Double-Pipe Conduit for Molten Glass Vacuum Degassing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vacuum degassing apparatuses fail to effectively remove components eluted from refractory bricks and foreign substances generated in the interface between molten glass and platinum surfaces, leading to defects in glass products due to non-uniform dispersion and bubble formation.
Innovation Solution
A conduit structure with a double-pipe design, where the inner and outer pipes have specific geometric relationships to separate a boundary layer flow containing eluted components and foreign substances from the main flow, allowing for their removal through a drain-out system, ensuring uniformity and quality of the glass products.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If refractory bricks are used to form a conduit for molten glass, then cost is reduced compared to platinum, but components are eluted from the refractory bricks and mixed into the molten glass causing defects
Solution Approach 1:
The conduit is divided into an inner pipe and an outer pipe, creating a segmented structure. The inner pipe is made of refractory bricks (cost-effective) while the outer pipe is made of platinum or platinum alloy (provides protective function). This segmentation allows the system to benefit from both materials: the cost advantage of refractory bricks and the protective advantage of platinum.
Solution Approach 2:
The outer platinum pipe acts as an intermediary protective layer between the molten glass and the inner refractory brick pipe. This intermediary prevents direct contact between the molten glass and the refractory brick components, thereby preventing elution of harmful components into the glass while maintaining the cost benefits of using refractory bricks.
2Reliability
If platinum or platinum alloy is used to form a conduit for molten glass, then heat resistance and corrosion resistance are improved, but foreign substances are caused in the interface between the platinum wall surface and molten glass causing defects
Solution Approach 1:
The conduit is segmented into inner and outer pipes with different materials. The inner pipe made of refractory bricks serves as a sacrificial layer that prevents direct interaction between molten glass and the platinum outer pipe, thereby reducing foreign substance generation at the platinum-glass interface while maintaining the protective benefits of platinum.
3Ease of manufacture
If bubbles are formed in the interface between a conduit wall surface and molten glass, then the produced glass has defects since it is difficult to remove the bubbles
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful boundary layer containing bubbles, eluted components, and foreign substances is extracted from the main molten glass flow through the drain-out system. This extraction removes the harmful substances before they can be incorporated into the final glass product, preventing defects while maintaining manufacturing flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner refractory brick pipe serves as an intermediary layer that prevents direct contact between molten glass and the outer platinum pipe, thereby preventing bubble formation at the platinum-glass interface. This intermediary layer acts as a buffer zone that protects the glass from harmful interactions.
4Productivity
If conventional drain-out or overflow systems are used, then some foreign substances are removed, but components eluted from refractory bricks, foreign substances from platinum surfaces, and bubbles are not sufficiently removed
Solution Approach 1:
A drain-out system is implemented at the lower part of the conduit to extract and remove the harmful boundary layer containing bubbles, eluted components, and foreign substances. This continuous extraction process ensures thorough removal of harmful substances while maintaining uninterrupted glass production, overcoming the limitations of conventional overflow systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution adds a vertical dimension to foreign substance removal by implementing a drain-out at the lower part of the conduit. This creates a multi-dimensional removal system where substances are removed both horizontally (through the wall) and vertically (through the drain-out at the bottom), significantly improving removal efficiency compared to conventional single-dimensional overflow systems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively separates and removes boundary layer flows, preventing defects in glass products by ensuring that only pure molten glass is supplied to the forming apparatus, thereby enhancing the quality and consistency of glass production.
Implementation Method 1
a boundary layer flow having a thickness of e.g. about 3 to 5 mm along the wall surface of the conduit
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A conduit structure for molten glass, a conduit system for molten glass, a vacuum degassing apparatus and a method for vacuum-degassing molten glass by use of the vacuum degassing apparatus, which are capable of effectively removing components eluted from a refractory brick forming a conduit for molten glass, foreign substances generated in the interface between molten glass and a platinum wall surface forming a conduit for molten glass, a bubble remaining in a surface layer of molten glass, a glass material denatured by volatilization, and the like, are provided. A conduit structure for molten glass, which is formed of a hollow pipe made of platinum or a platinum alloy, includes a double-pipe structure disposed in at least a downstream portion of the conduit structure, the double-pipe structure being formed of an inner pipe and an outer pipe; the inner pipe having an upstream end and a downstream end formed as open ends; the outer pipe having a downstream end formed as a closed end in a region located in a gap between the inner pipe and the outer pipe and as an open end in a region located in the inner pipe in the double-pipe structure; the conduit structure having an upstream end formed as an open end; and the outer pipe having an opening formed in a portion close to the downstream end thereof.