heat extraction assembly 400 can also be used to position the inner tube 410 as needed to mitigate the effects of back pressure. Therefore, the heat extracted from the material of the trough block 204 (and the glass strip 123 formed together with the trough block 204) can be controlled, and instabilities in the glass strip 123 can be mitigated through localized heat extraction.

[0129] In one implementation, the distal end 404 of the outer tube 402 is positioned within the channel 201, and the position of the distal end 412 of the inner tube 410 is then adjusted relative to the closed port 322 of the channel 201, allowing molten glass 116 to pass through the glass forming apparatus 200 to form a glass ribbon 123. During this forming process, a cooling fluid temperature sensor 426 measures the temperature of the cooling fluid supplied to the inner tube 410, and an exhaust temperature sensor 460 measures the temperature of the cooling fluid in the exhaust manifold 434. A controller 470 calculates the heat extraction in the tank block 204 based on the temperature data received from the cooling fluid temperature sensor 426 and the exhaust temperature sensor 460. If the calculated heat extraction is not equal to the target heat extraction, forming can be stopped, and the position of the inner tube 410 relative to the channel 201 can be finely adjusted to change the heat extraction in the channel 201. Alternatively, if the controller 470 determines that the calculated heat extraction in channel 201 deviates from the target heat extraction, the controller 470 may cause the cooling fluid source 420 to adjust the flow rate of the cooling fluid, thereby increasing or decreasing the heat extraction from the corresponding channel 201 until the calculated heat extraction reaches the target heat extraction. In an embodiment, if the controller 470 determines that the glass ribbon 123 exhibits a sheet width change based on feedback from the glass ribbon sensor 472, the controller 470 will cause the cooling fluid source 420 to adjust the flow rate of the cooling fluid based on feedback from the cooling fluid temperature sensor 426 and the discharge temperature sensor 460, thereby controlling the heat extraction and stabilizing the glass ribbon 123.

[0130] Example

[0131] The implementation scheme described herein will be further illustrated through the following examples.

[0132] Example 1

[0133] See Figure 2A and 2B Tests were conducted on slot 204 to determine whether heat extraction could be improved by injecting cooling fluid into at least one channel 201 using the heat extraction assembly 400. The tests showed that embodiments of this disclosure improve thermal bonding at the interface of heat transfer originating from slot 204 and suppress oxidation of slot 204, reducing stability issues and sheet width variations in the glass strip 123, resulting in improved dimensional properties of the glass strip 123.

[0134] like Figure 2BAs shown, based on the optimal performance, thermal modeling, and selected offset positions of conventional water-cooled arms 150 and 152, the locations for forming multiple channels in slot 204 were initially identified as possible channel locations. Channels 201a and 201c (hereinafter referred to as "selected channels") were selected for testing. Channel 201a is offset by 25 mm from the corner radius axis 244 toward the thickness axis 214'. Similarly, channel 201c is offset by 25 mm from the corner radius axis 246 toward the thickness axis 214'. In the test, each selected channel is formed with an inner diameter of approximately 6 mm and a length L of approximately 8 mm. Each selected channel is oriented at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the vertical dimension in the XZ plane, such that the distance 312 between the closed port 322 of each selected channel and the bottom surface 202 is equal to approximately 5 mm. Each selected channel is formed in the bottom surface 202 of slot 204, located at the midpoint between the second side 232 of the peripheral sidewall 216 and the second inner wall 272 of the slot 206. Furthermore, the first heat extraction assembly 400 is connected to channel 201a, and the second heat extraction assembly 400 is connected to channel 201c. Additionally, during testing, the viscosity of the glass strip 123 during glass forming is approximately 100 kpoise, the mass flow rate of the molten glass 116 is approximately 10 kg / hr, and cooling fluid is introduced into the channels at various rates as described below.

[0135] Figure 6 This is a graph showing the relationship between the flow rate of the cooling fluid and the width of the glass strip 123. Tests were conducted with the cooling fluid flow rate increasing from 0 slpm. Figure 6 As shown, the width W of the glass strip 123 increases with the increase of the flow rate of the cooling fluid entering channels 201a and 201c. The test further demonstrates that, under similar forming conditions, the width W of the glass strip 123 increases beyond the width achievable using water-cooled arms 150 and 152, as shown in line 600.

[0136] Figure 7 This is a graph showing the standard deviation of the positions of the left and right edges of the glass ribbon when subjected to cooling fluids at different flow rates. Figure 7It can be seen that by increasing the flow rate of the cooling fluid in channels 201a and 201c of the tank block 204, the deflection of the glass ribbon 123 is significantly reduced. The “baseline” case was conducted without any edge cooling (i.e., without water-cooled arms 150 and 152, and without introducing cooling fluid into any channels 201 formed in the tank block 204), and then cases 1, 2, 3, and 4 were each conducted with cooling fluid introduced into the channels 201 at an increased flow rate. Specifically, the flow rate of the cooling fluid was increased from case 1 to case 4, with case 1 having the lowest flow rate and case 4 having the highest flow rate, and then case 2 was repeated after case 4. The increase in the flow rate of the cooling fluid in channels 201a and 201c significantly reduced the ribbon deflection and represents an improvement over the optimal standard deviation achieved using water-cooled arms 150 and 152, as shown by line 700.

[0137] Figure 8 This is a graph showing the relationship between the variation in sheet width of glass strip 123 and the rate at which cooling fluid is guided into channels 201a and 201c in tank block 204. Initially, no cooling fluid (air in this case) is supplied to channels 201a and 201c in tank block 204 (see...). Figure 8 (No airflow in the text). The glass ribbon is discharged from the slot 204 at a constant speed, and after 1 hour of operation, airflow is introduced into channels 201a and 201c (see... Figure 8 Airflow #1 (as shown in the image) is used to extract heat from tank 204. Then, after another hour of operation, the flow rate of air introduced into channels 201a and 201c is doubled (see [reference]). Figure 8 (Airflow #2) to increase heat extraction from tank block 204. For example... Figure 8 As shown, increasing the flow rate of the cooling fluid in channels 201a and 201c reduces the standard deviation of the width W of the glass strip 123 from 1.4% (“no airflow”) to 0.5% (“airflow #2”). Therefore, Figure 8 The study demonstrates how increasing the flow rate of the cooling fluid improves sheet width variation through increased thermal extraction.

[0138] Example 2

[0139] Because the total width W of the glass strip 123 is affected by the amount of heat extracted from the glass strip 123 through the slot 204 and the position of the channel 201 relative to the corner radius of the slot 206 (as shown by the corner radius axes 244, 246), the increase in glass viscosity at the edges 123a, 123b due to heat extraction reduces the decrease in the width W of the glass strip 123. However, if the channel 201 is too close to the corner radius, the width of the slot 206 is effectively reduced. In this embodiment, thermal modeling is used to determine the optimal position of the channel based on the width W of the glass strip 123. Figure 9 This is a graph showing the thermal modeling calculations of the channel position relative to the corner radius of slot 206. Specifically, Figure 9 Thermal modeling results for six different channel positions (i.e., curves 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6) are shown, where each successive curve is based on a channel position increased by 10 mm from the channel position of the previous curve. Figure 9 As shown, changing the position of channel 201 affects the width W of glass strip 123.

[0140] The hot extraction assembly for glass forming equipment described herein can be used to control or mitigate sheet width variations and strip deflection by providing localized hot extraction within a channel formed in the slot block near the slot opening, thereby improving the performance of the slotted strip. The hot extraction assembly injects cooling fluid into the channel, which improves the thermal connection between the hot extraction assembly and the slot block and enhances performance. Furthermore, the channel can be formed at a fixed position within the slot block, allowing the hot extraction assembly to always be located in a fixed position within the slot block, thus maintaining a constant hot extraction point over time. Moreover, after being fixed to the slot block, the hot extraction assembly can be precisely adjusted to the desired position within the channel, and this adjustment can be precisely repeated during subsequent operations. In addition, the use of cooling fluid within the channel prevents or mitigates the formation of oxidation within the channel, thereby maintaining heat transfer at the channel surface throughout the service life of the slot block. Furthermore, the hot extraction assembly can be controlled to stabilize the glass strip and / or maintain or regulate hot extraction in real time.

[0141] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the embodiments described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed subject matter. Therefore, this specification is intended to cover modifications and variations of the various embodiments described herein, provided that such modifications and variations fall within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A glass forming apparatus, comprising: A glass conveying device including a trough block, through which molten glass flows and forms a glass ribbon as it exits a slot in the trough block, the trough block including a vertical dimension corresponding to the flow direction of the molten glass, a width dimension orthogonal to the vertical dimension, a thickness dimension orthogonal to the vertical dimension and the width dimension, and a plurality of channels formed in the trough block at a position adjacent to the slot. as well as The thermal extraction component includes: An outer tube having a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end of the outer tube being connected to one of the plurality of channels; An inner tube extends within the outer cavity of the outer tube, the inner tube including a distal end and a proximal end and located within the outer cavity of the outer tube, such that the distal end of the inner tube is located adjacent to the distal end of the outer tube. A cooling fluid source, fluidly connected to the inner tube and configured to supply cooling fluid to the inner cavity of the inner tube; and An exhaust manifold, which is fluidly connected to the outer cavity of the outer tube and configured to discharge the cooling fluid from an exhaust passage defined between the inner surface of the outer tube and the outer surface of the inner tube.

2. The glass forming apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a housing defining an internal channel, wherein: The outer tube is connected to the housing, such that the outer cavity of the outer tube is in fluid communication with the internal channel of the housing; The exhaust manifold is fluidly connected to an internal channel of the housing, such that the exhaust chamber of the exhaust manifold is in fluid communication with the internal channel of the housing; and The inner tube extends at least partially through the internal passage of the housing.

3. The glass forming equipment as described in claim 2, wherein: The housing includes a connector slidably located within the housing and including an internal passage; and The inner tube extends through the internal passage of the connector and is connected to the connector, thereby adjusting the distance between the distal end of the inner tube and the distal end of the outer tube by translating the connector relative to the housing.

4. The glass forming apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a retaining screw threaded into the housing, the retaining screw being configured to lock the connector to the housing and to prevent the connector from sliding when the retaining screw is rotated in a first direction.

5. The glass forming apparatus of claim 3, wherein the inner tube is threadedly connected to the connector, whereby rotation of the inner tube in the connector adjusts the distance between the distal end of the inner tube and the distal end of the outer tube.

6. The glass forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of channels include an insulating insert disposed therein, the insulating insert including at least one opening through which material adjacent to the slot is exposed to enhance heat extraction from the material.

7. The glass forming apparatus of claim 6, wherein at least one opening of the insulating insert faces the bottom side of the slot block, and the glass strip exits the slot through the bottom side of the slot block.

8. The glass forming equipment as described in claim 1, further comprising: An exhaust temperature sensor, operatively connected to the exhaust manifold and configured to measure the output temperature of the cooling fluid in the exhaust manifold; as well as A cooling fluid temperature sensor, operatively coupled to the cooling fluid source, is configured to measure the input temperature of the cooling fluid supplied to the inner tube.

9. The glass forming apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a controller operatively coupled to the cooling fluid temperature sensor and the discharge temperature sensor, the controller being programmed to calculate heat extraction at the tank based on the output temperature of the cooling fluid in the discharge manifold and the input temperature of the cooling fluid supplied by the cooling fluid source.

10. The glass forming apparatus of claim 9, wherein, The controller is operable to adjust the flow rate of the cooling fluid supplied by the cooling fluid source based on the calculated heat extraction.

11. The glass forming apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a glass strip sensor configured to measure the width of the glass strip exiting the slot, the controller being operatively connected to the glass strip sensor and operable to adjust the flow rate of cooling fluid supplied by the cooling fluid source based on the width of the glass strip measured by the glass strip sensor.

12. The glass forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein an insulating sleeve is provided on at least a portion of the outer tube.

13. The glass forming apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a glass strip sensor configured to measure the width of the glass strip exiting the groove block.

14. The glass forming apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a controller operably connected to the cooling fluid source and the glass strip sensor, the controller being operable to adjust the flow rate of the cooling fluid supplied by the cooling fluid source based on the width of the glass strip measured by the glass strip sensor.

15. The glass forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of channels extends in a plane defined by the vertical dimension and the width dimension, and the length of at least one of the plurality of channels is parallel to the vertical dimension.

16. The glass forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of channels extends in a plane defined by the vertical dimension and the width dimension, and the length of at least one of the plurality of channels is not parallel to the vertical dimension.

17. The glass forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of channels extends in a plane defined by the width dimension and the thickness dimension, and the length of at least one of the plurality of channels is parallel to the thickness dimension.

18. The glass forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of channels extends in a plane defined by the width dimension and the thickness dimension, and the length of at least one of the plurality of channels is not parallel to the thickness dimension.

19. The glass forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cooling fluid comprises an inert gas.

20. The glass forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the distal end of the outer tube is fixed to the groove block.

21. A glass forming apparatus, comprising: A glass conveying device including a trough, through which molten glass flows and forms a glass ribbon as it exits an opening in the trough, the trough including a vertical dimension corresponding to the flow direction of the molten glass, a width dimension orthogonal to the vertical dimension, a thickness dimension orthogonal to the vertical dimension and the width dimension, an internal chamber located adjacent to an opening in the trough, at least one inlet port in fluid communication with the internal chamber, and at least one outlet port in fluid communication with the internal chamber; as well as The thermal extraction component includes: A cooling fluid inlet pipe is connected to the at least one inlet port, such that the inner cavity of the cooling fluid inlet pipe is in fluid communication with the internal chamber; A cooling fluid source, fluidly connected to the cooling fluid inlet pipe and configured to supply cooling fluid to the inner cavity of the cooling fluid inlet pipe and the inner chamber; and A cooling fluid output pipe is connected to the at least one outlet port, such that the inner cavity of the cooling fluid output pipe is in fluid communication with the internal chamber.

22. The glass forming apparatus of claim 21, wherein the at least one inlet port comprises a single inlet port.

23. The glass forming apparatus of claim 22, wherein the at least one outlet port comprises a single outlet port.

24. The glass forming apparatus of claim 22, wherein the at least one outlet port comprises a plurality of outlet ports, and the cooling fluid output pipe comprises a plurality of cooling fluid output pipes, each of the plurality of cooling fluid output pipes corresponding to one of the plurality of outlet ports.

25. The glass forming apparatus of claim 24, wherein at least one of the plurality of cooling fluid outlet pipes is closed.

26. The glass forming apparatus of claim 24, wherein each of the plurality of cooling fluid output pipes includes a valve configured to control the flow of cooling fluid from each of the plurality of cooling fluid output pipes.

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