Fire-Resistant Glazing Protective Layer for Clouding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Fire-resistant glazing assemblies often exhibit clouding over time due to the interaction between float glass panes and fire-resistant layers, particularly on the tin bath side, which affects their transparency and heat protection.

Innovation Solution

A fire-resistant pane is designed with a protective layer containing metal oxide, metal nitride, or metal silicide on the tin bath side of the float glass pane, preventing corrosion and reducing clouding by creating a smooth surface that minimizes the alkaline reaction with the fire-resistant layer, thereby maintaining transparency and mechanical stability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the tin bath side of the float glass pane is in direct contact with the fire-resistant layer, then the fire-resistant glazing assembly provides fire protection, but the tin bath side corrodes inhomogeneously during aging and develops clouding

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefire protectionVSAvoidclouding

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A protective layer made of metal oxide, metal nitride, metal silicide, or their mixtures or layered compounds is introduced between the tin bath side of the float glass pane and the fire-resistant layer. This intermediary layer prevents direct contact between the alkaline fire-resistant layer and the glass surface, thereby preventing inhomogeneous corrosion and clouding while maintaining fire protection functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the float glass pane is arranged with the atmosphere side in contact with the fire-resistant layer, then clouding is reduced, but the tin bath side must be protected to maintain structural integrity

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovecloudingVSAvoidstructure

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The protective layer serves as a mediator that allows the tin bath side to maintain its structural importance while preventing the harmful alkaline reaction. This solution maintains the original structure without requiring repositioning of glass panes or additional complex protective measures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If multiple glass panes are arranged with fire-resistant layers to improve heat protection and mechanical stability, then fire resistance is enhanced, but the clouding problem persists on tin bath sides

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat protectionVSAvoidclouding

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The protective layer is applied to each glass pane's tin bath side that will contact a fire-resistant layer, creating a systematic solution that works across multi-pane configurations. This ensures that each interface between glass and fire-resistant material is protected against clouding.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The protective layer uses composite materials (metal oxides, nitrides, silicides, or their combinations and layered compounds) that provide both chemical resistance to the alkaline fire-resistant layer and optical clarity to prevent clouding, while maintaining compatibility with fire protection requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

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 introduction of a protective layer significantly reduces clouding and enhances the aging resistance of fire-resistant glazing assemblies, maintaining their optical clarity and mechanical stability over time.

Implementation Method 1

the protective layer contains metal oxide, metal nitride, metal silicide, and/or mixtures or layered compounds thereof... preventing corrosion and reducing clouding by creating a smooth surface that minimizes the alkaline reaction with the fire-resistant layer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCorrosion resistance:

Implementation Method 2

Under the action of heat on the fire-resistant glazing assembly, the water contained in the alkali polysilicate layer vaporizes and the alkali polysilicate foams up

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVaporization: Evaporation

Implementation Method 3

the water contained in the alkali polysilicate layer vaporizes and the alkali polysilicate foams up

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFoaming: Foam

Data Source

PatentUS10272648B2Fire-resistant pane and fire-resistant glazing assembly

Publication Date: 2019.04.30 SAINT GOBAIN VITRAGE SA

AI summary

A fire-resistant pane including at least one float glass pane with a tin bath side, at least one protective layer that is arranged on the tin bath side in a planar manner, and at least one fire-resistant layer that is arranged on the protective layer in a planar manner, wherein the protective layer contains metal oxide, metal nitride, metal silicide, and/or mixtures or layered compounds thereof.