Molten glass transfer device, glass article manufacturing device, and glass article manufacturing method

Abstract

To efficiently increase a flow rate of molten glass while securing cooling capacity by taking a proper device in peripheral equipment of a transfer pipe.SOLUTION: A molten glass transfer device 3 includes: a transfer pipe P through which a molten glass Gm circulates; a holding brick 14 arranged on an outer peripheral side of the transfer pipe P to hold the transfer pipe P; a casing 16 housing the transfer pipe P and the holding brick 14 therein and interposed with a space 15 between the casing and the holding brick 14; and a cooling device 18 for cooling the casing 16.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a molten glass transfer device having a configuration in which a transfer pipe and a retaining brick that holds the transfer pipe are housed inside a casing, an apparatus for manufacturing a glass article using the transfer device, and a method for manufacturing a glass article using the transfer device. [Background technology]

[0002] As is well known, when manufacturing glass articles such as glass sheets and glass tubes, molten glass is transferred from a melting furnace to a forming device by a molten glass transfer device. A transfer pipe is disposed in the transfer path of the molten glass in this transfer device.

[0003] The main transfer pipes include, in order from the upstream side of the transfer path, those constituting a fining tank, a stirring tank, a cooling pipe, etc. There are also transfer pipes constituting an upstream connecting pipe interposed between the melting furnace and the fining tank, a midstream connecting pipe interposed between the fining tank and the stirring tank, etc.

[0004] Patent Document 1 (see Figure 4 of the document) discloses a specific example of peripheral equipment for these transfer pipes. This equipment consists of retaining bricks (electroformed bricks) surrounding the outer periphery of the transfer pipe, and a casing (restraint means) arranged around the outer periphery of the retaining bricks with a space in between. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-88754 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In the field of glass article manufacturing, molten glass transported through a transfer pipe may be cooled to a desired temperature or viscosity. Meanwhile, in order to improve productivity, it is desirable to increase the flow rate of molten glass transported through the transfer pipe. For example, lengthening the transfer pipe for cooling the molten glass would increase the flow rate of molten glass while maintaining the required cooling capacity, but this would result in an increase in the size of the transfer device and in equipment costs. To meet the demand for efficiently increasing the flow rate of molten glass while maintaining the required cooling capacity, it is effective to devise improvements to the peripheral equipment of the transfer pipe. However, the peripheral equipment of the transfer pipe disclosed in Patent Document 1 securely restrains the retaining bricks with a casing to stabilize the production of glass articles, but it is not capable of meeting the demand for increasing the flow rate of molten glass.

[0007] In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to efficiently increase the flow rate of molten glass while ensuring cooling capacity by providing appropriate measures to the peripheral equipment of the transfer pipe. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A first aspect of the present invention, which was invented to solve the above problems, is a molten glass transfer device comprising a transfer pipe through which molten glass flows, a retaining brick arranged on the outer periphery of the transfer pipe to hold the transfer pipe, and a casing in which the transfer pipe and the retaining brick are housed and a space is interposed between the transfer pipe and the retaining brick, and characterized by the provision of a cooling device for cooling the casing.

[0009] According to this configuration, the casing is cooled by the cooling device, which cools the retaining bricks and the transfer pipe, thereby cooling the molten glass in the transfer pipe. This improves the cooling efficiency of the molten glass, shortening the time required to bring the molten glass to an appropriate viscosity (e.g., a viscosity suitable for forming a glass article). As a result, the flow rate of molten glass transferred through the transfer pipe can be efficiently increased, improving the productivity of glass articles. Furthermore, the space between the casing and the retaining bricks is effectively used to mitigate the effects of changes in ambient temperature on the molten glass in the transfer pipe. Furthermore, this space is also effectively used to uniformly cool the retaining bricks and the transfer pipe.

[0010] In this configuration, the cooling device may have a nozzle that sprays a cooling liquid onto the casing.

[0011] This arrangement can be applied to equipment that already has a casing as a peripheral equipment for the transfer pipe, thereby reducing equipment costs. In addition, the cooling effect of the heat of vaporization can be obtained, and the cooling efficiency of the molten glass can be sufficiently improved.

[0012] In this configuration, the cooling device may include a recovery device that recovers the cooling liquid injected into the casing.

[0013] This allows the coolant to be circulated and used, reducing the amount of coolant used and eliminating waste.

[0014] In the above configuration, the cooling device may include a cooling flow path provided in the casing through which a cooling liquid flows, and a liquid supply / discharge device that supplies / discharges the cooling liquid to / from the cooling flow path.

[0015] In this way, the casing itself has a cooling flow path through which the coolant is supplied and discharged, which further improves the cooling efficiency of the molten glass and more efficiently increases the flow rate of the molten glass transported through the transfer pipe.

[0016] The above-described configuration may further include a gas supply / exhaust device that supplies / exhausts gas to / from the space.

[0017] In this way, the gas supplied and discharged into the space by the gas supply and discharge device also cools the retaining bricks and the transfer pipe, thereby cooling the molten glass in the transfer pipe, thereby significantly improving the cooling efficiency of the molten glass due to the synergistic effect with the cooling of the casing.

[0018] A second aspect of the present invention, which has been devised to solve the above-mentioned problems, is characterized in that a manufacturing apparatus for producing a glass article includes a molding device that molds a glass article from molten glass transferred by the above-mentioned molten glass transfer device.

[0019] According to this configuration, the molten glass having an increased flow rate due to being transferred by the molten glass transfer device is supplied to the forming device of the manufacturing apparatus, and the forming device forms a glass article, thereby improving the productivity of the glass article.

[0020] A third aspect of the present invention, which has been devised to solve the above-mentioned problems, is characterized in that a manufacturing method for producing a glass article includes a molding step of molding a glass article from molten glass transferred by the above-mentioned molten glass transfer device.

[0021] According to this configuration, the molten glass having an increased flow rate due to being transferred by the molten glass transfer device is supplied to the forming process of the manufacturing device, and the glass article is formed by performing the forming process, thereby improving the productivity of the glass article. [Effects of the Invention]

[0022] According to the present invention, by providing appropriate measures for the peripheral equipment of the transfer pipe, it has become possible to efficiently increase the flow rate of molten glass while ensuring cooling capacity. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view showing an outline of the overall configuration of a molten glass transfer device and a glass article manufacturing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view showing a first example of a transfer pipe that is a component of a molten glass transfer device and a glass article manufacturing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a second example of a transfer pipe that is a component of a molten glass transfer device and a glass article manufacturing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a third example of a transfer pipe that is a component of a molten glass transfer device and a glass article manufacturing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] 1 is a vertical cross-sectional front view showing a first example of peripheral equipment for a transfer pipe, which is a component of a molten glass transfer device and a glass article manufacturing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a longitudinal sectional front view showing a second example of peripheral equipment for a transfer pipe, which is a component of a molten glass transfer device and a glass article manufacturing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] Hereinafter, a molten glass transferring device, a glass article manufacturing device, and a glass article manufacturing method according to embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0025] Fig. 1 illustrates an example of a manufacturing apparatus for a glass article according to the present invention. As shown in the figure, this manufacturing apparatus 1 roughly includes a melting furnace 2 disposed at the upstream end for heating glass raw materials to produce molten glass Gm, a molten glass transfer device (hereinafter simply referred to as a transfer device) 3 for transferring the molten glass Gm flowing out of the melting furnace 2 toward the downstream side, and a forming device 4 for forming a glass ribbon Gr using the molten glass Gm supplied from the transfer device 3.

[0026] Transfer device 3 comprises, in order from the upstream side, a fining tank 5, a stirring tank 6, and a condition adjusting tank 7. Inlet port 5a of fining tank 5 is connected to outlet port 2b of melting furnace 2 via an upstream connecting pipe 8. Outlet port 5b of fining tank 5 is connected to inlet port 6a of stirring tank 6 via a midstream connecting pipe 9. Outlet port 6b of stirring tank 6 is connected to inlet port 7a of condition adjusting tank 7 via a cooling pipe 10.

[0027] The fining tank 5 is used to perform a fining treatment on the molten glass Gm produced in the melting furnace 2. The stirring tank 6 is used to perform a homogenization treatment by stirring the molten glass Gm that has been subjected to the fining treatment. The cooling pipe 10 is used to cool the molten glass Gm that has been subjected to the homogenization treatment and adjust its viscosity, flow rate, etc. The condition adjusting tank 7 is used to further adjust the viscosity, flow rate, etc. of the cooled molten glass Gm. Note that a plurality of stirring tanks 6 may be arranged on the transfer path of the transfer device 3.

[0028] The forming device 4 has a forming body 11 in which molten glass Gm is caused to flow down and formed into a ribbon shape by the overflow downdraw method, and a large-diameter introduction pipe 12 that introduces the molten glass Gm to the forming body 11. The molten glass Gm is supplied to the introduction pipe 12 through a small-diameter pipe 13 provided in the condition adjustment tank 7 of the transfer device 3.

[0029] The glass ribbon Gr formed into a band shape is supplied to an annealing step and a cutting step, where glass plates of desired dimensions are cut out as glass articles. The glass plates obtained here have a thickness of, for example, 0.01 to 2 mm and are used as glass substrates or cover glasses for displays such as liquid crystal displays and organic EL displays. The forming device 4 may be one that implements other downdraw methods such as the slot downdraw method, or one that implements methods other than the downdraw method, such as the float method.

[0030] The glass used for the glass plate includes silicate glass and silica glass, preferably borosilicate glass, soda-lime glass, aluminosilicate glass, and chemically strengthened glass, and most preferably alkali-free glass. Here, alkali-free glass refers to glass that is substantially free of alkali components (alkali metal oxides), specifically glass with an alkali component weight ratio of 3000 ppm or less. In the present invention, the alkali component weight ratio is preferably 1000 ppm or less, more preferably 500 ppm or less, and most preferably 300 ppm or less.

[0031] The refining tank 5, stirring tank 6, conditioning tank 7, upstream connecting pipe 8, midstream connecting pipe 9, and cooling pipe 10 of the transfer device 3 are all composed of transfer pipes P. Note that the refining tank 5, stirring tank 6, conditioning tank 7, upstream connecting pipe 8, midstream connecting pipe 9, and cooling pipe 10 may each be composed of a plurality of connected transfer pipes P. As shown in FIG. 2, the transfer pipes P constituting the refining tank 5 and midstream connecting pipe 9 have pipe axes Z extending along the lateral direction (preferably horizontal). As shown in FIG. 3, the transfer pipes P constituting the upstream connecting pipe 8 and cooling pipe 10 have pipe axes Z inclined upward (inclined at an angle α with respect to the horizontal plane) toward the downstream side, but may also be inclined downward. As shown in FIG. 4, the transfer pipes P constituting the stirring tank 6 and conditioning tank 7 have pipe axes Z extending along the longitudinal direction (preferably vertical) (inlet portions 6a and 7a are depicted in the figure).

[0032] The transfer device 3 includes peripheral equipment 3A for these transfer pipes P. The peripheral equipment 3A illustrated in each of FIGS.

[0033] FIG. 5 shows peripheral equipment 3A for a transfer pipe P according to a first example. As shown in the figure, this peripheral equipment 3A includes retaining bricks 14 arranged on the outer periphery of the transfer pipe P and a casing 16 arranged on the outer periphery of the retaining bricks 14 with a space 15 interposed therebetween. Therefore, the transfer pipe P and the retaining bricks 14 are housed in the casing 16 with the space 15 interposed between them. The casing 16 has a rectangular cross section as shown. In the following description, the width direction of the casing 16 will be simply referred to as the width direction, and the longitudinal direction of the casing 16 will be simply referred to as the longitudinal direction. In the cross section as shown, the retaining bricks 14 have a circular inner surface 14a that contacts (partially or fully) the outer surface Pa of the transfer pipe P, and a rectangular outer surface 14b. Furthermore, the retaining bricks 14 surround the entire outer periphery of the transfer pipe P. Furthermore, the retaining bricks 14 are supported on the inner surface 16aa of the bottom wall 16a of the casing 16 via multiple support members 17 (two in the illustrated example). The two support members 17 support both widthwise ends of the lower surface 14c of the retaining bricks 14 from below. Multiple support members 17 are also installed at intervals in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, the spaces 15 are connected below the retaining bricks 14, thereby creating spaces 15 around the entire outer periphery of the retaining bricks 14. Note that the retaining bricks 14 may be supported on the inner surfaces 16ba of the side walls 16b and / or the inner surface 16ca of the top wall 16c of the casing 16 via support members not shown. In this embodiment, the retaining bricks 14 are divided at a height position H1 at the vertical center of the transfer pipe P.

[0034] Furthermore, the peripheral equipment 3A includes a cooling device 18 according to a first example for cooling the casing 16. The cooling device 18 has a plurality of nozzles 19 (two in the illustrated example) that spray coolant R onto the outer surface 16cb of the top wall 16c of the casing 16. As shown in FIG. 5, the nozzles 19 are arranged at intervals in the width direction at the upper exterior of the casing 16. Although not shown, a plurality of nozzles 19 are also arranged at intervals in the longitudinal direction. These nozzles 19 are installed, for example, at the upper exterior of the casing 16, as illustrated. Alternatively, or in addition to this, nozzles that spray coolant R onto the outer surfaces 16bb of both side walls 16b of the casing 16 (preferably above the outer surfaces 16bb) may be installed. In this case, the nozzles are installed, for example, on both sides of the exterior of the casing 16. Pure water, industrial water, tap water, groundwater, etc., can be used as the coolant.

[0035] The cooling device 18 according to the first example further includes a recovery device 20 that recovers the coolant R sprayed from the nozzles 19 onto the casing 16. The recovery device 20 has a receiving member 21 that receives the coolant R flowing down the outer surfaces 16bb of both side walls 16b of the casing 16. The receiving member 21 is installed on the outside of the casing 16 below. A plurality of spacers 22 (two in the illustrated example) are interposed between the receiving member 21 and the outer surface 16ab of the bottom wall 16a of the casing 16. These spacers 22 are also spaced apart in the longitudinal direction. The outer surface 16ab of the bottom wall 16a of the casing 16 is immersed in the coolant R that accumulates in the receiving member 21. A gap may be formed between the outer surface 16ab of the bottom wall 16a and the coolant R that accumulates in the receiving member 21 due to a decrease in the flow rate of the coolant R, for example.

[0036] The cooling device 18 according to the first example further includes a circulation device 23 that circulates the coolant R. The circulation device 23 includes a cooling reservoir tank 24 that stores and re-cools the coolant R received by the receiving member 21, and a pump 25 that pressure-feeds the coolant R stored in the cooling reservoir tank 24 to the nozzle 19.

[0037] The cooling device 18 according to the first example may have a plurality of nozzles that spray the coolant R onto the inner surfaces of the side walls 16b and bottom wall 16a of the casing 16, instead of or in addition to the plurality of nozzles 19 that spray the coolant R onto the outer surface of the casing 16. In this case, the nozzles are disposed inside the casing 16, and a plurality of nozzles are disposed at intervals in the longitudinal direction. The nozzles that cool the inner surface 16ba of the side walls 16b of the casing 16 are preferably disposed at an upper portion inside the casing 16. The coolant R that has flowed down the inner surface 16ba of the side walls 16b may be discharged together with gas from an outlet, described below, provided in the bottom wall 16a.

[0038] In addition to these components, the peripheral equipment 3A of the transfer pipe P according to the first example further includes a gas supply / discharge device 26 that supplies and discharges gas to and from the space 15 interposed between the casing 16 and the retaining bricks 14. The gas supply / discharge device 26 supplies gas (cooling gas) to the space 15 through an inlet (not shown) provided in the bottom wall 16a of the casing 16 as indicated by arrow A. After circulating the gas within the space 15, the gas is discharged from an outlet (not shown) provided in the bottom wall 16a of the casing 16 as indicated by arrow B. In this case, the gas is pumped from a gas source 27 to the inlet of the casing 16 by a pump 28. This allows the gas to be supplied to the space 15, circulate within the space 15, and be discharged from the space 15. Examples of the gas that can be used include air, clean dry air, nitrogen, and water vapor. The inlet and outlet may be formed at other locations as long as they allow the gas to circulate within the space 15. Moreover, the pump 28 may be replaced by a blower.

[0039] According to the peripheral equipment 3A for the transfer pipe P of the first example having the above-described configuration, the cooling liquid R sprayed from the nozzle 19 flows down while cooling the top wall 16c and both side walls 16b of the casing 16 and is received by the receiving member 21. The cooling liquid R received by the receiving member 21 also cools the bottom wall 16a of the casing 16. The cooling liquid R received by the receiving member 21 is collected in the cooling reservoir 24 and cooled again. The cooled cooling liquid R is then pressure-fed to the nozzle 19 by the pump 25. This circulates the cooling liquid R. By performing these operations during the production of a glass article, the following effects can be obtained. That is, the cooling of the casing 16 by the cooling liquid R sprayed from the nozzle 19 cools the space 15, the retaining bricks 14, and the transfer pipe P, which in turn cools the molten glass Gm in the transfer pipe P. This improves the cooling efficiency for the molten glass Gm and shortens the time required to adjust the molten glass Gm to an appropriate viscosity, etc. In this embodiment, the transfer pipe P constitutes the cooling pipe 10, so that the viscosity, etc., of the molten glass Gm can be increased to a level suitable for forming a glass article in a short period of time. As a result, the cooling capacity can be ensured while preventing the transfer pipe P from becoming too long, and the flow rate of the molten glass Gm transferred through the transfer pipe P can be efficiently increased, thereby improving the productivity of glass articles. Moreover, the presence of the space 15 between the casing 16 and the retaining bricks 14 can mitigate the effect of changes in outside air temperature on the molten glass Gm in the transfer pipe P. Furthermore, the presence of this space 15 allows the retaining bricks 14 and the transfer pipe P to be cooled uniformly and without unevenness. Furthermore, the presence of the recovery device 20 and the circulating device 23 reduces the amount of coolant R used and eliminates waste. Moreover, the presence of the gas supply and discharge device 26 in the peripheral equipment 3A also provides the following effects during the production of glass articles. In other words, the gas supplied and discharged to the space 15 by the gas supply and discharge device 26 can also cool the retaining bricks 14 and the transfer pipe P, thereby cooling the molten glass Gm in the transfer pipe P, and therefore the cooling efficiency can be significantly improved through a synergistic effect with the cooling of the casing 16, thereby further improving productivity.

[0040] FIG. 6 shows peripheral equipment 3A for a transfer pipe P according to a second example. As shown in the figure, this peripheral equipment 3A, like that according to the first example described above, includes a transfer pipe P and retaining bricks 14 housed in a casing 16 with a space 15 between them, and the retaining bricks 14 are supported from below by support members 17. In the cross section shown in the figure, both the inner and outer surfaces 14a and 14b of the retaining bricks 14 are circular and concentric with the transfer pipe P. The outer surface 14b of the retaining bricks 14 does not have to be circular; for example, it may be polygonal, having five or more corners. The support member 17 is illustrated as a single member with a circular recess 17a formed at the top to receive the transfer pipe P, but multiple support members 17 are installed spaced apart along the longitudinal direction. The manner in which the retaining bricks 14 are fitted to the transfer pipe P and the presence of the space 15 relative to the retaining bricks 14 are the same as those described for the peripheral equipment 3A according to the first example described above. Therefore, the components common to both peripheral equipment 3A are given the same reference numerals in FIG. 6, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0041] Furthermore, the peripheral equipment 3A includes a cooling device 30 according to a second example that cools the casing 16. The cooling device 30 has cooling channels 31 provided in the casing 16 and through which the coolant R flows. In the illustrated example, the cooling channels 31 are provided in the top wall 16c, both side walls 16b, and bottom wall 16a of the casing 16. A partition member 32 is provided at one widthwise end (right end) of the bottom wall 16a. The partition member 32 is a single member that extends continuously in the longitudinal direction. Meanwhile, reinforcing members 33 are provided at the other widthwise end (left end) of the bottom wall 16a and at both widthwise ends of the top wall 16c. A plurality of these reinforcing members 33 are present, spaced apart in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, the cooling channels 31 are in a state of communication with the partition member 32 as a boundary.

[0042] The cooling device 30 according to the second example further includes a liquid supply / discharge device 34 that supplies / discharges coolant R to / from the cooling flow path 31. The liquid supply / discharge device 34 also functions as a circulation device that circulates the coolant R in the cooling flow path 31. The liquid supply / discharge device 34 includes a cooling reservoir tank 35 that stores and re-cools the coolant R that flows out from an outlet (not shown) of the cooling flow path 31 as shown by arrow C, and a pump 36 that pressure-feeds the coolant R stored in the cooling reservoir tank 35 to an inlet (not shown) of the cooling flow path 31 as shown by arrow D. The inlet is located on one side (right side) of the partition member 32 at one widthwise end (right end) of the bottom wall 16a, and the outlet is located on the other side (left side) of the partition member 32 at one widthwise end (right end) of the bottom wall 16a.

[0043] In addition to these components, the peripheral equipment 3A of the transfer pipe P according to the second example also includes a gas supply and exhaust device 37 that supplies and exhausts gas to the space 15 interposed between the casing 16 and the retaining bricks 14. This gas supply and exhaust device 37 has the same configuration as the gas supply and exhaust device 26 included in the peripheral equipment 3A according to the first example. Therefore, components common to both of these gas supply and exhaust devices 26, 37 are denoted by the same reference numerals in FIG. 6, and their description will be omitted.

[0044] According to the peripheral equipment 3A of the transfer pipe P of the second example having the above-described configuration, the coolant R pumped from the cooling reservoir tank 35 to the inlet of the cooling flow path 31 by the pump 36 flows through the right side wall 16b, the top wall 16c, the left side wall 16b, and the bottom wall 16a of the casing 16. As a result, the coolant R cools the entire casing 16 and is then recovered into the cooling reservoir tank 35 from the outlet of the cooling flow path 31. The recovered coolant R is cooled again in the cooling reservoir tank 35 and then pumped again by the pump 36 to the inlet of the cooling flow path 31. The effects achieved by performing such operations during the manufacture of glass articles are substantially the same as those described for the peripheral equipment 3A of the first example. Note that the peripheral equipment 3A of the second example has a superior cooling effect on the casing 16 compared to the peripheral equipment 3A of the first example, since the casing 16 itself has the cooling flow path 31 through which the coolant R is supplied and discharged. This further improves the cooling efficiency of the molten glass Gm in the transfer pipe P. Furthermore, the thickness of the retaining bricks 24 of the peripheral equipment 3A according to this second example is more uniform around the entire circumference than the thickness of the retaining bricks 14 of the peripheral equipment 3A according to the first example described above, so the transfer pipe P and the molten glass Gm can be cooled more uniformly.

[0045] The above describes the molten glass transfer device, the glass article manufacturing device, and the glass article manufacturing method according to the embodiments of the present invention, but the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to these, and various modifications are possible within the scope that does not deviate from the gist of the present invention.

[0046] For example, in the above embodiment, a glass plate is formed from molten glass, but other glass articles such as a glass tube or glass fiber may also be formed.

[0047] In the above embodiment, the present invention is applied to the peripheral equipment of the transfer pipe that constitutes the cooling pipe, but if there is a demand for improving the cooling efficiency of the molten glass in other transfer pipes, the present invention may also be applied to the peripheral equipment of other transfer pipes. For example, the present invention may be applied to the peripheral equipment of the midstream connecting pipe 9 that connects the outlet 5b of the refining tank 5 and the inlet 6a of the stirring tank 6.

[0048] In the above embodiment, the peripheral equipment for the transfer pipe according to the first example and the peripheral equipment for the transfer pipe according to the second example are provided separately, but both of these pieces of equipment may also be used together.

[0049] In the above embodiment, in the peripheral equipment of the transfer pipe according to the second example, cooling channels are provided in the top wall, bottom wall, and both side walls of the casing. However, cooling channels do not have to be provided in all walls. For example, variations are possible, such as not providing cooling channels in the top wall and / or bottom wall. Furthermore, the positions of the partition members of the cooling channels and the positions of the inlets and outlets may also be different. Furthermore, the number of inlets and outlets may also be changed. For example, one or more inlets and outlets may be provided in each of the top wall, bottom wall, and both side walls of the casing. [Explanation of symbols]

[0050] 1. Glass product manufacturing equipment 3 Molten glass transfer device 3A Transfer pipe peripheral equipment 4 Molding equipment 6a Inlet 14 Retaining Bricks 15 Space 16 Casing 16a Bottom wall 16b Right side wall 16b Left side wall 16c upper wall 18 Cooling device 19 nozzles 20 Recovery Device 23 Circulation device 24 Retaining Bricks 26 Gas supply and exhaust equipment 30 Cooling device 31 Cooling channel 34 Liquid supply and drainage equipment 35 Cooling reservoir 37 Gas supply and exhaust equipment Gm molten glass P transfer pipe R Coolant

Claims

1. A molten glass transfer device comprising: a transfer pipe through which molten glass flows; a retaining brick disposed on an outer periphery of the transfer pipe to retain the transfer pipe; and a casing in which the transfer pipe and the retaining brick are housed and a space is interposed between the transfer pipe and the retaining brick, The outer surface of the transfer pipe is in full contact with the inner surface of the retaining brick, A portion of the outer surface of the retaining brick is exposed to the space, A molten glass transferring device characterized by comprising a cooling device for cooling the casing.

2. 2. The molten glass transferring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cooling device has a nozzle for injecting a cooling liquid into the casing.

3. 3. The molten glass transferring apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the cooling device includes a recovery device that recovers the cooling liquid injected into the casing.

4. The molten glass transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cooling device has a cooling flow path provided in the casing through which a cooling liquid flows, and a liquid supply / discharge device that supplies / discharges the cooling liquid to / from the cooling flow path.

5. 5. The molten glass transferring apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a gas supply / discharge device for supplying and discharging gas to and from the space.

6. 6. An apparatus for manufacturing a glass article, comprising: a forming device for forming a glass article from molten glass transferred by the molten glass transferring device according to claim 1.

7. A method for manufacturing a glass article, comprising a forming step of forming a glass article from molten glass transferred by the molten glass transferring device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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