Fining Chamber Curb Design for Molten Glass Bubble Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Submerged combustion melters produce molten glass with high concentrations of bubbles, leading to slow fining processes due to foam buildup, which retards heat penetration and glass flow, and existing methods like skimmers are prone to failure and inefficiency.
Innovation Solution
A fining chamber design with an inlet transition region that increases in width and decreases in depth, featuring a raised curb that distributes molten glass across the primary fining region, minimizing channeling and allowing for effective bubble removal through a combination of heat transfer and flow management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If submerged combustion melting is used to produce molten glass, then melting efficiency is improved, but bubble concentration increases leading to slow fining process
Solution Approach 1:
The fining chamber is divided into multiple distinct regions (inlet transition region, primary fining region, and outlet transition region) with different geometric characteristics. Each region serves a specific function in the bubble removal process, allowing systematic control of fining operations to handle high bubble concentrations efficiently.
2Quantity of substance
If foam layer builds up on molten glass surface, then bubble removal is hindered, but heat penetration and glass flow are retarded
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the fining chamber are designed with different geometric properties to perform different functions. The inlet transition region with decreasing depth distributes flow, the primary fining region with constant depth allows bubble rise, and the outlet transition region with increasing depth collects fined glass. This local differentiation optimizes both bubble removal and heat penetration in各自 regions.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If skimmers are used to hold back foam layers, then some foam control is achieved, but multiple skimmers are required and they are prone to failure
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful foam layer is extracted and separated from the main molten glass flow by utilizing the geometric design of the fining chamber. The inlet transition region's decreasing depth and raised curb naturally separate and hold back the foam layer, allowing less foamy glass to pass through to downstream channels without requiring mechanical skimmers.
4Quantity of substance
If flat-bottom refining channel is used downstream of melter, then bubble removal is achieved, but long residence time is required
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a long horizontal channel for fining, the invention utilizes the vertical dimension by creating depth variations within the fining chamber. The inlet transition region decreases in depth to distribute flow, the primary fining region maintains constant depth for efficient bubble rise, and the outlet transition region increases in depth. This vertical differentiation allows effective fining in a more compact configuration with reduced residence time.
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
This design significantly accelerates the fining process by distributing bubbles evenly, reducing foam buildup, and enhancing heat penetration, resulting in well-fined molten glass production with increased operational flexibility.
Implementation Method 1
routing the partially refined molten glass over a raised curb in the fining chamber... the raised curb... separating the fining chamber into the inlet transition region and a primary fining region
Implementation Method 2
allowing the lower, less foamy layers to pass through to flow channels downstream... bubbles collecting at the molten glass surface forming a layer of stable foam thereon
Implementation Method 3
heat penetration into the glass from fining chamber combustion burners firing above the glass
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 6
AI summary
Apparatus, systems and methods for refining molten glass include a fining chamber having a refractory floor and a sidewall structure that may include a refractory liner, and includes an inlet transition region having increasing width from initial to a final width, and depth decreasing from an initial to final depth. The floor includes a raised curb having width equal to final width of the inlet transition region, curb length less than the length of the inlet transition region, and curb height forming a shallowest depth portion of the fining chamber. The raised curb separates the fining chamber into the inlet transition region and a primary fining region, the primary fining region defined by the refractory floor and sidewall structure. The primary fining region has a constant depth greater than the shallowest depth but less than the depth of the inlet transition region.