Melting furnace and method for manufacturing glass article

Abstract

To stably support an arched ceiling wall over a long period of time.SOLUTION: A melting furnace 1 for heating and melting a glass raw material to produce a molten glass Gm includes: an arched ceiling wall 3c; a ceiling support brick 3d for supporting an end face 3ca of the ceiling wall 3c; a holder 5 for holding the ceiling support brick 3d; and a pillar 4 for supporting the holder 5.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a melting furnace and a method for producing a glass article using the same. [Background technology]

[0002] As is well known, glass articles such as glass plates, glass tubes, and glass fibers are produced by heating and melting glass raw materials in a melting furnace to produce molten glass, and then molding the molten glass into a predetermined shape.

[0003] A melting furnace generally comprises a melting tank for producing and storing molten glass, and an upper structure for covering the space above the melting tank.

[0004] The upper structure of the melting furnace may be provided with an arched ceiling wall, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example.

[0005] The document also discloses that the ends (both ends) of the arched ceiling wall (1a) are held by L-shaped holders (8) attached to supports (3a) (see Figure 1 in the document).

[0006] The document also discloses that the retainer (8) is made of a material such as steel SS400 (see paragraph 0039 of the document). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] JP 2008-1538 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] However, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, if the ends of an arch-shaped ceiling wall made of fire-resistant materials such as firebricks are directly held by holders made of metal such as steel, the ends of the ceiling wall are easily damaged, which causes a problem that the ceiling wall cannot be stably supported for a long period of time.

[0009] In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a technical solution for stably supporting an arched ceiling wall for a long period of time. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] (1) A first aspect of the present invention, which has been invented to solve the above problems, is a melting furnace for heating and melting glass raw materials to produce molten glass, characterized in that it comprises an arched ceiling wall, ceiling support bricks supporting end faces of the ceiling wall, a holder for holding the ceiling support brick, and supports supporting the holder.

[0011] With this configuration, the end faces of the arched ceiling wall are supported by the ceiling support bricks, and the ceiling support bricks are held by holders supported by the columns, making the ends of the ceiling wall less susceptible to damage. This makes it possible to stably support the arched ceiling wall for a long period of time.

[0012] (2) In the configuration of (1) above, the retainer has a lower support portion that supports the ceiling support brick from below and a lateral support portion that supports the ceiling support brick from the side, and the end face of the ceiling wall abuts against the receiving surface of the ceiling support brick, and the abutment surface of the end face with the receiving surface is an inclined surface that is inclined at the same angle as the receiving surface, and the retainer is configured to receive a force that rotates the ceiling support brick downward around a corner of the ceiling support brick that corresponds to the corner between the lower support portion and the lateral support portion as its center.

[0013] In this way, even if the wall portion disposed below the ceiling support brick is removed, for example, during repair or inspection of the melting furnace, the ceiling support brick will not rotate downward with the above-mentioned corner portion as its center. Therefore, if the retainer is configured to be fixed to the support column as described below when the wall portion is removed, the ceiling wall will be supported by the ceiling support brick and the retainer. This prevents the ceiling wall from collapsing. As a result, the ceiling wall can be reused as is when the melting furnace is restarted after repair or inspection.

[0014] (3) In the above configuration (1), the holder may be supported by a support so as to be vertically movable.

[0015] In this way, even if the wall portion located below the ceiling support brick expands or contracts vertically due to the effects of heat, the retainer moves up and down in response, so that the ceiling support brick can always be properly held in place.

[0016] (4) In any of the configurations (1) to (3) above, the holder may be supported by a support so as to be vertically movable at least when the melting furnace is in operation, and may be fixed to the support when the wall portion located below the ceiling support brick is removed.

[0017] In this way, the holder can properly hold the ceiling wall both when the melting furnace is in operation and when the wall portion is removed.

[0018] (5) In any of the above configurations (1) to (4), the ceiling support brick may include a first brick on the ceiling wall side and a second brick on the holder side, and the first brick may be exposed in the melting furnace and the second brick may not be exposed in the melting furnace.

[0019] In this way, the second brick is less susceptible to the effects of heat from inside the melting furnace, and thermal conduction from the ceiling support brick to the holder and the support pillars is suppressed, allowing the ceiling support brick to be properly held by the support pillars and holder for the long term.

[0020] (6) In the above configuration (5), the first brick may have higher heat resistance and / or corrosion resistance than the second brick.

[0021] In this way, early deterioration of the first bricks which directly support the ceiling wall can be suppressed, so that the ceiling wall can be properly supported for a long period of time.

[0022] (7) In the above configuration (5) or (6), the second brick may have a better heat retention than the first brick.

[0023] In this way, heat inside the melting furnace is less likely to escape to the outside, thereby improving energy efficiency during operation of the melting furnace.

[0024] (8) In any of the above configurations (5) to (7), the contact surfaces of the first brick and the second brick may be in contact with each other using a slippage prevention structure.

[0025] In this way, it is possible to prevent the first brick from slipping off the second brick and collapsing, and the resulting collapse of the ceiling wall.

[0026] (9) In any of the above configurations (1) to (8), the ceiling support brick may have a protrusion that protrudes toward the support column.

[0027] In this way, the protrusions can be effectively used to support the ceiling support bricks on the supports via the holders.

[0028] (10) In the above configuration (9), the holder may have a recess for receiving the protrusion.

[0029] In this way, the vertical dimension of the holder can be shortened to make it lighter and more compact, and the holder can be moved reliably in response to the vertical movement of the ceiling support brick.

[0030] (11) A second aspect of the present invention, invented to solve the above problems, is a method for manufacturing a glass article, characterized in that it includes a step of producing molten glass using a melting furnace having the configuration of any one of (1) to (10) above.

[0031] This manufacturing method can also provide substantially the same effects as the melting furnace having any one of the configurations (1) to (10) above. Effect of the Invention

[0032] According to the present invention, it is possible to stably support an arch-shaped ceiling wall for a long period of time. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0033] [Figure 1] 1 is a vertical sectional side view showing an overall configuration of a melting furnace according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 2 is a longitudinal sectional front view of the melting furnace shown in FIG. 1 taken along line AA. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional front view showing a main part of an upper portion of the melting furnace according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional front view showing a main part of the upper structure of a melting furnace according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is an enlarged vertical sectional front view showing a main part of the upper structure of a melting furnace according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is an enlarged vertical sectional front view showing a main part of an upper structure of a melting furnace according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional front view showing a main portion of an upper structure of a melting furnace according to a first modified example of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is an enlarged vertical sectional front view showing a main portion of the upper structure of a melting furnace according to a second modified example of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is an enlarged vertical sectional front view showing a main portion of an upper structure of a melting furnace according to a third modified example of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0034] Hereinafter, a melting furnace and a method for manufacturing a glass article using the same according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0035] [First embodiment] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal side view (sectional view from the side direction) showing a melting furnace 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a longitudinal front view (sectional view from the front direction) of the melting furnace 1 shown in FIG. 1 cut along line AA. As shown in these figures, the melting furnace 1 is roughly divided into a melting tank 2 for producing and storing molten glass Gm, and an upper structure 3 for covering an upper space K of the melting tank 2. In the following description, the starting point side of an arrow F showing a flow direction (a direction from a supply side of glass raw materials to be described later toward a discharge side of molten glass) in FIG. 1 is referred to as a "front side", and the end point side is referred to as a "rear side". In addition, the direction of the arrow B in FIG. 2 is referred to as a "right side", and the direction of the arrow C is referred to as a "left side" (similar to FIGS. 3 to 9).

[0036] The melting tank 2 includes a bottom wall 2a constituting the bottom of the furnace and four base side walls 2b constituting the furnace side parts. The four base side walls 2b are arranged to form a rectangular shape in a plan view, and are located on the front side, rear side, right side, and left side, respectively. The bottom wall 2a is formed of a plurality of refractory bricks. The base side wall 2b can be formed by arranging refractory blocks long in the vertical direction in the horizontal direction, but may also be formed by arranging a plurality of refractory bricks in the vertical and horizontal directions. The bottom wall 2a may be provided with an electrode (not shown) for heating the molten glass Gm while immersed in the molten glass Gm. Instead of the electrode on the bottom wall 2a, or in addition to the electrode on the bottom wall 2a, electrodes may be provided on the right and left base side walls 2b. The rear base side wall 2b is provided with an outlet 1x for discharging the molten glass Gm.

[0037] The upper structure 3 includes intermediate support bricks 3a arranged above the four base side walls 2b, and upper side walls 3b arranged above the four intermediate support bricks 3a. An arch-shaped ceiling wall 3c is arranged at the upper end of the upper structure 3. The four intermediate support bricks 3a can be formed by arranging a plurality of refractory bricks in a horizontal direction. The four upper side walls 3b can be formed by arranging long refractory blocks in a vertical direction in a horizontal direction, but may be formed by arranging a plurality of refractory bricks in a vertical and horizontal direction. A supplying machine (not shown) for supplying glass raw material into the melting furnace 1 is provided on the upper side wall 3b located at the front side. The ceiling wall 3c is formed by arranging a plurality of refractory bricks in an arch shape.

[0038] A number of supporting columns 4 extending in the vertical direction are arranged on the outside of the melting tank 2 and the superstructure 3, and four of these supporting columns 4 are shown in Figures 1 and 2. As shown in Figure 2, each pair of supporting columns 4 is arranged outside the left and right sides of the melting tank 2 and the superstructure 3, respectively, and each pair of supporting columns 4 is arranged opposite each other, as shown in Figure 1. The supporting columns 4 can be made of shaped steel such as H-shaped steel.

[0039] As shown in Fig. 2, ceiling support bricks 3d are arranged above the right and left upper side walls 3b, and the ceiling wall 3c is supported by each of the ceiling support bricks 3d. Each of the ceiling support bricks 3d is held by a respective holder 5. Each holder 5 is supported by a respective support column 4.

[0040] More specifically, each holder 5 is made of metal such as ordinary steel, stainless steel, heat-resistant steel, etc. As shown in Fig. 1, each holder 5 extends over the entire length of the superstructure 3 in the flow direction. Furthermore, as shown in the figure, each holder 5 is supported by two columns 4.

[0041] 2, a plurality of ceiling support bricks 3d are arranged in the flow direction, and each of the plurality of ceiling support bricks 3d is held by a corresponding holder 5. Also, each of the plurality of ceiling support bricks 3d is supported from below by a corresponding upper side wall 3b.

[0042] The melting furnace 1 according to this embodiment has the same configuration on the right and left sides and is symmetrical, so only the components on the right side of the melting furnace 1 will be described below.

[0043] FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional front view showing an enlarged view of the main part of the upper structure of the melting furnace 1. As shown in the figure, the end face 3ca of the ceiling wall 3c abuts against the receiving surface 3da of the ceiling receiving brick 3d. In this case, the abutting surface 3cb of the end face 3ca with the receiving surface 3da is an inclined surface inclined at the same angle as the receiving surface 3da. The inclination angle α of this abutting surface 3cb with respect to the horizontal plane is set to be greater than 45° and less than 70°. The lower limit of this inclination angle α is preferably greater than 50°, more preferably greater than 55°. The upper limit of this inclination angle α is preferably less than 65°.

[0044] The ceiling support brick 3d has a protrusion 3e that protrudes toward the support column 4. More specifically, the ceiling support brick 3d has a main body 3f and a protrusion 3e that protrudes from a right end face 3fa of the main body 3f toward the support column 4. The right end face 3fa of the main body 3f is a vertical surface. The cross section of the protrusion 3e in a vertical plane that includes a straight line parallel to the flow direction F is rectangular. The right end face 3ea of ​​the protrusion 3e is a vertical surface.

[0045] The lower end surface 3fb of the main body 3f of the ceiling support brick 3d abuts against the upper end surface (receiving surface) 3ba of the right upper side wall 3b. This receiving surface 3ba is a horizontal surface. The lower end surface 3eb of the convex portion 3e of the ceiling support brick 3d is located above the lower end surface 3fb of the main body 3f by a first predetermined dimension L1, but may be located at the same height as the lower end surface 3fb of the main body 3f. The upper end surface 3ec of the convex portion 3e of the ceiling support brick 3d is located below the upper end surface 3fc of the main body 3f by a second predetermined dimension L2. The second predetermined dimension L2 is longer than the first predetermined dimension L1. In this embodiment, the second predetermined dimension L2 is at least twice as long as the first predetermined dimension L1. The upper end surface 3fc of the main body 3f is a horizontal surface. The vertical dimension L3 of the main body 3f is 1.1 to 2.5 times the vertical dimension L4 of the convex portion 3e. The horizontal dimension L5 of the main body 3f is 1.5 to 5 times the horizontal dimension L6 of the protrusion 3e.

[0046] The holder 5 has a lower support portion 5a that supports the ceiling support brick 3d from below, and a side support portion 5b that supports the ceiling support brick 3d from the side. The lower support portion 5a and the side support portion 5b are integrally formed. In this embodiment, the holder 5 has an upper support portion 5c that supports the ceiling support brick 3d from above. The upper support portion 5c and the side support portion 5b are integrally formed. The side support portion 5b is a vertical plate-like portion. The upper support portion 5c and the lower support portion 5a are both horizontal plate-like portions. In this embodiment, the inner surfaces of the upper support portion 5c and the lower support portion 5a are horizontal surfaces, but may be tapered surfaces.

[0047] The retainer 5 supports only the protruding portion 3e of the ceiling support brick 3d. Therefore, the lower support portion 5a abuts against the lower end surface 3eb of the protruding portion 3e, and the side support portion 5b abuts against the right end surface 3ea of ​​the protruding portion 3e. In the illustrated example, the upper support portion 5c abuts against the upper end surface 3ec of the protruding portion 3e, but it does not have to be abutting. Both the lower support portion 5a and the upper support portion 5c are separated from the right end surface 3fa of the main body portion 3f of the ceiling support brick 3d. The retainer 5 does not interfere with the upper side wall 3b.

[0048] The right end surface 5ba of the side support portion 5b of the holder 5 abuts against the left end surface 4a of the support column 4. In this case, at least when the melting furnace 1 is in operation, the right end surface 5ba of the side support portion 5b of the holder 5 only contacts the left end surface 4a of the support column 4. Therefore, at this time, the holder 5 is supported by the support column 4 so as to be able to move up and down. On the other hand, when the melting furnace 1 is not in operation, for example, when the upper side wall 3b is to be removed during repair or inspection of the melting furnace 1, the holder 5 is fixed to the support column 4.

[0049] Under the above configuration, the holder 5 is configured to receive a force that rotates the ceiling support brick 3d downward as shown by the arrow D, with the corner 3ex of the ceiling support brick 3d corresponding to the corner 5x between the lower support part 5a and the side support part 5b of the holder 5 as the center. Here, the corner 3ex of the ceiling support brick 3d exists in the protruding part 3e and includes the contact part of the protruding part 3e with the lower support part 5a. In addition, the imaginary straight line Lx, which indicates the direction of the force that the receiving surface 3da of the ceiling support brick 3d receives from the ceiling wall 3c, is configured to intersect with the side support part 5b of the holder 5. In the illustrated example, the imaginary straight line Lx intersects at the lower part of the side support part 5b, but it is sufficient that the imaginary straight line Lx intersects within the range from the lower end to the upper end of the side support part 5b.

[0050] Next, the main effects of the melting furnace 1 having the above-mentioned configuration will be described.

[0051] In the melting furnace 1, the end surface 3ca (contact surface 3cb) of the arch-shaped ceiling wall 3c is supported by the ceiling support brick 3d, and the ceiling support brick 3d is held by the holder 5 supported by the support column 4, so that the end portion of the ceiling wall 3c (the periphery of the contact surface 3cb) is less likely to be damaged. This makes it possible to stably support the arch-shaped ceiling wall 3c for a long period of time.

[0052] The ceiling wall 3c, the ceiling support brick 3d, and the holder 5 are configured so that the holder 5 receives the force of the ceiling support brick 3d rotating downward with the corner 3ex of the ceiling support brick 3d corresponding to the corner 5x between the lower support part 5a and the side support part 5b of the holder 5 as the center. Therefore, even if the upper side wall 3b or the base side wall 2b arranged below the ceiling support brick 3d is removed during repair and inspection of the melting furnace 1, the ceiling support brick 3d does not rotate downward with the corner 3ex as the center. Moreover, at this point, the holder 5 is fixed to the support column 4. This makes it possible to prevent the ceiling support brick 3d from rotating downward with the corner 3ex of the ceiling support brick 3d as the center, and the ceiling wall 3c is supported (clamped) by the ceiling support brick 3d, the holder 5, and the support column 4 as it is. Therefore, the ceiling wall 3c does not collapse. As a result, when the melting furnace 1 is restarted after repair, inspection, etc., the ceiling wall 3c can be reused as is.

[0053] In order to configure the holder 5 to receive the force of the ceiling support brick 3d rotating downward with the corner 3ex of the ceiling support brick 3d as the center, the virtual line Lx should intersect with the side support portion 5b of the holder 5. Here, the virtual line Lx indicates the direction of the force that the receiving surface 3da of the ceiling support brick 3d receives from the ceiling wall 3c. In this way, when the virtual line Lx intersects with the side support portion 5b of the holder 5, the holder 5 can receive the force of the ceiling support brick 3d rotating downward with the corner 3ex as the center. By adjusting the direction of the virtual line Lx and the dimensions L1 to L6 of the ceiling support brick 3d, the virtual line Lx of the ceiling support brick 3d can be made to intersect with the side support portion 5b of the holder 5. The direction of the virtual line Lx can be adjusted by changing the inclination angle α.

[0054] Since the retainer 5 is supported by the support pillars 4 so as to be able to move up and down, even if the upper side wall 3b, intermediate support brick 3a, and base side wall 2b, which are located below the ceiling support brick 3d, expand or contract in the vertical direction due to the effects of heat, the retainer 5 moves up and down in response to this, so that the ceiling support brick 3d can always be properly held in place.

[0055] The holder 5 is supported by the pillars 4 so as to be able to move up and down at least when the melting furnace 1 is in operation, and is fixed to the pillars 4 when the upper side wall 3b arranged below the ceiling support brick 3d is removed, so that the ceiling support brick 3d can be properly held at any of the above times.

[0056] The holder 5 has a recess that receives the protrusion 3e of the ceiling support brick 3d. The recess of the holder 5 is composed of an upper support portion 5c, a side support portion 5b, and a lower support portion 5a. This makes it possible to reduce the vertical dimension of the holder 5, making it lighter and more compact, and also allows the holder 5 to reliably move in response to the vertical movement of the ceiling support brick 3d.

[0057] [Second embodiment] FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional front view showing a main part of the upper structure of the melting furnace 1 according to the second embodiment. As shown in the figure, the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the ceiling support brick 3d is divided into a first brick 3d1 and a second brick 3d2. The first brick 3d1 is exposed to the inside of the melting furnace 1 (upper space K), and the second brick 3d2 is not exposed to the inside of the melting furnace 1 and is covered by the first brick 3d1. As a result, the second brick 3d2 is less susceptible to the heat from inside the melting furnace 1 than the first brick 3d1, and accordingly, the heat conduction from the second brick 3d2 to the holder 5 and the support 4 is suppressed. As a result, the support 4 and the holder 5 can appropriately hold the ceiling support brick 3d for a long period of time. The contact surfaces 3d1a and 3d2a of the first brick 3d1 and the second brick 3d2 are both inclined surfaces inclined at the same angle α in the same direction as the support surface 3da of the ceiling support brick 3d. Here, the first brick 3d1 has better heat resistance and / or corrosion resistance than the second brick 3d2. This can suppress early deterioration of the first brick 3d1 that abuts against the end face 3ca of the ceiling wall 3c, so that the ceiling wall 3c can be properly supported for a long period of time. In addition, the second brick 3d2 has better heat retention than the first brick. This makes it difficult for heat in the melting furnace 1 to escape to the outside, so that the energy efficiency during operation of the melting furnace 1 can be improved. In order to satisfy the above requirements, for example, it is preferable to use an electrocast brick as the first brick 3d1 and a mullite-based brick as the second brick 3d2. As another example, it is preferable to use an alumina zircon brick as the first brick 3d1 and a mullite-based brick as the second brick 3d2. Since the other configurations and effects are the same as those of the first embodiment described above, the main components common to both embodiments are given the same reference numerals in FIG. 4, and their explanations are omitted.

[0058] [Third embodiment] FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional front view showing the main part of the upper structure of the melting furnace 1 according to the third embodiment. As shown in the figure, the third embodiment differs from the second embodiment in that the contact surfaces 3d1a, 3d2a of the first brick 3d1 and the second brick 3d2 are in contact with each other using a slip prevention structure 6. The slip prevention structure 6 is formed by forming a first step portion 6x protruding toward the holder 5 on the contact surface 3d1a of the first brick 3d1, and forming a second step portion 6y protruding toward the ceiling wall 3c on the contact surface 3d2a of the second brick 3d2, and joining the first step portion 6x and the second step portion 6y. By providing such a slip prevention structure 6, it is possible to prevent the first brick 3d1 from slipping off the second brick 3d2 and the associated collapse of the ceiling wall 3c. The other configurations and effects are the same as those of the second embodiment, so that the same reference numerals are given to the components common to both embodiments in FIG. 5, and their explanations are omitted.

[0059] [Fourth embodiment] FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional front view showing the main part of the upper structure of the melting furnace 1 according to the fourth embodiment. As shown in the figure, the difference between the fourth embodiment and the third embodiment is that the inclination angle β of the contact surfaces 3d1a, 3d2a of the first brick 3d1 and the second brick 3d2 with respect to the horizontal plane is smaller than the inclination angle α described above as a slip prevention structure 6. This slip prevention structure 6 can prevent the first brick 3d1 from collapsing due to sliding from the second brick 3d2 and the associated collapse of the ceiling wall 3c by a wedge action. Since the other configurations and effects are the same as those of the third embodiment, the same reference numerals are given to the components common to both embodiments in FIG. 6, and their explanations are omitted.

[0060] Next, a method for producing a glass article according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0061] The present manufacturing method includes a molten glass producing step, a transporting step, and a forming step.

[0062] The molten glass producing step is a step in which glass raw materials are heated and melted in the melting furnace 1 having the above-described configuration to produce molten glass Gm.

[0063] The transport step is a step of transporting the molten glass Gm generated in the molten glass generating step from the outlet passage 1x (see FIG. 1) of the melting furnace 1 to a forming device. The transport step may include, as necessary, a fining step of removing bubbles from the molten glass Gm in a fining tank provided on the transport path, a stirring step of stirring the molten glass Gm in a stirring tank, and a condition adjusting step of adjusting the viscosity of the molten glass Gm to a value suitable for forming or adjusting the flow rate.

[0064] The forming step is a step of forming a glass article from the molten glass Gm transferred in the transferring step by a forming device. In this forming step, the glass article is formed into a glass plate, a glass tube, a glass fiber, or the like.

[0065] Although an embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications are possible without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0066] For example, in the above embodiment, the ceiling support brick 3d is formed with a protrusion 3e and this protrusion 3e is supported by the retainer 5, but as shown in Fig. 7, the ceiling support brick 3d may not be formed with the protrusion 3e and may be supported by the retainer 5. Even in this case, the ceiling support brick 3d may be divided into a first brick 3d1 and a second brick 3d2 in the same manner as in the second to fourth embodiments described above.

[0067] In the above embodiment, only the protruding portion 3e of the ceiling support brick 3d is supported by the retainer 5, but as shown in Fig. 8, in addition to the protruding portion 3e of the ceiling support brick 3d, the main body portion 3f may also be supported by the retainer 5. Even in this case, the ceiling support brick 3d may be divided into a first brick 3d1 and a second brick 3d2 in the same manner as in the second to fourth embodiments described above.

[0068] In the above embodiment, the side support portion 5b of the holder 5 is in contact with the support pillar 4, but as shown in Fig. 9, a connecting member 7 extending toward the ceiling support brick 3d may be attached to the support pillar 4, and the holder 5 may be supported by this connecting member 7. Even in this case, the ceiling support brick 3d may be divided into a first brick 3d1 and a second brick 3d2 in the same manner as in the second to fourth embodiments described above.

[0069] In the above embodiment, the holder 5 includes the lower support portion 5a, the side support portion 5b, and the upper support portion 5c, but the upper support portion 5c may not be included.

[0070] In the above embodiment, the number of support pillars 4 is four, but the number of support pillars 4 may be five or more.

[0071] In the above embodiment, the entire end face 3ca of the ceiling wall 3c is flush with the contact surface 3cb, but the area of ​​the end face 3ca other than the contact surface 3cb does not have to be flush with the contact surface 3cb.

[0072] In the above embodiment, no member for guiding the vertical movement of the holder 5 is provided, but a guide rail or the like for guiding the vertical movement of the holder 5 may be attached to the support 4. [Explanation of symbols]

[0073] 1 Melting furnace 2 Melting tank 3 Superstructure 3b Upper side wall 3c Ceiling wall 3ca End face of ceiling wall 3cb Ceiling wall contact surface 3d Ceiling support brick 3d1 First Brick 3d1a First brick abutment surface 3d2 second brick 3d2a Second brick abutment surface 3da Ceiling support brick support surface 3e Ceiling support brick protrusion 3ex Corner of ceiling support brick 4 pillars 5 Holder 5a Lower support part of the holder 5b Side support part of holder 5x Corner between lower support and side support 6 Anti-slip structure Gm Molten Glass Lx Virtual line

Claims

1. A melting furnace for heating and melting glass raw materials to produce molten glass, A melting furnace comprising: an arched ceiling wall; a ceiling support brick supporting an end face of the ceiling wall; a holder for holding the ceiling support brick; and a support column for supporting the holder.

2. The retainer has a lower support portion that supports the ceiling support brick from below and a side support portion that supports the ceiling support brick from a side, The end surface of the ceiling wall abuts against the receiving surface of the ceiling receiving brick, and the abutment surface of the end surface with the receiving surface is an inclined surface that is inclined at the same angle as the receiving surface, The melting furnace according to claim 1, characterized in that the holding device is configured to receive a force that rotates the ceiling support brick downward around a corner of the ceiling support brick corresponding to a corner between the lower support portion and the side support portion as a center portion.

3. 2. The melting furnace according to claim 1, wherein the holder is supported by the support so as to be movable up and down.

4. A melting furnace as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the retaining device is supported by the support pillar so as to be movable up and down at least when the melting furnace is in operation, and is fixed to the support pillar when the wall portion located below the ceiling support brick is removed.

5. A melting furnace as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the ceiling support brick comprises a first brick on the ceiling wall side and a second brick on the holder side, and the first brick is exposed to the melting furnace and the second brick is not exposed to the melting furnace.

6. 6. The melting furnace according to claim 5, wherein the first brick has higher heat resistance and / or corrosion resistance than the second brick.

7. 6. The melting furnace according to claim 5, wherein the second brick has better heat retention than the first brick.

8. 6. The melting furnace according to claim 5, wherein the contact surfaces of the first brick and the second brick are contacted with each other using a slippage prevention structure.

9. 4. The melting furnace according to claim 1, wherein the ceiling support brick has a protrusion protruding toward the support column.

10. 10. The melting furnace according to claim 9, wherein the holder has a recess for receiving the protrusion.

11. A method for producing a glass article, comprising the step of producing molten glass using the melting furnace according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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