Smelting furnace for fused quartz

Abstract

A smelting furnace for fused quartz comprises a smelting furnace body and a negative pressure defoaming assembly. The negative pressure defoaming assembly is arranged on the smelting furnace body; a graphite rod is arranged in the smelting furnace body and is electrically connected with an external power supply; the smelting furnace body comprises a spiral heat exchange pipe, the spiral heat exchange pipe is arranged on the smelting furnace body, one end of the spiral heat exchange pipe communicates with the interior of the smelting furnace body, the other end of the spiral heat exchange pipe is arranged outside the smelting furnace body, and a one-way valve is arranged at the end, located outside the smelting furnace body, of the spiral heat exchange pipe and communicates with the outside in a one-way mode. The spiral heat exchange pipe and the one-way valve are arranged on the smelting furnace body, in the cooling process of fused quartz, the spiral heat exchange pipe is rapidly cooled to form a closed negative pressure environment, bubbles in the fused quartz are effectively promoted to migrate upwards and be discharged, and the density and transparency of a quartz material are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the technical field of fused quartz, and in particular relates to a melting furnace for fused quartz. Background Art

[0002] Fused quartz is an amorphous transparent material made from high-purity silicon dioxide, which is formed by melting and cooling at high temperature. It has extremely high thermal stability and chemical inertness and is widely used in semiconductor manufacturing, fiber optic communications, optical instruments and other fields. These applications require high material purity, and the equipment level of fused quartz has a significant impact on product performance.

[0003] Most existing fused quartz melting furnaces use electric heating to melt the silica raw material at high temperatures to form a melt. However, during the melting process, the raw material often contains trace impurities, moisture, organic residues and other impurities, which are prone to thermal decomposition or chemical reactions at high temperatures, thereby releasing gases. These gases easily form bubbles in the viscous fused quartz, which are difficult to escape. Once encapsulated in the melt and cooled and solidified, the bubbles become defects in the finished product, affecting the material's light transmittance. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the above situation, in order to overcome the defects of the prior art, the present invention provides a melting furnace for fused quartz to at least partially solve the above technical problems.

[0005] The technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows: The present invention proposes a melting furnace for molten quartz, including a melting furnace body and a negative pressure defoaming component, wherein the negative pressure defoaming component is arranged on the melting furnace body; a graphite rod is provided inside the melting furnace body, and the graphite rod is electrically connected to an external power supply; the melting furnace body includes a spiral heat exchange tube, wherein the spiral heat exchange tube is provided on the melting furnace body, one end of the spiral heat exchange tube is connected to the interior of the melting furnace body, and the other end of the spiral heat exchange tube is provided outside the melting furnace body, and a one-way valve is provided at the end of the spiral heat exchange tube located outside the melting furnace body, and the one-way valve is unidirectionally conductive to the outside.

[0006] Furthermore, a sealed furnace cover is provided on the top of the smelting furnace body, and the sealed furnace cover and the smelting furnace body are detachably connected. A graphite electrode is provided on the top of the graphite rod, and the graphite electrode is located outside the sealed furnace cover.

[0007] Furthermore, the spiral heat exchange tube passes through the sealed furnace cover, and a disassembly joint is provided on the spiral heat exchange tube. The disassembly joint divides the spiral heat exchange tube into multiple detachable parts, and the disassembly joint is located outside the smelting furnace body.

[0008] Furthermore, the sealed furnace cover is provided with lifting ears, which are symmetrically arranged on the sealed furnace cover; the spiral heat exchange tube is provided with a tube clamp, and the spiral heat exchange tube is fixedly connected to the sealed furnace cover through the tube clamp.

[0009] Furthermore, it also includes an ultrasonic component, the ultrasonic component ring array is set on the side wall of the melting furnace body, the ultrasonic component includes an ultrasonic generator, and the ultrasonic generator is set inside the melting furnace body.

[0010] Furthermore, the ultrasonic component includes a protective cover, which is arranged inside the smelting furnace body, and the ultrasonic generator is arranged in the protective cover. The protective cover is configured to isolate and protect the ultrasonic generator, and the ultrasonic generator is provided with an ultrasonic electrical interface, which is connected to the outside of the side wall of the smelting furnace body.

[0011] Furthermore, a temperature sensor is provided on the sealed furnace cover, and the temperature sensor is configured to monitor the internal temperature of the smelting furnace body.

[0012] Furthermore, a protective retaining ring is provided on the top of the smelting furnace body, and the vertical projection of the protective retaining ring coincides with the position of the spiral heat exchange tube.

[0013] Furthermore, an air filter is provided on one end of the spiral heat exchange tube located inside the smelting furnace body.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages:

[0015] The present invention utilizes a spiral heat exchange tube structure to achieve a defoaming function. By arranging a spiral heat exchange tube and a one-way valve on the smelting furnace body, the spiral heat exchange tube quickly cools down during the cooling process of the molten quartz to form a closed negative pressure environment, effectively promoting the upward migration and discharge of bubbles in the molten quartz, thereby improving the density and transparency of the quartz material. At the same time, the present invention has a simple structure and utilizes the natural heating and cooling process of the furnace body to automatically complete the air pressure change to achieve the purpose of negative pressure defoaming, without the need for manual intervention, thereby reducing the equipment manufacturing and maintenance costs. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 A front view of a fused quartz melting furnace according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 2 A perspective view of a fused quartz melting furnace according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 3 This is a left side view of a fused silica melting furnace according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 4 A top view of a fused silica melting furnace according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 5 A vertical cross-sectional view of a fused silica melting furnace according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 6 A horizontal cross-sectional view of a fused silica melting furnace according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Among them, 100, smelting furnace body, 200, negative pressure defoaming component, 300, ultrasonic component, 101, graphite rod, 102, sealing furnace cover, 103, temperature sensor, 104, protective retaining ring, 105, graphite electrode, 106, lifting ear, 107, pipe clamp, 201, spiral heat exchange tube, 202, one-way valve, 203, disassembly and assembly joint, 301, ultrasonic generator, 302, ultrasonic electrical interface, 303, protective cover.

[0023] The accompanying drawings are used to provide further understanding of the present invention and constitute a part of the specification. They are used to explain the present invention together with the embodiments of the present invention and do not constitute a limitation of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments; based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0025] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that terms such as "upper", "lower", "front", "back", "left", "right", "top", "bottom", "inside" and "outside" indicating directions or positional relationships are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific direction, be constructed and operated in a specific direction. Therefore, they should not be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0026] like Figures 1-6 As shown, a melting furnace for fused quartz proposed in this embodiment includes a melting furnace body 100 and a negative pressure defoaming assembly 200. The negative pressure defoaming assembly 200 is arranged on the melting furnace body 100 and is used to form a negative pressure environment inside the furnace body during the quartz melting and cooling process, thereby promoting the discharge of bubbles and improving the quality and density of the fused quartz.

[0027] Specifically, a heating component is provided inside the melting furnace body 100, and the heating component is a graphite rod 101. The graphite rod 101 is electrically connected to an external power supply and is used to heat the internal space of the melting furnace body 100 at high temperature. After being powered on, the graphite rod 101 can heat up rapidly, so that the quartz raw material placed inside the furnace body 100 is heated to a molten state, completing the melting process.

[0028] In order to cooperate with the melting process and realize the effective removal of subsequent bubbles, a negative pressure defoaming component 200 is provided on the smelting furnace body 100. The negative pressure defoaming component 200 includes a spiral heat exchange tube 201 and a one-way valve 202. The spiral heat exchange tube 201 is a hollow pipe, which is arranged in a spiral shape. One end thereof is connected to the internal space of the smelting furnace body 100, and the other end extends to the outside of the furnace body. The one-way valve 202 is arranged at one end of the spiral heat exchange tube 201 located outside the smelting furnace body and is connected to the external environment. The one-way valve 202 has the function of only allowing gas to be discharged outward and preventing external gas from flowing back.

[0029] During normal use of the equipment, the graphite rod 101 is powered on for heating. As the temperature inside the smelting furnace body 100 rises, the temperature inside the spiral heat exchange tube 201 also rises. Due to the characteristics of gas expansion and contraction, the gas pressure in the spiral heat exchange tube 201 rises, and the expanded gas is discharged outward through the one-way valve 202, completing the exhaust process in the temperature rise stage.

[0030] After the quartz is melted, the heating is turned off and the system enters the cooling stage. Since the spiral heat exchange tube 201 has a thin wall and the main body of the spiral heat exchange tube 201 is placed outside the smelting furnace body 100, its temperature drops faster than the smelting furnace body 100, causing the internal air pressure to drop rapidly. At this time, the one-way valve 202 still maintains a one-way conduction state, thereby preventing external air from flowing back into the spiral heat exchange tube 201.

[0031] Under this operating condition, the spiral heat exchange tubes 201 generate negative pressure in the closed space formed by the internal connection of the furnace body 100. The negative pressure environment can effectively promote the bubbles remaining in the molten quartz to migrate upward and discharge from the liquid surface, thereby achieving the effect of defoaming and improving the quality of the molten quartz.

[0032] The fused quartz melting furnace proposed in this embodiment has further optimized structural design. A sealed furnace cover 102 is provided on the top of the melting furnace body 100. The sealed furnace cover 102 is connected to the melting furnace body 100 by bolts to achieve detachable installation, which facilitates equipment maintenance and repair, as well as the removal and placement of quartz raw materials in the furnace. The sealed furnace cover 102 is made of high-temperature heat-resistant material and can withstand the high temperature and high pressure environment during the melting process. It ensures the airtightness of the space in the furnace, prevents gas leakage, and further improves melting efficiency and product quality.

[0033] In the structural design of the sealed furnace cover 102, the top of the graphite rod 101 extends through the sealed furnace cover 102 and is connected to the graphite electrode 105 provided on the outside thereof. The graphite electrode 105 is located on the outside of the sealed furnace cover 102 and is electrically connected to the external power supply system as a power input terminal to realize the electric heating function of the graphite rod 101; the graphite electrode 105 and the graphite rod 101 are firmly connected by crimping or other means to ensure the stability and reliability of current conduction, while avoiding problems such as poor contact or arc discharge in a high temperature environment.

[0034] This structure not only enables the graphite rod 101 to stably and efficiently convert electrical energy into thermal energy to heat the interior of the furnace body, but also achieves temperature control and heat energy retention in the furnace through the sealed furnace cover 102. It further cooperates with the negative pressure defoaming component to effectively remove bubbles inside the fused quartz, thereby improving the overall performance of the melting furnace and product quality.

[0035] The fused quartz melting furnace proposed in this embodiment has been optimized and improved in terms of ease of maintenance and replacement. The spiral heat exchange tube 201 is installed through the sealed furnace cover 102. The installation method of the heat exchange tube allows it to penetrate into the interior of the furnace body and extend to the outside of the furnace body, thereby realizing heat exchange and drainage inside and outside the furnace. This structure not only enhances the heat exchange efficiency, but also ensures the reaction sensitivity during the negative pressure formation process.

[0036] In order to improve assembly efficiency and maintenance convenience, the spiral heat exchange tube 201 is provided with a disassembly joint 203. The disassembly joint 203 divides the entire spiral heat exchange tube 201 into multiple detachable and assembled parts. The disassembly joint 203 is preferably arranged at an external position of the smelting furnace body 100 to avoid the influence of the high-temperature area on the performance of the joint material. At the same time, it is convenient to replace, clean or repair during the operation of the equipment, reducing the need to disassemble the entire smelting furnace and improving the equipment maintenance efficiency.

[0037] The setting of this detachable structure not only helps users flexibly adjust the length or layout of the heat exchange tube according to actual process requirements, but also enhances the adaptability of the spiral heat exchange tube under complex working conditions, and improves the operating stability and service life of the entire smelting system.

[0038] The top of the sealed furnace cover 102 proposed in this embodiment is provided with lifting ears 106 for lifting and disassembly. The lifting ears 106 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the sealed furnace cover 102, which is convenient for using lifting equipment to lift the sealed furnace cover 102 as a whole during replacement or maintenance, thereby realizing efficient disassembly and assembly of the furnace cover, reducing the burden of manual operation, and improving work safety and maintenance efficiency.

[0039] In order to ensure that the spiral heat exchange tube 201 remains in a stable and fixed installation state under high temperature environment, the spiral heat exchange tube 201 is provided with a tube clamp 107. The tube clamp 107 is made of high-strength heat-resistant material, and firmly fixes the spiral heat exchange tube 201 to the sealed furnace cover 102 to avoid loosening or deviation of the pipeline due to thermal expansion or mechanical vibration during the heat exchange process. The setting of the tube clamp 107 enables the spiral heat exchange tube 201 to maintain a good positioning state during use, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency and structural safety.

[0040] The coordinated design of the lifting lug 106 and the pipe clamp 107 not only enhances the convenience of installation and disassembly of the overall structure of the furnace cover, but also improves the structural stability during the operation of the smelting furnace, further ensuring the efficiency and safety of the smelting process.

[0041] The fused quartz melting furnace proposed in this embodiment further includes an ultrasonic assembly 300 for improving the quality of the fused quartz during the melting and cooling stages. The ultrasonic assembly 300 is arranged in a ring array on the outer surface of the melting furnace body 100 to form multiple evenly distributed vibration points to achieve multi-point resonance of the furnace body. The ultrasonic assembly 300 mainly includes multiple ultrasonic generators 301, each of which is firmly installed in an adjacent area of the internal cavity of the melting furnace body 100 through an embedded structure.

[0042] When the quartz material inside the melting furnace body 100 is fully heated and melted by the graphite rod 101 and begins to cool down, the ultrasonic component 300 starts to work. At this time, the ultrasonic generator 301 generates high-frequency ultrasonic vibrations in the inner cavity area of the melting furnace body 100. When the ultrasonic vibrations propagate in the molten quartz liquid, they form a tiny cavitation effect, which in turn strongly disturbs and aggregates the tiny bubbles remaining in the liquid, prompting the bubbles to migrate upward and eventually discharge from the liquid surface, effectively reducing the residual bubbles.

[0043] This structure, by combining ultrasonic debubbling technology with the aforementioned negative pressure cooling mechanism (the spiral heat exchange tube 201 cooperates with the one-way valve 202 to form a negative pressure environment), can improve the density and transparency of the fused quartz and improve the physical and optical properties of the product.

[0044] The ultrasonic assembly 300 proposed in this embodiment further includes a protective cover 303, which is used to improve the stability and life of the ultrasonic generator 301 in a high-temperature environment. The protective cover 303 is arranged inside the melting furnace body 100, is adapted to the melting furnace body 100, and is made of high-temperature resistant metal material or composite ceramic material, and has good thermal insulation and structural strength.

[0045] Ultrasonic generator 301 is housed within a protective cover 303, where it is isolated and enclosed. This cover not only prevents direct contact and corrosion from the high-temperature molten quartz liquid, but also effectively prevents impurities such as dust and slag from adhering to the surface of ultrasonic generator 301, ensuring long-term stable operation in harsh environments.

[0046] In order to realize external transmission of power supply and control signals, the ultrasonic generator 301 is provided with an ultrasonic electrical interface 302, which is connected to the external power supply and control device on the side wall of the smelting furnace body 100 through a high-temperature resistant cable, making it convenient for the operator to start and stop the ultrasonic component and adjust the parameters.

[0047] The ultrasonic component 300 can still maintain a reliable working state under the high temperature working condition of the melting furnace body 100, and then generate ultrasonic vibrations in the cooling stage to achieve rapid aggregation and discharge of bubbles, and cooperate with the negative pressure environment to improve the degassing efficiency and product quality of the fused quartz material.

[0048] The sealed furnace cover 102 proposed in this embodiment is provided with a temperature sensor 103 for real-time monitoring of the temperature state inside the smelting furnace body 100. Its sensing end faces the center of the smelting cavity and can accurately sense the temperature changes of the quartz material during the smelting process.

[0049] The temperature sensor 103 uses a high-temperature resistant thermocouple temperature measurement module, which has good temperature response sensitivity and wide temperature range adaptability. The temperature sensor 103 is connected to the external temperature PLC control system through a signal line, so that the operator can intuitively obtain real-time temperature data in the furnace, and also supports preset alarm function.

[0050] When the melting temperature reaches the set upper or lower limit, the system can automatically adjust the heating power of the graphite rod 101 or start the cooling process, thereby achieving closed-loop control of the melting temperature and ensuring the process stability and product consistency of the fused quartz.

[0051] By integrating the temperature sensor 103 into the sealed furnace cover 102, not only is additional modification to the smelting furnace structure avoided, but later maintenance and replacement are also facilitated, thereby improving the structural simplicity and temperature control accuracy of the entire machine.

[0052] The top of the smelting furnace body 100 proposed in this embodiment is provided with a protective retaining ring 104. The protective retaining ring 104 has an annular structure and is fixedly installed in the top edge area of the smelting furnace body 100. Its projection range in the vertical direction coincides with the position of the spiral heat exchange tube 201, effectively shielding and protecting the spiral heat exchange tube 201.

[0053] The protective retaining ring 104 is made of high-temperature resistant and corrosion-resistant metal or ceramic composite materials, has good structural strength and thermal stability, and can adapt to the high-temperature environment during the operation of the smelting furnace. During the loading and unloading operations of the molten quartz, the protective retaining ring 104 can block improper collisions from above or from the side or accidental contact of tools, thereby preventing the spiral heat exchange tube 201 from being deformed, displaced, or even damaged by external force impact.

[0054] In addition, the setting of the protective retaining ring 104 also plays a certain guiding and positioning role, making it easier for the operator to judge the safe operating area during high-temperature operation, effectively reducing the risk of misoperation of the spiral heat exchange tube 201, and improving the overall reliability and operational safety of the equipment.

[0055] The spiral heat exchange tube 201 proposed in this embodiment is provided with an air filter on one end located inside the smelting furnace body 100. The air filter is installed at the interface between the spiral heat exchange tube 201 and the interior of the smelting furnace body 100. Its main function is to filter the gas entering the spiral heat exchange tube 201 during the operation of the smelting furnace to prevent dust, impurities or particles that may be generated in the high-temperature smelting environment from entering the pipeline system, thereby ensuring the cleanliness of the air flow channel inside the spiral heat exchange tube 201 and the efficiency of gas guidance.

[0056] The air filter is made of high-temperature resistant filter material, which can withstand the high operating temperature in the smelting furnace without failure, and has good air permeability and filtering accuracy. It can effectively extend the service life of related components such as the spiral heat exchange tube 201 and the one-way valve 202 and reduce the failure rate.

[0057] By providing the air filter, this embodiment further enhances the stability and safety of the system while maintaining the efficient operation of the negative pressure defoaming function, which is beneficial to improving the stability and production efficiency of fused quartz products.

[0058] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as first and second, etc., are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply any actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Moreover, the terms "comprises," "comprising," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that includes a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not explicitly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0059] The present invention and its embodiments are described above. This description is not restrictive. The drawings show only one embodiment of the present invention, and the actual structure is not limited thereto. In short, if a person skilled in the art is inspired by this and, without departing from the purpose of the present invention, designs structures and embodiments similar to this technical solution without inventiveness, they shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A melting furnace for fused quartz, characterized in that: It comprises a smelting furnace body (100) and a negative pressure defoaming component (200), wherein the negative pressure defoaming component (200) is arranged on the smelting furnace body (100); A graphite rod (101) is provided inside the smelting furnace body (100), and the graphite rod (101) is electrically connected to an external power supply; The smelting furnace body (100) includes a spiral heat exchange tube (201), which is arranged on the smelting furnace body (100), one end of the spiral heat exchange tube (201) is connected to the interior of the smelting furnace body (100), and the other end of the spiral heat exchange tube (201) is arranged outside the smelting furnace body (100), and a one-way valve (202) is provided at the end of the spiral heat exchange tube (201) located outside the smelting furnace body (100), and the one-way valve (202) is unidirectionally conductive to the outside.

2. The fused silica melting furnace according to claim 1, wherein: A sealed furnace cover (102) is provided on the top of the smelting furnace body (100), and the sealed furnace cover (102) and the smelting furnace body (100) are detachably connected. A graphite electrode (105) is provided on the top of the graphite rod (101), and the graphite electrode (105) is located outside the sealed furnace cover (102).

3. The fused silica melting furnace according to claim 2, wherein: The spiral heat exchange tube (201) passes through the sealed furnace cover (102). A disassembly joint (203) is provided on the spiral heat exchange tube (201). The disassembly joint (203) divides the spiral heat exchange tube (201) into multiple detachable parts. The disassembly joint (203) is located outside the smelting furnace body (100).

4. The fused silica melting furnace according to claim 3, wherein: The sealed furnace cover (102) is provided with a lifting lug (106), and the lifting lug (106) is symmetrically arranged on the sealed furnace cover (102); The spiral heat exchange tube (201) is provided with a tube clamp (107), and the spiral heat exchange tube (201) is fixedly connected to the sealed furnace cover (102) through the tube clamp (107).

5. The fused silica melting furnace according to claim 1, wherein: The invention also includes an ultrasonic component (300), wherein the ultrasonic component (300) is arranged in a ring array on the side wall of the melting furnace body (100), and the ultrasonic component (300) includes an ultrasonic generator (301), and the ultrasonic generator (301) is arranged inside the melting furnace body (100).

6. The fused silica melting furnace according to claim 5, wherein: The ultrasonic component (300) includes a protective cover (303); The protective cover (303) is arranged inside the smelting furnace body (100), the ultrasonic generator (301) is arranged in the protective cover (303), and the protective cover (303) is configured to isolate and protect the ultrasonic generator (301); The ultrasonic generator (301) is provided with an ultrasonic electrical interface (302), and the ultrasonic electrical interface (302) is connected to the outside of the side wall of the smelting furnace body (100).

7. The fused silica melting furnace according to claim 2, wherein: A temperature sensor (103) is provided on the sealed furnace cover (102), and the temperature sensor (103) is configured to monitor the internal temperature of the smelting furnace body (100).

8. The fused silica melting furnace according to claim 7, wherein: A protective retaining ring (104) is provided on the top of the smelting furnace body (100), and the vertical projection of the protective retaining ring (104) coincides with the position of the spiral heat exchange tube (201).

9. The fused silica melting furnace according to claim 8, wherein: An air filter is provided on one end of the spiral heat exchange tube (201) located inside the smelting furnace body (100).

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