Appliance for evaluating contents in glass melting tank, and method for evaluating contents in glass melting tank

Abstract

The invention provides a technology capable of more accurately evaluating a contained object of a glass melting tank. The present invention provides a device for evaluating the contents in a glass melting tank in which molten glass obtained by melting a glass raw material and a layer of the glass raw material covering the upper part of the molten glass are accommodated, the device being provided with: a rod-shaped main body inserted into the molten glass through the layer of the glass raw material; the peripheral surface of the rod-shaped main body is provided with a capturing part for capturing the molten glass.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an instrument for evaluating the contents of a glass melting tank and a method for evaluating the contents of a glass melting tank. Background Art

[0002] There is known a technique for evaluating the state of the contents accommodated in a glass melting tank in a glass melting apparatus. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a technique for periodically imaging a range of the blank surface of molten glass to which a glass raw material is supplied from above in a cold top type glass melting tank and evaluating the state of the cold top (batch blanket) based on the grayscale value of the image.

[0003] Prior Art Documents

[0004] Patent Documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2014 - 37338 Summary of the Invention

[0006] Patent Document 1 also describes evaluating the thickness of the cold top, but this evaluation is specifically limited to evaluating based on, for example, the thickness difference in the region and the change in thickness over time. The technique described in Patent Document 1 cannot measure the actual thickness (absolute value of the thickness) of the cold top, for example.

[0007] In addition, as another method for evaluating the contents of a glass melting tank, a method of inserting a rod-shaped instrument from above the contents and attaching and pulling out the molten glass in the glass melting tank has also been considered. Since the uppermost position of the molten glass attachment on the rod-shaped instrument corresponds to the lower end of the cold top (the boundary position between the cold top and the molten glass), if the position corresponding to the upper end of the cold top can be recorded together in the state where the instrument is inserted, the thickness of the cold top can be measured. However, when the rod-shaped instrument is pulled out upward, the instrument needs to pass through the cold top, which is a layer of glass raw material in powder or granular form. Therefore, in a case where the adhesion of the molten glass attachment to the instrument is weak, etc., when the instrument moves upward, the molten glass attachment is captured by the glass raw material of the cold top and sometimes detaches from the peripheral surface of the instrument or shifts downward from the original attachment position. In this case, the thickness of the cold top or the like cannot be measured or cannot be accurately measured. Therefore, there is a need for a technique that can more accurately evaluate the contents of a glass melting tank, for example, measure the thickness of the cold top.

[0008] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a technique that can more accurately evaluate the contents of a glass melting tank.

[0009] One aspect of the present disclosure relates to an instrument for evaluating the contents of a glass melting tank, in which the glass melting tank contains: molten glass obtained by melting glass raw materials, and a layer of glass raw materials covering the upper part of the molten glass. The instrument includes: a rod-shaped main body inserted into the molten glass through the layer of glass raw materials, and a capturing portion for capturing the molten glass is provided on the circumferential surface of the rod-shaped main body.

[0010] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to more accurately evaluate the contents of a glass melting tank. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Figure 1 It is a diagram for explaining the use of the instrument of one embodiment.

[0012] Figure 2 (a) of is Figure 1 A partially enlarged view of the instrument of, Figure 2 (b) of is Figure 2 An enlarged view of part I of (a) of.

[0013] Figure 3 (a) of is Figure 2 A view in the direction of II of (a) of. Figure 3 (b) of is Figure 2 A cross-sectional view taken along line III-III of (a) of. Figure 3 (c) of is Figure 2 A cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV of (a) of.

[0014] Figure 4 (a) of is a diagram showing an example of a state where molten glass adheres to the instrument, Figure 4 (b) of is Figure 4 A cross-sectional view taken along line IIIg-IIIg of (a) of.

[0015] Figure 5 (a) of is a partially enlarged view of the instrument of another embodiment, Figure 5 (b) of is Figure 5 An enlarged view of part I' of (a) of.

[0016] Figure 6 (a) of is Figure 5 A view in the direction of II' of (a) of. Figure 6 (b) of is Figure 5 A cross-sectional view taken along line III'-III' of (a) of. Figure 6 (c) of is Figure 5 A cross-sectional view taken along line IV'-IV' of (a) of.

[0017] Figure 7 (a) of is a partially enlarged view of the instrument of yet another embodiment, Figure 7The (b) of Figure 7 is an enlarged view of part I of (a) of

[0018] Figure 8 is Figure 7 an enlarged view of the part corresponding to (b) of the rod-shaped body of a modified example of the embodiment shown in Figure 7 of

[0019] Figure 9 represents Figure 1 a view of a modified example of the device shown in

[0020] Symbol Explanation

[0021] 2 Capture part

[0022] 10, 110, 210 Evaluation device

[0023] 11, 111, 211 Rod-shaped body

[0024] 15 Flange part

[0025] 20 Hole

[0026] 21, 121 Lower edge

[0027] 50 Glass melting tank

[0028] 51 Side wall opening of glass melting tank

[0029] 53 Outlet of glass melting tank

[0030] 120 Recess

[0031] 220 Threaded groove

[0032] 220’ Ring groove

[0033] G1 Layer of glass raw material (batch thin layer)

[0034] G2 Molten glass Detailed Description of the Invention

[0035] The following describes the detailed implementation manners of the present disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the same or corresponding components are labeled with the same reference numerals in each drawing, and the description may sometimes be omitted.

[0036] First, with reference to Figure 1 the basic structure and usage method of the device 10 of one embodiment will be described. The glass melting tank 50 is a tank used in the cold-top glass melting process. As Figure 1As shown, in the cold top method, the liquid surface LS of the molten glass G2 is covered by the layer G1 of glass raw materials introduced from above the glass melting tank 50. Then, the glass raw materials are slowly melted by the heat transferred from the molten glass G2. The melted molten glass G2 is taken out from the outlet 53 formed in the lower part of the wall of the glass melting tank 50. By using the cold top method, it is possible to suppress the escape of heat and / or volatile components from the molten glass G2 and effectively melt the glass raw materials. It should be noted that the above-mentioned layer G1 of glass raw materials is also called cold top or batching thin layer.

[0037] In the cold top method, the layer G1 of glass raw materials can cover preferably more than 80%, more preferably more than 90%, and further preferably more than 95% of the area of the liquid surface LS of the molten glass G2. In addition, the layer G1 of glass raw materials can substantially cover the whole of the liquid surface LS of the molten glass G2. In addition, the maximum temperature on the surface of the layer G1 of glass raw materials is preferably 500°C or lower, and more preferably 350°C or lower.

[0038] The glass raw materials can be prepared by mixing various materials and can contain fining agents. In order to recycle glass, the glass raw materials can contain cullet obtained from waste glass. The glass raw materials can be in powder form or in a granulated state obtained by granulating the powdered raw materials, that is, granular. The glass raw materials can be determined according to the desired composition of the glass and are not particularly limited. Specific examples of the glass include non-alkali glass, soda-lime silicate glass, aluminosilicate glass, borate glass, lithium aluminosilicate glass, borosilicate glass, etc.

[0039] In the glass melting tank 50, a heating mechanism (not shown) for heating the molten glass G2 is provided, and a glass melting device including the glass melting tank 50 and the heating mechanism can be constituted. The heating mechanism can be, for example, an electrode capable of electrically heating the molten glass G2. When an electrode is provided in the glass melting tank 50, it is preferably provided on the bottom wall of the glass melting tank 50. It should be noted that the glass melting device can be provided with a heating mechanism other than the electrode (such as a burner) instead of the above-mentioned electrode for electric heating or in combination with the electrode for electric heating. In addition, the glass melting device is preferably an all-electric melting furnace using only the electrode as the heating mechanism.

[0040] It should be noted that the temperature of the molten glass G2 in the glass melting tank 50 also varies depending on the type of glass raw materials and can be 1000°C to 1700°C. In addition, the viscosity of the molten glass G2 is 10^1.5 (10 1.5 ) dPa·s to 10^4 (10 4 ) dPa·s.

[0041] An instrument (hereinafter also referred to as the evaluation instrument) 10 of one embodiment is an instrument for evaluating the contents of the glass melting tank 50. The contents of the glass melting tank 50 include: molten glass G2 obtained by melting glass raw materials, and a layer G1 of glass raw materials covering the upper part of the molten glass G2. By using the evaluation instrument 10 of the present embodiment, at least one of the molten glass G2 and the layer G1 of glass raw materials can be evaluated. By using the evaluation instrument 10, the state of the layer G1 of glass raw materials can be evaluated. For example, the thickness of the layer G1 of glass raw materials can be measured. The measurement of the thickness of the layer G1 of glass raw materials is particularly important for the temperature control of the molten glass G2. In addition, by using the evaluation instrument 10, the state of the molten glass G2 can also be evaluated by sampling the molten glass G2. Thus, for example, the temperature distribution in the depth direction of the molten glass G2 near the interface between the molten glass G2 and the layer G1 of glass raw materials can also be estimated.

[0042] As Figure 1 shown, the evaluation instrument 10 may have a rod-shaped main body 11 as a rod-shaped part, and a flange part 15 provided in the middle of the rod-shaped main body 11. The rod-shaped main body 11 may be a long cylindrical shape (hollow) or a long columnar shape (solid) as described later. The flange part 15 functions as a position marker of the rod-shaped main body 11 and is useful when measuring, for example, the thickness of the layer G1 of glass raw materials. It should be noted that in this specification, the direction along the axis of the rod-shaped main body 11 is sometimes referred to as the axial direction, and the direction orthogonal to the axial direction (any direction along the plane orthogonal to the axial direction) is sometimes referred to as the lateral direction. Further, the direction from the central axis of the rod-shaped main body 11 ( Figure 2 subsequently illustrated by the symbol CA in the following figures) toward the outside of the rod-shaped main body 11 or the opposite direction in the lateral direction is sometimes referred to as the radial direction. It should be noted that the flange part 15 is fixed so as to be relatively movable with respect to the rod-shaped main body 11 and can move relatively along the axial direction of the rod-shaped main body 11.

[0043] When using the evaluation instrument 10, the distal side 11a of the rod-shaped main body 11 is inserted into the contents, and after maintaining the inserted state for a certain period of time, it is pulled out from the contents. Figure 1 The operation of inserting the rod-shaped main body 11 into the contents (insertion operation) or pulling it out from the contents (pulling out operation) is shown. The user of the evaluation instrument 10 can perform the insertion operation and the pulling out operation of the rod-shaped main body 11 by holding the proximal side 11b of the rod-shaped main body 11. In Figure 1In the state shown, the rod-shaped main body 11 can be inserted into the interior of the melting tank 50 through an upper opening 61 formed in a cover plate (deck) 60 provided above the melting tank 50. Then, the distal side 11a of the rod-shaped main body 11 is inserted into the containment, and more specifically, through the layer G1 of the glass raw material into the molten glass G2, and this state is maintained for a certain period of time, so that the molten glass G2 adheres to the rod-shaped main body 11. Therefore, for example, the uppermost position of the attachment of the molten glass G2 can correspond to the position of the boundary between the layer G1 of the glass raw material and the molten glass G2 (the position of the liquid surface LS). Further, if the position corresponding to the upper end of the layer G1 of the glass raw material when the rod-shaped main body 11 is inserted into the containment is recorded together as a reference position, then by measuring the distance between this reference position and the position corresponding to the above-mentioned boundary, the thickness of the layer G1 of the glass raw material can be obtained.

[0044] In Figure 1 In the case of the evaluation device 10 having the flange portion 15 shown, the insertion operation of the rod-shaped main body 11 can be stopped at the moment when the lower surface of the flange portion 15 contacts the upper end of the layer G1 of the glass raw material. Thus, the position of the lower surface of the flange portion 15 becomes the reference position corresponding to the upper end of the layer G1 of the glass raw material, so it is easy to measure the thickness of the layer G1 of the glass raw material. It should be noted that instead of the flange portion 15, a mark recognizable by the user can be marked at the reference position of the rod-shaped main body 11. However, if a plate-shaped member that extends in a direction orthogonal to the rod-shaped main body 11 like the flange portion 15 is provided, the reference position is easily recognizable, so it is preferred.

[0045] Here, when the adhesion of the attachment of the molten glass G2 to the rod-shaped main body is small, during the pulling-out operation of the evaluation device, when the rod-shaped main body passes through the layer G1 of the glass raw material, the attachment of the molten glass G2 is subjected to resistance from the glass raw material and sometimes detaches from the circumferential surface of the rod-shaped main body or moves downward from the original attachment position. In this case, the evaluation of the containment cannot be performed, or the evaluation of the containment cannot be accurately performed. In contrast, according to the present embodiment, a capture portion for capturing the molten glass G2 is provided on the circumferential surface of the rod-shaped main body 11. Refer to Figures 2 to 4 A further description will be given of the capture portion.

[0046] As Figure 2 As shown in (a) of, a plurality of capture portions 2 are provided on the rod-shaped main body 11 along the axial direction. The capture portion 2 is concave, specifically concave in the lateral direction, and has a size and shape that can allow the molten glass G2 to enter laterally and capture the molten glass G2.

[0047] By providing the concave-shaped capturing portion 2, when the rod-shaped main body 11 is immersed in the molten glass G2, the molten glass G2 can enter the rod-shaped main body 11 in the lateral direction. Thus, when the rod-shaped main body 11 is pulled upward by the pulling action of the evaluation tool 10, the molten glass G2 that has entered and adhered laterally is less likely to be resisted by the glass raw material. Therefore, even after the evaluation tool 10 is pulled out, the molten glass G2 that has entered the capturing portion 2 is less likely to shift downward from the adhered position, so that the uppermost position of the molten glass G2 in the melting tank 50 can be accurately identified. In addition, in the adhered molten glass G2 (glass adherent), the portion that has entered the above-mentioned capturing portion 2 functions as an anchor, so that the molten glass G2 adhered to the surface of the rod-shaped main body 11 is also less likely to detach from the rod-shaped main body 11.

[0048] In Figure 2 and Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiment, the rod-shaped main body 11 is a hollow body (cylindrical body), and thus the capturing portion 2 is formed as a hole 20 that penetrates the wall portion of the hollow body. Referring to Figure 4 For Figure 2 and Figure 3 The function of the hole 20 shown is further described. Figure 4 Examples of the state after inserting and pulling out the evaluation tool 10 into the accommodation of the glass melting tank 50 are shown. Figure 4 (a) of Figure 2 corresponds to Figure 4 (a) of Figure 3 (b) of Figure 4 is a diagram corresponding to Figure 4 (b) of Figure 4 As shown in Figure 4 The molten glass G2 enters the hole 20 in the lateral direction. In addition, although it varies depending on the inner diameter of the rod-shaped main body 11, the viscosity of the molten glass G2, etc., as shown in

[0049] As shown in Figure 4As shown, since the molten glass G2 enters the hole 20, in the pulling-out operation of the evaluation tool 10, when the rod-shaped main body 11 passes through the layer G1 of the glass raw material, even if it is subjected to resistance from the glass raw material, the molten glass G2 will be hung on the rod-shaped main body 11. Therefore, the axial relative movement between the rod-shaped main body 11 and the glass attachment is suppressed. Therefore, even when passing through the layer G1 of the glass raw material, it is possible to overcome the resistance of the glass raw material and prevent the molten glass G2 from detaching or moving from the attached position. In addition, the present embodiment having the hole 20 can hold a relatively large amount of molten glass G2 at the lower end of the hole 20, and is therefore preferable for evaluating the contained material, such as when sampling and analyzing the molten glass G2.

[0050] In Figure 4 In the example shown in (a) of, the molten glass G2 adheres to the inner wall of the second hole 20 from the top. Therefore, it is possible to determine the upper end position H max of the molten glass G2 in the melting tank 50, that is, the boundary position between the layer G1 of the glass raw material and the molten glass G2. Moreover, in the insertion operation of the evaluation tool 10, when the rod-shaped main body 11 is inserted until the lower surface of the flange portion 15 reaches the upper end of the layer G1 of the glass raw material, it is possible to determine that the thickness of the layer G1 of the glass raw material is from the lower surface of the flange portion 15 to the upper end position H max of the distance T.

[0051] It should be noted that even in the case of an existing tool without the capture portion 2, for example, a tool having no unevenness on the circumferential surface of the rod-shaped main body, if the molten glass G2 can be firmly sintered to the rod-shaped main body in the state where the rod-shaped main body is inserted, the glass attachment is not easily detached from the rod-shaped main body during the pulling-out operation. In order to promote the sintering of the molten glass G2 to the circumferential surface of the rod-shaped main body, for example, it is considered to maintain the state where the rod-shaped main body is inserted into the contained material for a longer time, but for this purpose, it is necessary to improve the heat resistance of the material of the rod-shaped main body. For example, a material having a melting point that raises or significantly raises the temperature of the molten glass G2 is used as the rod-shaped main body. Such a material with a high melting point is, for example, a precious metal such as platinum or molybdenum, so the manufacturing cost of the tool 10 will increase. In contrast, according to the present embodiment in which the concave capture portion 2 capable of capturing the molten glass G2 is provided laterally on the rod-shaped main body 11, the molten glass G2 enters and is hung on the capture portion 2, so the molten glass G2 is not easily detached from the circumferential surface of the rod-shaped main body 11. Therefore, it is not necessary to spend a long time for the sintering of the molten glass G2, and even a tool made of a material with a relatively low melting point such as stainless steel can prevent the melting of the tool. For example, the time from the insertion operation of the rod-shaped main body 11 to the pulling-out operation can be 5 seconds to 5 minutes. In this way, the selection range of the material of the rod-shaped main body 11 is expanded. The melting point of the material constituting the rod-shaped main body 11 can be 1050 °C to 1800 °C.

[0052] In Figure 2 and Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiments, the hole 20 has a shape that is relatively long in the axial direction. However, as long as it can capture the molten glass G2, the shape is not limited to the illustrated shape, and the axial length and the lateral length (width) can be of the same degree. Further, in Figure 2 and Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiments, when viewed from the side where the hole 20 is provided, the shape of the hole 20 is rectangular, but it can also be circular, a rhombus or other quadrilateral, a polygon other than a quadrilateral, or a shape other than these.

[0053] The axial length h1 of the hole 20 is preferably 10 mm to 150 mm, and more preferably 30 mm to 120 mm. By making the length h1 10 mm or more, when the rod-shaped main body 11 is immersed in the molten glass G2, even the molten glass G2 with a relatively high viscosity can enter the hole 20. Further, by making the length h1 150 mm or less, the robustness of the rod-shaped main body 11 can be ensured. It should be noted that the length h1 is the length of the edge portion of the hole 20 (the length from the lower edge 21 to the upper edge).

[0054] The lateral length (width) w1 of the hole 20 is less than the outer diameter Do of the rod-shaped main body 11, and is preferably 5 mm to 30 mm, and more preferably 8 mm to 15 mm. By making the width w1 5 mm or more, even the molten glass G2 with a relatively high viscosity can enter the hole 20. Further, by making the width w1 20 mm or less, the robustness of the rod-shaped main body 11 can be ensured. It should be noted that the width w1 is the width of the edge portion of the hole 20.

[0055] The axial interval s1 between the plurality of holes 20 is preferably 5 mm to 30 mm, and more preferably 10 mm to 20 mm. By making the interval s1 5 mm or more, the robustness of the rod-shaped main body can be ensured. Further, by making the interval s1 30 mm or less, the number of holes 20 can be increased, and the positions where the molten glass G2 can be captured can be increased, so that the molten glass G2 can be sampled at a finer pitch along the axial direction.

[0056] The axial pitch p1 of the plurality of holes 20 is preferably 15 mm to 180 mm, and more preferably 40 mm to 140 mm. By making the pitch p1 15 mm or more, the robustness of the rod-shaped main body can be ensured. Further, by making the interval s1 180 mm or less, the number of holes 20 can be increased, and the positions where the molten glass G2 can be captured can be increased, so that the molten glass G2 can be sampled at a finer pitch along the axial direction.

[0057] The number of holes 20 provided in the rod-shaped main body 11 can be 2 to 10. Further, as Figure 2As shown in (a) of [reference], the positions of the plurality of holes 20 may be the same when observed circumferentially, but the circumferential positions of the plurality of holes 20 adjacent axially to each other may also be offset. For example, as in Figure 3 (a) of [reference], when observed from the side, one hole 20 may be formed on the left side, and another hole 20 adjacent axially may be formed on the right side.

[0058] The outer diameter Do of the rod-shaped main body 11 may be 10 mm to 50 mm. Thereby, the robustness can be ensured, and the handling ease is also improved.

[0059] It should be noted that the rod-shaped main body 11 of the evaluation instrument 10 described with reference to Figures 2 to 4 has a structure in which holes 20 are formed in a long cylindrical substrate, but the cross-sectional shape of the above substrate is not limited to a circle, and may also be a polygon such as an ellipse or a quadrilateral.

[0060] Furthermore, with reference to Figure 5 and Figure 6 another embodiment of the evaluation instrument 110 will be described. The evaluation instrument 110 has a rod-shaped main body 111 and a flange portion 15 in the same manner as the evaluation instrument 10 described with reference to Figures 2 to 4 . A plurality of capture portions 2 are provided axially along the rod-shaped main body 111. However, as Figure 6 shown, the rod-shaped main body 111 is a solid body, and the capture portion 2 is a concave portion 120 that is recessed laterally, specifically radially, from the circumferential surface of the solid rod-shaped main body 111. Since the rod-shaped main body 111 is solid, the overall robustness of the instrument 110 is high.

[0061] In the present embodiment, the inside of the rod-shaped main body 11 will not be filled with molten glass G2 as in the evaluation instrument 10 shown in (b) of Figure 4 . However, as Figure 1 shown, when the rod-shaped main body 111 of the present embodiment is immersed in the molten glass G2, the molten glass G2 can also enter the concave portion 120 laterally. Moreover, the molten glass G2 attached to the inner surface of the concave portion 120 is not easily resisted by the glass raw material during the pulling-out operation of the evaluation instrument 10, and the same effect as the holes 20 of the evaluation instrument 10 shown in Figures 2 to 4 can be obtained. That is, during the pulling-out operation, through the portion of the glass attachment that enters the concave portion 120, the glass attachment will be hooked on the rod-shaped main body 111. Therefore, when passing through the layer G1 of the glass raw material, the resistance of the glass raw material can also be overcome, and the glass attachment can be prevented from moving or detaching from the original attachment position.

[0062] The shape and size of the edge portion of one concave portion 120, and the arrangement of the plurality of concave portions 120 may be the same as those with reference to Figures 2 to 4The same applies to the described hole 20. For example, the axial length h1' of the recess 120, the width w1' of the recess 120, the axial interval s1' between the plurality of recesses 120, and the axial pitch p1' of the plurality of recesses 120 can be the same as the axial length h1 of the hole 20, the width w1 of the hole 20, the axial interval s1 between the plurality of holes 20, and the axial pitch p1 of the plurality of holes 20, respectively, and the same effect can be obtained.

[0063] Furthermore, with reference to Figure 7 An evaluation tool 210 for another embodiment will be described. The evaluation tool 210 also includes a rod-shaped main body 211 and a flange portion 15, and a capture portion 2 is formed on the rod-shaped main body 211. Among them, Figure 7 The capture portion 2 in the shown evaluation tool 210 is a groove 220 formed on the circumferential surface, and more specifically, a spiral groove (thread groove) continuously formed on the circumferential surface of the rod-shaped main body 211.

[0064] The thread groove 220 can be formed on a solid or hollow rod-shaped substrate by, for example, a conventional thread forming method, so it has the advantage that the evaluation tool 210 is relatively easy to manufacture.

[0065] When the rod-shaped main body 211 is immersed in the molten glass G2 ( Figure 1 ), the molten glass G2 can also enter the thread groove 220 laterally, so the same effect as the above-mentioned evaluation tool 10 ( Figures 2 to 4 ), evaluation tool 110 ( Figure 5 and Figure 6 ) can be obtained. That is, in the pulling-out operation, through the part of the molten glass G2 that enters the thread groove 220, the glass adherend can be hung on the rod-shaped main body 211. Even when the rod-shaped main body 211 passes through the layer G1 of the glass raw material, the attached molten glass G2 will not be captured by the glass raw material, and the detachment of the molten glass G2 or its movement from the original attachment position can be prevented.

[0066] If compared with the hole 20 described with reference to Figures 2 to 4 , and the reference to Figure 5 and Figure 6When compared with the concave portion 120 described, since the distance that the molten glass G2 enters the thread groove 220 horizontally is small, the amount of the molten glass G2 attached to the rod-shaped body 211 is less. However, since the thread groove 220 is provided over the entire circumference, the molten glass G2 can be attached over the entire circumference. Therefore, after the pulling-out operation of the rod-shaped body 211, the attachment of the molten glass G2 can be confirmed regardless of where it is observed from the circumferential surface. In addition, if the thread groove 220 is observed along the axial direction, a plurality of grooves along the circumferential direction are arranged axially, so that the molten glass G2 can be continuously attached to the surface of the rod-shaped body 211 over the entire axial direction. By observing or analyzing such continuous attachments, the continuous change in the state of the molten glass G2 in the depth direction along the melting groove 50 can be predicted. For example, the temperature distribution in the depth direction of the molten glass G2 can be inferred.

[0067] The groove width d2 of the outer edge of the thread groove 220 in the radial direction is preferably 1 mm to 10 mm. By making the groove width d2 of the thread groove 220 1 mm or more, the molten glass G2 with a higher viscosity can also easily enter horizontally, and the effect of capturing the molten glass G2 is improved. In addition, by making the groove width d2 10 mm or less, the molten glass G2 can be easily held in the thread groove 220.

[0068] The depth of the thread groove 220, that is, the radial depth t2 of the thread groove 220 is preferably 1 mm to 10 mm. By making the depth t2 1 mm or more, even the molten glass G2 with a higher viscosity can easily enter horizontally, and the effect of capturing the molten glass G2 is improved. In addition, by making the depth t2 10 mm or less, the thread groove 220 can be easily formed, and the manufacturing of the evaluation tool 210 can be prevented from being complicated.

[0069] The pitch p2 of the thread groove 220 can be 1 mm to 10 mm. By making the pitch p2 1 mm or more, even the molten glass G2 with a higher viscosity can easily enter horizontally. In addition, by making the pitch p2 10 mm or less, the distance between the grooves in the axial direction can be shortened, so that the friction between the rod-shaped body 11 and the molten glass G2 becomes larger, and even if the rod-shaped body 211 passes through the layer G1 of the glass raw material during the pulling-out operation of the rod-shaped body 211, the molten glass G2 is further less likely to detach.

[0070] It should be noted that the outer diameter Do2 of the rod-shaped body 211 in the present embodiment is preferably 8 mm to 30 mm.

[0071] Figure 8 Shown Figure 7 A modified example of the rod-shaped body 211 of the evaluation tool 210 shown. In Figure 8 The circumferential surface of the rod-shaped body 211 in the example shown also forms a groove-shaped capturing portion 2 along the circumferential direction. However, in Figure 8In the example shown, the capturing portion 2 is not the threaded groove 220 as shown in Figure 7 , but a circumferential annular groove 220'. As shown in Figure 8 , a plurality of annular grooves 220' formed in parallel in the lateral direction are provided along the axial direction. The annular groove 220' can also be easily formed by using a conventional groove forming method.

[0072] Figure 9 Shows Figure 1 A modified example of the evaluation device 10 shown. In Figure 9 In the example shown, the rod-shaped main body 11 is bent in the middle to form an L-shape. Therefore, Figure 9 The evaluation device 10 shown is inserted into the inside of the melting tank 50 through a side wall opening 51 formed in the side wall of the melting tank 50 and used. Then, the distal side 11a of the rod-shaped main body 11 is inserted into the containment, and more specifically, through the layer G1 of the glass raw material into the molten glass G2.

[0073] It should be noted that an embodiment of the present disclosure is a method for evaluating the containment of a glass melting tank using the above-mentioned device, including inserting a rod-shaped main body through a layer of glass raw material into molten glass, pulling out the rod-shaped main body after attaching molten glass to the rod-shaped main body, and obtaining the thickness of the layer of glass raw material based on the position of the molten glass attached to the rod-shaped main body. Furthermore, the above evaluation method may include sampling the molten glass to evaluate the molten glass.

[0074] The present disclosure has been described based on the embodiments, but the present disclosure is not limited to these embodiments. In addition, the above embodiments can be variously changed, modified, replaced, added, deleted, and combined within the scope described in the claims of the patent, and they also belong to the technical scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. An apparatus for evaluating a content of a glass melting tank, The glass melting tank contains molten glass obtained by melting glass raw materials and a layer of the glass raw materials covering the upper part of the molten glass. The tool comprises: a rod-shaped body which penetrates through the layer of the glass raw material and is inserted into the molten glass; A capturing portion for capturing the molten glass is provided on the peripheral surface of the rod-shaped body.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The capturing portion is formed in plurality along the axial direction of the rod-shaped body.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: The axial length of the capture portion is 10 mm to 150 mm.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: The capture portion has a length in a lateral direction perpendicular to the axial direction of 5 mm to 30 mm.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The rod-shaped body is a hollow body. The capture portion is a hole that passes through the wall of the hollow body.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The rod-shaped body is solid, The capture portion is a recessed portion recessed in the radial direction.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The rod-shaped body is solid, The capture portion is a groove continuous along the circumferential direction.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein: The groove is a spiral groove.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein: The width of the groove is 1 mm to 10 mm.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The viscosity of the molten glass is 10^1.5 dPa·s to 10^4 dPa·s.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The rod-shaped body is formed of a material having a melting point of 1050° C. to 1800° C.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: A positioning mark is provided on the rod-shaped body closer to the plurality of capturing parts. This device is used to measure the thickness of the layer of the glass frit.

13. An evaluation method for evaluating a content in a glass melting tank using the apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 11, The rod-shaped body is inserted into the molten glass through the layer of the glass raw material, and after the molten glass is attached to the rod-shaped body, the rod-shaped body is pulled out. The thickness of the layer of the glass raw material is determined based on the position of the molten glass adhering to the rod-shaped body.

14. The evaluation method according to claim 13, wherein: Further comprising sampling the molten glass to evaluate the molten glass.

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