Glass Melt Production Apparatus Overflow Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing vacuum degassing apparatus for glass melt production is prone to issues during loss of depressurization, leading to excessive flow of glass melt, which can cause overflow and disrupt production, especially when there is no drain-out system or when the flow exceeds the processing capacity of the treatment vessel.
Innovation Solution
A glass melt production apparatus with a third conducting pipe structure that includes a closing means to divert excess glass melt back to the upstream pit, utilizing a glass melt flow path for emergencies based on the liquid level, thereby controlling the flow and preventing overflow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a vacuum degassing apparatus is used to remove bubbles from glass melt, then the quality of glass plate is improved, but the system becomes vulnerable to overflow and production disruption when depressurization is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by installing a blocking plate in advance within the downstream pit. This blocking plate is positioned to prevent glass melt from overflowing into the successive treatment vessel before an overflow event occurs. When depressurization is lost and glass melt flows down excessively, the pre-positioned blocking plate immediately obstructs the flow path, preventing production disruption without requiring real-time detection or response systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements beforehand cushioning by creating a buffer zone using the blocking plate in the downstream pit. This blocking plate acts as a protective barrier that absorbs and contains the excessive glass melt flow during vacuum loss events. The blocking plate is designed to withstand the thermal and mechanical stress of the glass melt while preventing it from reaching the successive treatment vessel, thereby cushioning the system against potential damage and production interruptions.
2Productivity
If the vacuum degassing vessel is made large to increase processing capacity, then more glass melt can be treated, but the risk of overflow increases when depressurization is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the downstream pit into distinct zones using the blocking plate. The blocking plate creates a separated region that confines the excessive glass melt flow to a specific area within the downstream pit, preventing it from spreading to the successive treatment vessel. This segmentation allows the vacuum degassing vessel to be larger for increased capacity while the blocking plate ensures that any overflow is contained within a designated zone, thereby reducing the harmful effects of potential overflow.
3Device complexity
If no drain-out system is installed to save cost and complexity, then device complexity is reduced, but the system cannot handle excessive glass melt flow during vacuum loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the overflow prevention function from the complex drain-out system and implements it through a simple blocking plate structure. Instead of relying on a sophisticated active drain-out system that would require additional components, controls, and maintenance, the blocking plate provides a passive, mechanical solution that automatically prevents overflow. This extraction of the essential protective function achieves reliability without adding significant device complexity, as the blocking plate is a straightforward structural element that can be integrated into the existing downstream pit design.
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 solution effectively reduces the impact of depressurization events by redirecting excess glass melt, preventing overflow and ensuring continuous production, even in the absence of a drain-out system or when the flow exceeds the treatment vessel's capacity.
Implementation Method 1
bubbles in the glass melt continuously flowing therein are made to grow and to float up in the glass melt by employing their buoyancy
Implementation Method 2
a vacuum housing 11 which is evacuated of air by a vacuum pump etc. (not shown) to be depressurized therein
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A glass melt production apparatus, which comprises a melting vessel, a vacuum degassing apparatus, a first conducting pipe structure connecting the melting vessel and the vacuum degassing apparatus, and a second conducting pipe structure to introduce a glass melt to a forming means, provided downstream the vacuum degassing apparatus; the vacuum degassing apparatus having an uprising pipe through which the glass melt from the melting vessel ascends, a vacuum degassing vessel, and a downfalling pipe through which the glass melt from the vacuum degassing vessel descends; the flow path of the glass melt in the uprising pipe, the vacuum degassing vessel and the downfalling pipe being made of a refractory material; the first conducting pipe structure having an upstream pit to supply the glass melt to the uprising pipe; and the second conducting pipe structure having a downstream pit containing the glass melt from the downfalling pipe; the glass melt production apparatus further comprising a third conducting pipe structure connecting the upstream pit and the downstream pit; and the third conducting pipe structure having a closing means to shut off a flow of the glass melt in the third conducting pipe structure; the third conducting pipe structure or the closing means having a glass melt flow path for emergencies, which allows the glass melt to pass therethrough, depending on the height of a liquid level of the glass melt in the third conducting pipe structure in the vicinity of the closing means.