Glass Plate Drying via Inverted Radiation Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for drying and curing organic coating layers on glass plates, especially in mirror glass production, often result in cracks or breakage, particularly when using lower quality glass, due to the high power density required for efficient curing.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a continuous oven with radiation emitters positioned on the side of the glass plate opposite to the organic coating layer, utilizing high power density gas-fired or electrical radiation emitters to dry and cure the coating without direct heat application to the coated side, combined with convective heating to prevent thermal stress and cracking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high power density radiation emitters are used to efficiently dry and cure the organic coating layer, then the drying and curing efficiency is improved, but cracks or breakage of the glass plate occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies radiation emitters on the opposite side of the glass plate from the coating layer, heating the glass substrate from below rather than directly heating the coating from above. This inverted approach allows efficient energy transfer through the glass while avoiding direct thermal stress on the coating-glass interface that causes cracking.
Solution Approach 2:
The glass plate itself acts as an intermediary medium that conducts thermal energy from the radiation emitters to the organic coating layer. By heating the glass substrate first, the heat gradually transfers through the glass to cure the coating, preventing direct thermal shock to the coating layer.
2Temperature
If radiation emitters are positioned on the side with the organic coating layer, then the coating can be directly heated, but thermal stress causes cracks in the coating or glass plate
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of positioning radiation emitters on the coating side to directly heat the coating, the patent inverts the approach by placing emitters on the opposite side of the glass plate, heating the glass substrate which then conducts heat to the coating layer, avoiding direct thermal stress on the coating.
3Reliability
If the non-transparent coating layer is present on the glass plate, then the mirror glass function is achieved, but it acts as a heat separator preventing effective drying and curing of the organic coating
Solution Approach 1:
The patent overcomes the heat-blocking effect of the non-transparent coating by inverting the heating approach - placing radiation emitters on the side opposite to the coating, so heat travels through the glass substrate to reach the coating from below, bypassing the coating's thermal resistance.
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 approach effectively dries and cures organic coating layers on low-quality glass plates without cracking, ensuring high-quality mirror production by maintaining the glass integrity and achieving efficient drying and curing processes.
Implementation Method 1
The heating system comprises one or more radiation emitters on the side of the glass plate opposite to the side with the organic coating layer. The radiation emitters are used to heat the side of the glass plate opposite to the side with the organic coating layer in order to dry and/or cure the organic coating layer
Implementation Method 2
combined with convective heating to prevent thermal stress and cracking
Data Source
Figure 1~3
AI summary
The method comprises the step of transporting the glass plate through a drying and/or curing oven. The organic coating layer is applied on the side of the glass plate comprising a non-transparent coating layer. The drying or curing oven comprises a heating system. The heating system comprises one or more radiation emitters on the side of the glass plate opposite to the side with the organic coating layer. The radiation emitters are used to heat the side of the glass plate opposite to the side with the organic coating layer in order to dry and/or cure the organic coating layer on the glass plate so as to form a dried or cured organic polymer coating layer on the glass plate.