Annealing equipment for optical glass production

Abstract

The application discloses an annealing treatment equipment for optical glass production and relates to the technical field of optical glass processing. The equipment comprises a furnace body, a furnace cavity and a receiving disc slidingly arranged in the furnace cavity. The receiving disc is an integrally formed high-temperature-resistant ceramic casting provided with a sealed air chamber in the interior, and a plurality of operation stations are arranged in a matrix mode on the surface of the receiving disc. Each operation station comprises a central air hole vertically upward, a middle ring air hole with a blowing direction tangent to the circumference of the material and an outer ring air hole with a blowing direction pointing to the centripetal angle direction of the center of the material. Clean air flow after heating is sprayed out from each air hole through the sealed air chamber, the material is lifted by the air flow of the central air hole to form an air film isolation, the material is driven to rotate by the tangential air flow of the middle ring air hole, and the material is centered by the centripetal air flow of the outer ring air hole. The design enables each part of the material to periodically pass through all the thermal environments in the furnace, and fundamentally eliminates the circumferential temperature difference and contact stress caused by fixed placement.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of optical glass processing technology, and more specifically, to an annealing treatment apparatus for optical glass production. Background Technology

[0002] In the production of optical glass, annealing is a crucial process for eliminating residual stress within the glass and improving optical uniformity. Current technologies generally employ static heating annealing furnaces, where the glass is fixed or placed on a solid support, and heated through radiation and natural convection.

[0003] A search revealed an existing patent (publication number: CN119143370B) that discloses a vacuum atmosphere annealing device for the production of optical glass lenses, belonging to the field of glass product annealing technology. It includes a slide table and a furnace body fixedly installed at the upper center of the slide table. Feeding structures mounted on the slide table are horizontally slidable on both sides of the furnace body via a first electric guide rail. This invention features feeding structures composed of insulation sleeves and material racks on both sides of the furnace body. During annealing, one set of material racks containing glass lenses is pushed into the furnace body for vacuum atmosphere heating. After heating is completed, the material racks are retracted into the insulation sleeves. The inventors discovered the following problems with the existing technology during the development of this application:

[0004] Current annealing processes involve fixing the glass in a furnace, with different parts of the glass remaining static relative to a fixed heat source. This inevitably leads to uneven heating around the glass, creating an axisymmetric temperature gradient, which is the main source of annealing stress and affects optical uniformity. The physical contact points between the glass and the solid support plate or bracket become bottlenecks for heat conduction, forming localized low-temperature zones. Furthermore, slight differences in the coefficients of thermal expansion between the glass and the supporting material can induce localized stress or friction at the contact points, damaging the glass surface or introducing new stresses.

[0005] Therefore, an annealing treatment device for optical glass production is proposed to address the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In order to overcome the above-mentioned defects of the prior art, this application provides an annealing treatment apparatus for optical glass production to solve the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides the following technical solution: an annealing treatment device for optical glass production, comprising a furnace body, characterized in that: a furnace cavity is provided inside the furnace body, an insulation board is provided inside the furnace cavity, an inner liner is provided on one side of the insulation board, a heating element is provided inside the inner liner, an air inlet pipe is provided above the heating element, an air outlet pipe is provided below the heating element, an air vent is connected to one side of the air outlet pipe, a receiving plate is provided above the air vent, a sealed air chamber is provided below the receiving plate, and a working station is provided on the surface of the receiving plate, the working station including a central air hole, a middle ring air hole, and an outer ring air hole;

[0008] The work station is capable of accommodating the material to be processed. The blowing direction of the central air hole is perpendicular to the bottom of the material to be processed. The blowing direction of the outer ring air hole is at the centripetal angle of the material to be processed. The blowing direction of the middle ring air hole is tangent to the circumference of the material to be processed. The receiving plate is slidably connected to the furnace cavity.

[0009] Preferably, the central vent is perpendicular to the surface of the receiving plate, the middle ring vent is inclined relative to the surface normal of the receiving plate and its central axis projection on the horizontal plane is perpendicular to the radial direction of the working station, and the outer ring vent is inclined relative to the surface normal of the receiving plate and its central axis points to the center of the working station. The vertical direction of the central vent ensures the provision of a pure upward levitation force. The inclination of the middle ring vent relative to the normal of the plate surface and its horizontal projection perpendicular to the radial direction creates a specific angle that allows the ejected airflow to generate a clear tangential component, becoming the core torque source driving the glass rotation. The inclined design of the outer ring vent pointing towards the center generates a centripetal constraint force component. This precise limitation of the vent direction is the key geometric basis for automatically decomposing a single airflow into three functions: levitation, rotation, and centering, and achieving stable and controllable rotational motion, ensuring the feasibility and predictability of the technical solution.

[0010] Preferably, a support is provided at the bottom of the inner liner, and a heating plate is installed inside the inner liner. The heating element is disposed on the outer wall of the heating plate. One side of the heating element is connected to a main pipe through the air inlet pipe, and an air pump is disposed on one side of the main pipe. The combination of the inner liner and the heating plate forms a sealed heating air chamber, with the heating element directly arranged on the outer wall of the heating plate. The gas supplied by the air pump is forced into convection and fully heat-exchanged as it flows through the narrow channel being heated, transforming into high-speed hot air with a uniform temperature. This module provides the necessary energy carrier for the entire dynamic airflow annealing process, and the uniformity and stability of its outlet air temperature are prerequisites and technical guarantees for all subsequent precise airflow control and uniform heating.

[0011] Preferably, the heating plate has an air outlet at its top, which is connected to an air outlet pipe. The outlet end of the air outlet pipe is covered with a cover plate. Heated hot air is discharged from the air outlet at the top of the heating plate through the air outlet pipe, and the cover plate at the outlet end serves to limit and guide the flow. This structure, working in conjunction with the system, allows the furnace cavity to maintain a stable, slightly positive pressure environment, ensuring that the gas has sufficient residence time for heat exchange within the organized circulation path inside the furnace before being smoothly discharged. This constitutes a key exhaust and pressure regulation link in the "dynamic balance" airflow circulation system, avoiding drastic pressure fluctuations and providing a stable thermal environment for the working area.

[0012] Preferably, a guide ring is disposed above the receiving plate, and a heat spreader is disposed above the guide ring. The combination of the guide ring and the heat spreader actively guides and homogenizes the turbulent hot airflow rising from the receiving plate area. The spiral guide vanes within the guide ring force the airflow to rotate and rise, enhancing lateral mixing to break up temperature stratification. The heat spreader then throttles, divides, and redistributes the airflow, further homogenizing its velocity and temperature.

[0013] Preferably, a fixed bracket is connected to one side of the outer wall of the guide ring, and a spiral guide vane is provided inside the guide ring. Several sets of guide rings are arranged, and each set of guide rings is connected to the other via the spiral guide vane. The guide rings are suspended in the furnace cavity by the fixed bracket on the outer wall. When multiple sets of spiral guide vanes are arranged, they can be continuously connected vertically to form a continuous spiral upward channel from bottom to top. This design allows the airflow to undergo multiple, extended spiral turns and mixing during its ascent, greatly enhancing the mixing and homogenization effect of the airflow in the three-dimensional space of the furnace cavity.

[0014] Preferably, the receiving plate is an integrally formed high-temperature resistant ceramic casting. The sealed air chamber is formed inside the receiving plate and is connected to the air vents of the working stations. Several sets of working stations are arranged in a matrix on the surface of the receiving plate. Auxiliary air vents are provided between adjacent working stations. The receiving plate is integrally cast from high-temperature resistant ceramic, forming a flat and sealed common air chamber inside, ensuring structural strength, airtightness, and dimensional stability at high temperatures. The working stations are arranged in a matrix on its surface, and the airflow between the working stations is further homogenized through the auxiliary air vents.

[0015] Preferably, the bottom of the receiving tray is provided with a sliding bracket, one side of which is connected to a slide rail, and the other side of which is provided with a handle. The sealed air chamber is connected to the air outlet via a flexible hose. The receiving tray, through the bottom sliding bracket and the furnace cavity slide rail, can be pulled out or pushed in as a whole, and is maintained in connection with the air source via a flexible hose. The furnace body is provided with inner and outer double doors, which can form a staged seal during operation, minimizing heat loss and thermal disturbance during material handling.

[0016] Preferably, an inner door is provided on one side of the inner liner, and an outer door is provided on one side of the inner door. The outer door is connected to the furnace body. A control panel is provided on one side of the furnace body, and support legs are provided at each of the four corners of the bottom of the furnace body. An independent control panel is provided on one side of the furnace body for centralized setting and monitoring of all process parameters such as temperature and airflow, realizing precise human-machine interaction and process control. The support legs at the four corners of the bottom of the furnace body ensure the overall stability of the equipment. The connection between the inner door, outer door, and furnace body constitutes a complete sealing and heat insulation barrier.

[0017] Preferably, the angle between the central axis of the central ring air hole and the normal direction of the surface of the receiving plate is 15-45 degrees. This angle range is the result of theoretical trade-offs: if the angle is too small, the tangential component force is insufficient and it is difficult to effectively drive the rotation; if the angle is too large, the vertical component force is lost too much, which may affect the suspension stability, and the blowing effect of the airflow on the lower surface of the glass may be worse.

[0018] The technical effects and advantages of this application are as follows:

[0019] 1. Compared with existing technologies, this annealing equipment for optical glass production lifts and drives the glass to rotate through a precision air hole array at the bottom, allowing each part of the glass to periodically pass through all the thermal environments within the furnace. This achieves a transformation from static radiative heating to dynamic convection circulation heating, fundamentally eliminating circumferential temperature differences caused by fixed placement and solving the most challenging problem in the annealing process: achieving axisymmetric temperature uniformity.

[0020] 2. Compared with existing technologies, this annealing equipment for optical glass production forms a stable gas film on the bottom of the glass through a uniform micro-airflow ejected from the surface of the support plate. This gas film first acts as a uniform heat conduction medium, evenly transferring heat to the glass and avoiding "cold spots" caused by the contact points with the solid support. By using gas film isolation to replace physical contact, uniform heating and stress isolation are achieved simultaneously. The gas film physically isolates the glass from the support plate, completely eliminating contact stress and friction damage that may be caused by the difference in their thermal expansion coefficients.

[0021] 3. Compared with existing technologies, this annealing equipment for optical glass production not only drives the glass to rotate, but also, through the combined action of the spiral guide vanes on the furnace wall and the top heat spreader, creates a slow, orderly spiral upward airflow of the main hot air within the furnace cavity. This synergistic airflow organization constructs a highly uniform three-dimensional thermal field. This is equivalent to placing the rotating glass in a synchronously rotating "hot air bath," greatly enhancing the airflow stirring and mixing effect, minimizing the temperature difference between the upper and lower parts of the furnace cavity, and between the inside and outside, ensuring a highly uniform temperature throughout the entire heating space in three dimensions. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of this application;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall appearance and structure of this application;

[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the overall rear structure of this application;

[0025] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the furnace cavity in this application;

[0026] Figure 5 This is a top view of the internal structure of the furnace cavity in this application;

[0027] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a partial three-dimensional structure of the inner liner of this application;

[0028] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a partial three-dimensional front view of the inner liner of this application;

[0029] Figure 8 This is an exploded view of the furnace cavity structure in this application;

[0030] Figure 9 This is a partial three-dimensional structural diagram of the heating element of this application;

[0031] Figure 10 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the flow guide ring and heat spreader of this application;

[0032] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the inner liner and insulation board structure of this application;

[0033] Figure 12 Exploded view of the flow guide ring and heat spreader of this application;

[0034] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of the inner liner of this application;

[0035] Figure 14 This is a structural schematic diagram of the inner liner and the support plate of this application;

[0036] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of the sliding structure of the bearing plate in this application;

[0037] Figure 16 This is a partial structural diagram of the workstation in this application;

[0038] Figure 17 This is a detailed structural diagram of the workstation in this application;

[0039] Figure 18 This is a perspective view of the bottom structure of the workstation in this application.

[0040] The attached diagram is labeled as follows: 1. Furnace body; 2. Furnace cavity; 21. Outer door; 22. Control console; 23. Support leg; 3. Insulation board; 4. Inner liner; 41. Inner door; 5. Heating element; 51. Air inlet pipe; 52. Air outlet pipe; 6. Air outlet; 7. Receiving plate; 71. Sealed air chamber; 72. Sliding bracket; 73. Slide rail; 74. Handle; 8. Working position; 81. Central air hole; 82. Middle ring air hole; 83. Outer ring air hole; 9. Guide ring; 91. Fixed bracket; 92. Spiral guide vane; 10. Temperature equalizing plate; 11. Auxiliary air hole; 12. Support; 13. Heating plate; 14. Main pipe; 15. Air pump; 16. Air outlet; 17. Air outlet pipe; 18. Cover plate. Detailed Implementation

[0041] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0042] Example 1

[0043] As attached Figures 1 to 18 An annealing treatment device for optical glass production is shown, comprising a furnace body 1, an internal furnace chamber 2, and an insulation plate 3 on the inner wall of the furnace chamber 2. A receiving plate 7, integrally formed of a high-temperature resistant ceramic casting, is slidably disposed within the furnace chamber 2, and contains a sealed air chamber 71. Multiple workstations 8 are arranged in a matrix on the surface of the receiving plate 7. Each workstation contains three air holes arranged in a specific direction: a central air hole 81 pointing vertically upwards; the projection of the central axis of the middle ring air holes 82 onto the horizontal plane is perpendicular to the radial direction of the workstation (tangential); and the central axis of the outer ring air holes 83 points towards the center of the workstation. All air holes communicate with the sealed air chamber 71 at the bottom, and the channels of the middle ring air holes 82 and the outer ring air holes 83 are integrally formed, allowing airflow to be ejected in a predetermined direction through the tunnels on the receiving plate 7. In addition, auxiliary air holes 11 are provided between the workstations 8. The bottom of the support plate is connected to the slide rail 73 inside the furnace chamber 2 via a sliding bracket 72, and its sealed air chamber 71 is connected to the air outlet 6 on the furnace body via a hose. This arrangement integrates three air holes at different angles in one station, which can generate airflows in different directions from the sealed air chamber 71.

[0044] The central vent 81 provides an upward vertical force to support the material; the tangential airflow from the middle ring vent 82 applies a tangential force to the circumference of the material, driving its rotation; the centripetal airflow from the outer ring vent 83 generates a confining force pointing towards the center, stabilizing the material at the center of the workstation; the auxiliary vent 11 helps to further homogenize the airflow distribution between workstations. In traditional fixed heating, the positions of the glass edge and center relative to the hot air are fixed, inevitably resulting in a temperature difference. When the glass rotates uniformly on the support plate at a speed of 5-20 rpm, each point periodically passes through all positions within the furnace cavity 2. On a macroscopic time scale, the heat received by the glass along its entire circumference is completely evenly distributed, eliminating any circumferential temperature difference caused by static placement. This directly solves the most challenging problem of axisymmetric temperature uniformity in the annealing process, laying the foundation for low-stress, high-uniformity optical glass. The uniform micro-airflow ejected from the surface of the support plate forms a crucial gas film. This 0.2-0.5 mm thick gas film separates the bottom of the glass from the solid support plate. After the hot air passes through the micropores, it first heats the air film evenly, and the air film then acts as a uniform surface heat source to transfer heat to the glass. This avoids "cold spots" or uneven heat conduction caused by the contact points of the solid support. The airflow ejected from the tangential hole drives the rotation and also continuously sweeps the lower surface of the glass. The forced convection heat transfer efficiency is much higher than that of static air conduction, making the bottom heating faster and more uniform.

[0045] After hot air enters this flat, common air chamber from the main air inlet, the pressure quickly equalizes, similar to inflating a flat box. This ensures that the static pressure throughout the air chamber is essentially the same, and the airflow to each micropore is primarily determined by the pore's diameter and length. Since all micropores are precisely machined to the same specifications, their flow rates are highly consistent under the same inlet pressure. Therefore, as long as the optical glass is identical and placed on its respective workstation 8, the suspended airflow, rotating airflow, and centering airflow obtained beneath each piece of glass are equal, thus achieving synchronous and stable suspended rotation.

[0046] Above the receiving plate 7, a flow guide ring 9 and a heat spreader plate 10 are arranged in sequence. Multiple sets of flow guide rings 9 are provided, each containing spiral flow guide vanes 92, and the sets are connected by these vanes. The flow guide rings 9 are fixed by a bracket 91 on their outer wall. The heat spreader plate 10 is positioned above the flow guide rings 9. Both the flow guide rings 9 and the heat spreader plate 10 are used to organize and optimize the hot airflow inside the furnace cavity 2.

[0047] The purpose of the guide ring 9, with its internal spiral guide vanes 92, is to guide the rising hot airflow from the support plate area. The spiral structure aims to create a rotating or spiraling upward path for the airflow, which helps to disperse any potential direct airflow and promotes mixing of the hot airflow across the cross-section of the furnace cavity 2. A heat spreader 10 is positioned above the airflow path, functioning similarly to a flow equalization device. As the rising airflow impacts and passes through the heat spreader 10, the airflow velocity, direction, and temperature are further homogenized and harmonized, aiming to reduce potential temperature inhomogeneities or localized overheating areas in the upper part of the furnace cavity 2, and providing a more uniform and stable thermal environment for the material below, both vertically and in terms of temperature.

[0048] The overall equipment workflow is based on its structural connections. The furnace body 1 contains a furnace chamber 2, which houses the core heating and airflow generation module. An air pump 15 pumps gas into the main pipe 14, which is then delivered to the heating element 5 area via the air inlet pipe 51 for heating. The heated gas is then output from the air outlet 6 via the air outlet pipe 52 and sent through a hose to the sealed air chamber 71 at the bottom of the receiving tray 7. The gas is then ejected through various air holes on the surface of the receiving tray 7, acting on the material placed at the work station 8. Operators can control the equipment via the control panel 22 on the furnace body 1 and open / close the inner door 41 and outer door 21, using the slide rail 73 to pull out or push in the receiving tray to load or unload materials.

[0049] Air pump 15 provides power, heating element 5 provides heat source, and airflow acts as a carrier to precisely and controllably deliver heat to the support plate. Through a designed air vent pattern, heat is transformed into a thermal field with levitation, driving, and centering functions, directly acting on the material. This achieves simultaneous heating and physical control. The furnace body 1, furnace cavity 2, and inner liner 4 form a nested, layered insulation and working space. An independent control console 22 enables human-machine interaction and process control. The double-door design helps reduce heat loss during operation. The sliding design of the support plate allows for rapid loading and unloading of materials without significantly disturbing the main furnace structure, improving equipment operability and production efficiency.

[0050] Example 2

[0051] Based on Example 1, the solution in Example 1 will be further described in detail below with reference to the specific working method, such as... Figures 1 to 18 As shown below, see details:

[0052] In a preferred embodiment, the receiving plate 7 is a one-piece high-temperature resistant ceramic casting with a common sealed air chamber 71 inside. On the upper surface of the plate, three sets of micro-holes with strict geometric relationships are formed for each working station 8 using precision machining technology: a central air hole 81, a middle ring air hole 82, and an outer ring air hole 83. The central air hole 81 is opened strictly perpendicular to the upper surface of the receiving plate 7, and the airflow it emits is vertically upward. Its main function is to provide a vertical levitation force for the optical glass placed at the working station to offset part of its weight, thereby forming an extremely thin air film at the bottom of the glass. The central ring of air holes 82 surrounding the central air hole 81 is not perpendicular to the center axis, but is tilted at an angle relative to the normal direction of the upper surface of the receiving plate 7. This angle is designed to be between 15 and 45 degrees. More importantly, the projection of the central axis of the central ring of air holes 82 onto the horizontal plane is perpendicular to the radial direction of the center point of the workstation, i.e., it is precisely tangential. Therefore, when the airflow is ejected from these tilted tangential holes, a tangential component force is generated acting on the circumferential edge of the glass. The resultant force of this tangential force forms a continuous torque, thereby driving the glass to rotate smoothly around its central axis. The outer ring of air holes 83, located further out, also has a central axis that is tilted relative to the normal of the plate surface, but its tilt direction is different from that of the central ring of air holes 82. The central axes of all the outer ring of air holes 83 point to the geometric center point of the workstation 8. This gives the ejected airflow a radial component pointing towards the center. This centripetal airflow component can generate a gentle radial constraint force on the glass, stabilizing the glass in the central area of ​​the workstation and preventing it from radially drifting during rotation. All the inlet ends of the air vents are connected to the common sealed air chamber 71 at the bottom. After the uniform hot air from the furnace enters the air chamber, it will be delivered to each group of air vents at each station simultaneously and at equal pressure under the action of pressure equalization. Thus, a single input airflow will be automatically converted into three airflows with different directions and functions at each station. Without any moving parts or diversion valves, the suspension support, rotation drive and center positioning of the glass are realized simultaneously, so that the glass can achieve stable suspension and rotation in the uniform hot air. This is the core mechanical structure foundation for achieving dynamic uniform heating.

[0053] In a preferred embodiment, the inner liner 4 is securely supported inside the furnace cavity 2 by a support 12 at its bottom, forming a relatively independent core heating air cavity. Inside the inner liner 4, a heating plate 13 is fixedly installed. This heating plate 13 serves as the core heat exchange carrier, and heating elements 5 are densely arranged on its outer wall. The heat generated by the heating elements 5 after being energized is directly transferred to the heating plate 13, causing its overall temperature to rise uniformly. One end of the main pipe 14 is connected to the air pump 15, and the other end is connected to the area of ​​the heating elements 5 arranged on the outer wall of the heating plate 13 through the air inlet pipe 51. When the equipment is started, the air pump 15 works, pumping gas from the outside into the main pipe 14, and then through... The air inlet duct 51 delivers gas to the area of ​​the heating plate 13 surrounded by the heating element 5. When the gas flows through the narrow channel between the heating plate 13, which is heated to a high temperature, and the heating element 5, it is forced to convect and is heated rapidly and evenly, thus transforming into a high-speed hot airflow. This design integrates the heating function with the airflow channel. The heating plate 13 not only serves as a supporting structure for the heating element, but its huge heat capacity and surface area also play a role in heat equalization and heat storage, which can buffer the power fluctuation of the heating element 5 and ensure the stability of the outlet air temperature. The heated gas is then discharged from the air outlet duct 52 connected to the area of ​​the heating element 5 and finally delivered to the sealed air chamber 71 of the receiving plate 7.

[0054] In a preferred embodiment, one or more air outlets 16 are provided at a specific position on the top of the heating plate 13. These outlets 16 serve as a concentrated outlet for the uniformly heated air leaving the heating chamber. One end of an air outlet pipe 17 is firmly connected to the outlet 16, while the other end extends upward and opens into the upper space inside the furnace cavity 2. A cover plate 18 is installed at its outlet end. This cover plate 18 is not a completely closed structure but rather serves as an adjustable flow limiting or guiding device. Its implementation can be a fixed-opening orifice plate, an adjustable-opening baffle, or a similar structure. The core principle of this design is to construct a controlled and organized furnace airflow circulation and pressure balance system. The heat generated by the heating element 5 on the outer wall of the heating plate 13 is absorbed by the flowing air, forming high-temperature, clean hot air. This hot air, driven by pressure, converges from the air outlets 16 at the top of the heating plate 13 and is directionally guided to a specific area in the upper part of the furnace cavity 2 through the air outlet pipe 17. The purpose of setting the cover plate 18 is to perform necessary regulation of the outlet of this main airflow by changing... The opening of the cover plate 18 or its fixed structure can throttle and equalize the airflow, regulating the flow rate and velocity of the airflow from the heating air cavity to the working area of ​​the furnace cavity 2. More importantly, this structure works in conjunction with the entire system. When the air pump 15 continuously delivers hot air from the bottom to the heating air cavity and the air chamber of the receiving plate 7, the pressure inside the furnace will rise. The gas, after being heated and completing heat exchange with the glass, rises inside the furnace, and finally, part of the airflow will be discharged from the outlet of the exhaust pipe 17 located at the top of the system. The presence of the cover plate 18 makes this exhaust process controllable and gradual, avoiding rapid pressure changes or disordered discharge. Its implementation ensures that a stable micro-positive pressure environment can be maintained inside the furnace cavity 2. This micro-positive pressure can effectively prevent the infiltration of external cold air, and at the same time, it allows the gas to have sufficient residence time in the organized spiral upward return path inside the furnace to fully exchange heat with the material before being discharged smoothly. This constitutes the key exhaust and pressure regulation link of the "dynamic balance" airflow circulation system, providing a stable and uniform thermal environment for the area of ​​the lower receiving plate.

[0055] In a preferred embodiment, at least one guide ring 9 is fixedly installed at certain intervals directly above the receiving plate 7. The guide ring 9 is suspended and fixed inside the furnace cavity 2 by a fixing bracket 91 on its outer wall. A continuous spiral guide vane 92 is arranged circumferentially in the internal cavity. When multiple guide rings 9 need to be arranged, they are arranged in layers along the vertical direction and smoothly connected in the vertical direction by the spiral guide vane 92 inside, so that the spiral channels inside the multiple guide rings 9 together form a continuous spiral upward airflow path from bottom to top. Above the guide ring 9 structure, a heat spreader 10 is installed. The heat spreader 10 is usually composed of a perforated plate or a grid plate. The mounting position spans most of the cross-sectional area of ​​the furnace cavity 2. The core principle of this design lies in actively guiding, mixing, and homogenizing the turbulent airflow carrying heat rising from the support plate area to create a highly uniform and stable thermal environment in three-dimensional space. Specifically, the hot airflow rising from the surface of the support plate and around the heated glass first enters the lowest guide ring 9. Under the constraint and guidance of the spiral guide vanes 92, the airflow changes from a potentially vertical or turbulent flow to a spiral upward rotation. This spiral motion generates a strong centrifugal effect and lateral mixing, forcing the hot airflow to fully diffuse and mix in the cross-sectional direction of the furnace cavity 2. This effectively breaks down potential temperature stratification and localized eddies. After the airflow exits from the top guide ring 9, it continues to move upward and impacts the heat spreader 10. The heat spreader 10, through its own heat capacity, plays a role in heat storage and temperature equalization. More importantly, the openings or grid structure on its surface throttles, divides, and redistributes the airflow, forcing airflows from different radial positions, which may have slight velocity or temperature differences, to mix and flow evenly as they pass through the heat spreader 10. The velocity peaks are weakened, and the temperature is further homogenized. After being mixed by the heat spreader 10, part of the airflow turns in the upper space of the furnace cavity 2, forming a slow and uniform downward flow. The flow is replenished to the edge area of ​​furnace cavity 2, and another part continues to participate in the circulation. The combination structure of this flow guide ring 9 and the heat spreader 10 essentially constructs a passive airflow organization and heat medium homogenization system above the working area of ​​furnace cavity 2. It organically couples the microscopic uniform heat field generated in the bearing plate area for direct heating of glass with the macroscopic large space heat field of the entire furnace cavity 2. Through physical structure, the redistribution of heat in the vertical and horizontal directions is forcibly realized, ensuring that optical glass placed in different positions below it can be in a space with minimal temperature fluctuation and consistent heat flow, thereby ensuring the highly uniform temperature environment required for the annealing process as a whole.

[0056] In a preferred embodiment, the guide ring 9 is securely suspended inside the furnace cavity 2 via a fixed bracket 91 connected to one side of its outer wall. One end of the fixed bracket 91 is firmly connected to the outer wall of the guide ring 9, and the other end is connected to the inner wall or internal frame of the furnace cavity 2, thereby fixing the guide ring 9 at a predetermined height above the receiving plate 7. The body of the guide ring 9 is an annular cavity structure, inside which a spiral guide vane 92 is provided. The spiral guide vane 92 starts from the inner wall of the guide ring 9 and extends spirally along the circumference of the ring body with a constant pitch or a gradually changing pitch, thereby forming a continuous spiral airflow channel with a specific inclination angle inside the guide ring 9. In this device, several groups of guide rings 9 are provided. These guide rings 9 are arranged in layers along the vertical direction. Each group of guide rings 9 is connected end-to-end in the vertical direction through the spiral guide vane 92 inside, that is, the previous group of guide rings... The spiral airflow channel outlet of ring 9 is smoothly connected to the spiral airflow channel inlet of the next set of guide rings 9, together forming a continuous and gradually expanding spiral upward airflow path from bottom to top. When the airflow carrying heat from the bearing plate area enters the lowest guide ring 9, the airflow is forced to change from a flow that may have been vertically upward or disordered to a spiral upward rotation under the constraint and guidance of the spiral guide plate 92. This spiral motion promotes the full diffusion and mixing of hot airflow on the cross-section of furnace cavity 2 through centrifugal force, effectively breaking the natural convection stratification and temperature unevenness caused by thermal buoyancy. The setting of multiple sets of guide rings 9 connected by spiral guide plates 92 allows the airflow to undergo multiple spiral turns and mixing during the upward process, which extends the spiral path and strengthens the mixing effect, thereby systematically organizing and homogenizing the airflow in the lower part of furnace cavity 2 in three-dimensional space.

[0057] In a preferred embodiment, the heating plate 13, serving as the core heat exchange carrier, is fixedly installed within the inner liner 4. Heating elements 5, in the form of heating wires, heating rods, or silicon carbide rods, are tightly bonded or welded to the outer wall surface of the heating plate 13. These heating elements 5 are evenly coiled or arranged on the outer wall of the heating plate 13 according to a preset power density to ensure uniform temperature distribution on the surface of the heating plate 13. Air inlets are provided on the side walls or bottom of the inner liner 4, and these inlets are connected to the air pump 15 and the main pipe 14 outside the furnace body via an air inlet pipe 51. An air outlet 16 is provided at the top of the heating plate 13 and is connected to the upper space of the furnace cavity 2 via an air outlet pipe 52. The inner liner 4 and the heating plate 13 together constitute an integrated forced convection heating air tunnel. During operation, the air pump 15 delivers clean gas... As the gas is pumped into the inner liner 4, it is directly and fully heated by the heating element 5, which is tightly wrapped around the outer wall of the heating plate 13, when it passes through the narrow channel between the heating plate 13 and the inner wall of the inner liner 4. Because the gas flow channel is constrained and the contact area between the heating element 5 and the airflow is large and the heat exchange path is long, the heat exchange efficiency is high and the airflow temperature can be raised quickly and evenly. The evenly heated airflow is discharged from the outlet 16 at the top of the heating plate 13 and enters the working area of ​​the furnace cavity 2. The sealed structure of the inner liner 4 itself ensures that all the heated gas must flow through the area of ​​the heating element 5, avoiding short-circuiting and mixing of hot and cold gas. The wall of the inner liner 4 and the heating plate 13 inside it also play the role of heat equalization and heat storage, which can buffer the power fluctuation of the heating element 5 and make the outlet air temperature more stable.

[0058] In a preferred embodiment, the furnace body 1 constitutes the main outer shell of the equipment, and the furnace cavity 2 inside it is the core working space for annealing. A double-door structure is provided on the front of the furnace body 1 to achieve sealing and heat insulation of the furnace cavity 2. Specifically, an outer door 21 is installed on the outer wall of the furnace body 1, and an inner door 41 is installed on the inner wall of the furnace cavity 2. A heat-insulating air gap is formed between the inner and outer doors 21, which can effectively reduce heat loss during door opening operations. A parallel slide rail 73 is provided at the bottom of the furnace cavity 2 to guide and support a sliding support plate 7. The support plate sits on the slide rail 73 via a sliding bracket 72 connected to its bottom, allowing it to move along the guide rail inside the furnace cavity 2. The direction is smoothly pulled out or pushed in. The bottom of the support plate is connected to the air outlet 6 fixed on the furnace body 1 through a flexible hose with high temperature resistance and flexibility. The hose can maintain the connection without leakage during the sliding of the support plate. Its design principle is that the double door structure forms a staged seal during operation. When it is necessary to pick up or put down materials, the inner door 41 is closed first, and then the outer door 21 is opened. At this time, the operator can operate the support plate to slide out from the heat insulation layer. Since the inner door 41 is closed, the heat loss of the main working area of ​​the furnace cavity 2 is greatly restricted. Then the outer door 21 is closed and the inner door 41 is opened again to push the support plate into the working position. This process minimizes the disturbance of the thermal environment inside the furnace.

[0059] In a preferred embodiment, the carrier plate works in conjunction with an integrated, sealed air chamber 71 and a precision-machined array of air holes on its surface. The sealed air chamber 71 is a flat, internally interconnected cavity structure, which is connected to an external hot air source via a single interface at the bottom through a flexible hose. On the upper surface of the carrier plate, each work station 8 is arranged in a matrix. The core structure of each work station includes three air holes opened in a specific direction and angle: a central air hole 81 located at the geometric center of the work station and oriented strictly perpendicular to the plate surface, and several air holes evenly distributed around the center, the projection of their central axes onto the horizontal plane perpendicular to the radial direction of the work station. The system includes a central ring vent 82 and several outer ring vents 83 located further out, with their central axes pointing towards the geometric center of the workstation. Additionally, several auxiliary vents 11 are provided in the area between workstations. The operating principle is that when uniform hot air with a certain pressure enters the sealed air chamber 71 from the bottom, the pressure inside the air chamber quickly reaches equilibrium, making the inlet pressure of each vent essentially the same. Since all vents are precision-machined and have the same diameter and length, the outlet flow rate and velocity of each vent of the same type are highly consistent under the same inlet pressure. The vertically upward airflow ejected from the central vent 81 acts on the air vents placed in the sealed air chamber 71. The central region at the bottom of the optical glass at the workstation provides the primary vertical levitation force to form a uniform air film beneath the glass. The airflow ejected from the central ring vent 82, due to its distinct tangential velocity component in its outlet direction, generates a continuous tangential friction force on the glass's circumferential edge, thereby driving the glass to rotate smoothly around its central axis. The airflow ejected from the outer ring vent 83 has a velocity vector containing a radial component pointing towards the center of the workstation. This centripetal force balances any potential centrifugal tendency of the glass, constraining its rotational motion within the central region of the workstation and preventing radial drift. The auxiliary vent 11 is used to regulate the airflow in the workstation gap area. The flow pressure promotes the overall uniformity of the airflow field on the entire upper surface of the support plate. The creativity of this design lies in the fact that, through a common sealed air chamber 71 and a set of cleverly designed air holes, the single input hot airflow is automatically decomposed into three streams of airflow required for each station: suspension, rotation drive, and centering constraint. Without the need to configure independent valves or controllers for each station, the synchronous, stable suspension and uniform rotation of multiple optical glass pieces can be achieved, providing the basic mechanical motion conditions for dynamic uniform heating. At the same time, the airflow ejected from all air holes is heated pure gas, which achieves direct heating of the glass while realizing physical control.

[0060] In a preferred embodiment, the equipment is started via the control console 22, and the air pump 15 begins to work, pumping clean gas into the main pipe 14. The gas is then transported via the air inlet pipe 51 to the heating plate 13 area in the inner liner 4, where it is rapidly and evenly heated by the heating element 5, transforming into high-temperature hot air. This hot air is then discharged from the air outlet 6 at the top of the furnace body 1 via the air outlet pipe 52, and transported via a flexible connecting hose to the sealed air chamber 71 of the support plate that is slidably disposed in the furnace cavity 2. The sealed air chamber 71, with its balanced pressure, distributes the hot air evenly to the precision air hole array at each working station 8 on its surface. The hot air ejected from the central air hole 81, the middle ring air hole 82, and the outer ring air hole 83, with different directions, acts together on the optical glass placed at the work station, causing it to float stably, rotate uniformly around the axis, and become centered. This achieves comprehensive and uniform heating of the glass. During the heating and suspending rotation process, the potentially turbulent hot airflow rising from the glass and the support plate area is controlled by the flow formed by the guide ring 9 and the heat spreader 10 above it. The field optimization system captures and reshapes the airflow, while the spiral guide vane 92 forces the airflow to rotate and rise to enhance lateral mixing. The heat spreader 10 further homogenizes the speed and temperature of the airflow, thereby forming a stable and uniform three-dimensional temperature field in the entire working area of ​​the furnace cavity 2. The operator can set and monitor the temperature and airflow parameters through the control console 22. After the annealing process is completed, the heating element 5 can be turned off first. After the temperature drops appropriately, the inner door 41 and outer door 21 can be opened sequentially through the control console 22. The slide rail 73 is used to move the carrier plate along with the processed optical glass on it out of the furnace cavity 2 for unloading and loading of the next batch of glass. Then the carrier plate is sent back into the furnace and the furnace door is closed, and the next round of processing can begin. The entire system is powered by the air pump 15 and the heating element 5 provides the heat source. Using airflow as the carrier and control medium, it integrates heating, suspension, rotation, centering and flow field optimization functions into one. The components work together according to the above process and principle to achieve dynamic, non-contact and uniform annealing of optical glass.

[0061] The working process of this application is as follows: First, the air pump 15 above the furnace body 1 is started, and air is transported through the pipeline to the heating element 5 in the inner liner 4. The air is quickly heated into high-temperature hot air. This hot air is then transported to the receiving plate 7 located in the furnace cavity 2. The receiving plate 7 is a large high-temperature resistant ceramic casting with a sealed air chamber 71 inside, and multiple working stations 8 are regularly arranged on its surface. The hot air enters the sealed air chamber 71 below the receiving plate 7 through a main air outlet 6, and achieves pressure equalization in this flat air chamber, preparing for subsequent uniform air output;

[0062] Then, the hot air under balanced pressure is ejected upwards from the sealed air chamber 71 through a precisely distributed array of micro-holes on each working station 8 of the receiving plate 7. These holes are designed at specific angles and work together on the optical glass placed at the work station: the vertical holes at the center eject air upwards, forming a uniform air film at the bottom of the glass, slightly lifting the glass and achieving non-contact levitation; the air ejected from the tangentially inclined holes in the middle ring generates a tangential force, driving the suspended glass to rotate smoothly around its central axis; the air ejected from the centripetal inclined holes in the outer ring provides a gentle centripetal force, binding the glass to the center of the work station and preventing drift. In this process, the hot air undergoes efficient forced convection heat exchange with the lower surface of the glass through the air film, while the uniform rotation of the glass ensures that it can uniformly receive heat radiation and convection from all directions of the furnace chamber 2 in its circumferential direction, thereby achieving uniform heating of the bottom and the whole.

[0063] Finally, after the glass is heated, the hot airflow naturally rises into the upper space of the furnace chamber 2. The multi-layered fixed guide rings 9 and their internal spiral guide vanes 92, located on the side walls of the furnace chamber 2, guide the rising airflow into an orderly recirculation. Part of the airflow reaching the top of the furnace impacts the heat spreader 10, which slows down, mixes, and redistributes the airflow evenly before it leaks downwards. In this way, an organized, slowly rotating hot air circulation field is formed inside the entire furnace chamber 2, continuously and evenly heating the rotating glass. To maintain system pressure balance, an exhaust port is provided at the top of the furnace chamber 2 to slowly discharge an equal amount of waste gas, while the air pump 15 at the top continuously replenishes and heats an equal amount of fresh air, thus creating a dynamic and stable micro-positive pressure convection circulation heating environment within the furnace chamber 2. This is the working principle of this annealing treatment equipment for optical glass production.

[0064] Finally: The above description is only a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. An annealing treatment apparatus for optical glass production, comprising a furnace body (1), characterized in that: The furnace body (1) is provided with a furnace cavity (2) inside. The furnace cavity (2) is provided with a heat insulation board (3) inside. An inner liner (4) is provided on one side of the heat insulation board (3). A heating element (5) is provided inside the inner liner (4). An air inlet pipe (51) is provided above the heating element (5). An air outlet pipe (52) is provided below the heating element (5). An air outlet (6) is connected to one side of the air outlet pipe (52). A receiving plate (7) is provided above the air outlet (6). A sealed air chamber (71) is provided below the receiving plate (7). A working station (8) is provided on the surface of the receiving plate (7). The working station (8) includes a central air hole (81), a middle ring air hole (82), and an outer ring air hole (83). The work station (8) is capable of accommodating the material to be processed. The blowing direction of the central air hole (81) is perpendicular to the bottom of the material to be processed. The blowing direction of the outer ring air hole (83) is the centripetal angle direction of the material to be processed. The blowing direction of the middle ring air hole (82) is tangent to the circumference of the material to be processed. The receiving plate (7) is slidably connected to the furnace cavity (2).

2. The annealing equipment for optical glass production according to claim 1, characterized in that: The central air hole (81) is set perpendicular to the surface of the receiving plate (7), the middle ring air hole (82) is set at an angle relative to the surface normal of the receiving plate (7) and the projection of its central axis on the horizontal plane is perpendicular to the radial direction of the working station (8), and the outer ring air hole (83) is set at an angle relative to the surface normal of the receiving plate (7) and its central axis points to the center of the working station (8).

3. The annealing equipment for optical glass production according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom of the inner liner (4) is provided with a support (12), the inner liner (4) is provided with a heating plate (13), the heating element (5) is provided on the outer wall of the heating plate (13), one side of the heating element (5) is connected to a main pipe (14) through the air inlet pipe (51), and one side of the main pipe (14) is provided with an air pump (15).

4. The annealing equipment for optical glass production according to claim 3, characterized in that: The heating plate (13) has an air outlet (16) at its top, and the air outlet (16) is connected to an air outlet pipe (17). The outlet end of the air outlet pipe (17) is provided with a cover plate (18).

5. The annealing equipment for optical glass production according to claim 4, characterized in that: A flow guide ring (9) is provided above the receiving plate (7), and a heat equalization plate (10) is provided above the flow guide ring (9).

6. The annealing equipment for optical glass production according to claim 5, characterized in that: A fixed bracket (91) is connected to one side of the outer wall of the flow guide ring (9). A spiral flow guide plate (92) is provided inside the flow guide ring (9). Several groups of flow guide rings (9) are provided, and each group of flow guide rings (9) is connected to each other through the spiral flow guide plate (92).

7. The annealing equipment for optical glass production according to claim 1, characterized in that: The receiving plate (7) is an integrally formed high-temperature resistant ceramic casting. The sealed air chamber (71) is formed inside the receiving plate (7), and the sealed air chamber (71) is connected to the air hole of the working station (8). Several sets of the working stations (8) are arranged in a matrix on the surface of the receiving plate (7), and auxiliary air holes (11) are provided between adjacent working stations (8).

8. The annealing equipment for optical glass production according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom of the receiving plate (7) is provided with a sliding bracket (72), one side of the sliding bracket (72) is connected to a slide rail (73), the other side of the sliding bracket (72) is provided with a handle (74), and the sealed air chamber (71) is connected to the air outlet (6) through a hose.

9. The annealing equipment for optical glass production according to claim 1, characterized in that: An inner door (41) is provided on one side of the inner liner (4), and an outer door (21) is provided on one side of the inner door (41). The outer door (21) is connected to the furnace body (1). A control console (22) is provided on one side of the furnace body (1), and support legs (23) are provided at the four corners of the bottom of the furnace body (1).

10. An annealing treatment apparatus for optical glass production according to claim 2, characterized in that: The angle between the central axis of the central ring vent (82) and the normal direction of the surface of the receiving plate (7) is 15-45 degrees.

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