Molten Glass Sluice Layout Without Basement Cullet Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional glassware forming systems require basements for cullet and process water handling, leading to inefficiencies, increased capital investment, and environmental disposal costs, while also posing safety hazards due to water and cullet collection below the forming floor.
Innovation Solution
A glassware manufacturing system that integrates an automated and closed cullet and cullet water handling system, eliminating the need for a basement by containing the process within a production building, using a sloped forming floor, sump pit, and cullet material handler to collect and recycle cullet and process water efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional glassware forming systems use basements for cullet and process water handling, then the systems can collect and handle waste materials, but the capital investment, labor requirements, and environmental disposal costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the cullet and process water handling operations from the basement location and relocates them to the forming floor level. The system removes the need for basement infrastructure by implementing collection and handling mechanisms at the same elevation as the forming operations, thereby eliminating the technical contradiction between handling capability and infrastructure complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the spatial dimension of waste handling from a vertical basement location to a horizontal forming floor location. By implementing collection troughs, conveyors, and handling equipment at the forming floor level rather than below, the system resolves the contradiction by operating in a different spatial plane
2Reliability
If basements are used for cullet collection, then waste materials can be contained, but safety hazards increase due to water and cullet collection below the forming floor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the waste material collection point from the basement location and relocates it to the forming floor. By positioning collection troughs and conveyors at the same level as the forming operations, the system maintains effective containment of cullet and process water while eliminating the safety hazards associated with basement operations
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediate collection troughs and conveyors as mediating elements between the forming operations and waste removal. These intermediaries collect and transport cullet and process water at forming floor level, preventing direct contact with operators and eliminating safety hazards while maintaining containment
3Productivity
If automated and closed cullet handling systems are implemented on the forming floor, then capital investment and labor requirements are reduced, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service automated handling where the system handles its own waste materials. Collection troughs automatically capture cullet and process water, conveyors automatically transport materials, and the system operates with minimal human intervention, thereby improving productivity while the automation is integrated into the existing forming floor infrastructure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the cullet collection, process water collection, and material transport functions into an integrated system on the forming floor. By combining these operations into a unified automated workflow using conveyors and collection mechanisms, the system achieves high productivity while avoiding the complexity of separate basement-based systems
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
Reduces capital investment, labor requirements, and environmental disposal costs while improving safety and process stability by containing cullet and process water handling on the forming floor, minimizing excess water disposal, and enhancing system efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
receiving waste molten glass on a cushion of gas on the platform
Implementation Method 2
vibrators operatively coupled to the platform to vibrate the platform for assisting with moving waste glass
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
A molten waste glass handling sluice (56) and a method of handling waste molten glass (26) are disclosed. The molten waste glass handling sluice (56), in accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, extends along a longitudinal axis, and comprises: a platform including an upper wall (70) having a plurality of apertures (174) to deliver fluid from a location below the upper wall (70) to a location above the upper wall (70); side walls (72) extending in a direction upwardly away from the upper wall (70); an upstream inlet (62) to receive hot molten glass (26); and a downstream outlet to transmit cooled glass. The molten waste glass sluice (56) may be configured to receive molten glass (26) and unused molten glass streams from a molten glass feeder (24) and hot glassware rejects from a glassware forming machine (16).