Glass Manufacturing Diffuser for Ribbon Contamination Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
In glass manufacturing, maintaining pristine surfaces of glass ribbons is challenging due to particle and debris contamination, which can cause optical distortions and electronic component failures, and existing methods fail to effectively prevent these issues during the manufacturing process.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a gas diffuser system that increases enclosure pressure around the glass-forming ribbon, reduces gas flow opposite to the ribbon's travel direction, and uses a clean inert gas to prevent contamination and corrosion, while controlling gas velocity and flow to minimize interference with the glass ribbon quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If gas flow is increased to prevent particle contamination, then particle contamination is reduced, but gas velocity increases causing interference with glass ribbon quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the pressure parameter of the gas flow, maintaining lower velocity while increasing enclosure pressure to prevent particle contamination. The gas flow rate is controlled to optimize between contamination prevention and ribbon quality preservation.
2Reliability
If enclosure pressure is increased to reduce hydrogen blistering, then hydrogen blistering is reduced, but gas flow in opposite direction increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the enclosure pressure parameter to achieve hydrogen blistering prevention while controlling the gas flow volume through regulated gas sources and diffuser design, balancing both requirements.
3Reliability
If gas flow rate is increased to compensate for enclosure leaks, then enclosure integrity is improved, but particle and debris flow towards glass ribbon increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses controlled gas flow parameters and enclosure pressure regulation to maintain integrity while preventing debris contamination through optimized flow distribution.
4Quantity of substance
If gas velocity is increased to improve gas flow distribution, then gas distribution is improved, but intensity of gas currents increases interfering with glass ribbon
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the pressure parameter instead of velocity to achieve improved gas distribution, maintaining lower current intensity that does not interfere with glass ribbon quality.
Data Source
AI summary
Glass manufacturing apparatus comprise a forming body configured to draw a glass forming ribbon and positioned within an enclosure. Glass manufacturing apparatus comprise a first diffuser comprising a first inlet comprising a first inlet cross-sectional area and a first outlet comprising a first outlet cross-sectional area. The first outlet cross-sectional area is greater than the first inlet cross-sectional area. The first outlet is positioned within the enclosure. Methods of manufacturing a glass ribbon comprise flowing a glass-forming ribbon. Methods comprise flowing a first gas through the first inlet of a first diffuser at a first average inlet velocity. Methods comprise flowing the first gas from the first diffuser through a first outlet of the first diffuser at a first average outlet velocity. The first average inlet velocity is greater than the first average outer velocity.