Verifiable Bubbler with Electrical Integrity Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Glass manufacturing bubblers fail prematurely due to harsh environmental conditions and metal contamination, leading to frequent adjustments and replacements, and can cause furnace failures if not addressed promptly.
Innovation Solution
A bubbler device with a protective layer and electrically coupled wires forms an electrical circuit to monitor conductivity and temperature, allowing for real-time integrity verification and early detection of malfunction, enabling timely maintenance or replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If bubblers are clad with platinum or other refractory materials to withstand harsh furnace environment, then their useful lifetime is extended, but they can still fail prematurely due to metal contamination alloying with the cladding material
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements monitoring systems that detect bubbler degradation and contamination before complete failure occurs. By continuously measuring electrical properties and detecting changes in the bubbler-cladding system, the system performs preliminary detection of metal contamination alloying with platinum cladding, enabling proactive replacement before the bubbler fails and causes furnace damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs feedback mechanisms through electrical monitoring circuits that continuously assess the condition of the bubbler and its cladding. Changes in electrical conductivity or resistance indicate contamination or degradation, providing real-time feedback on bubbler health. This feedback loop enables timely intervention and replacement, preventing catastrophic failure while optimizing the utilization of expensive cladded bubblers.
2Reliability
If bubblers are frequently replaced or adjusted to prevent furnace failure, then furnace reliability is maintained, but production time is lost and maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring system performs preliminary detection of bubbler degradation, allowing scheduled maintenance to be performed only when necessary. By detecting early signs of contamination or failure through electrical property changes, the system enables planning of maintenance activities during optimal times rather than forcing unplanned production stoppages, thus maintaining furnace reliability while minimizing productivity loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The bubbler system with integrated monitoring performs self-diagnosis of its own condition through electrical property measurements. This self-service capability allows the system to identify when maintenance is needed without external inspection, enabling more efficient maintenance scheduling and reducing unnecessary production interruptions for routine checks.
3Reliability
If bubblers are monitored and maintained proactively, then furnace failures are prevented, but device complexity and monitoring costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical monitoring and inspection systems with electrical measurement techniques. By measuring electrical conductivity, resistance, or other electrical properties of the bubbler-cladding system, the monitoring function is achieved through simple electrical circuits rather than complex mechanical sensors or inspection equipment, thus reducing overall device complexity while maintaining high reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrical monitoring system serves multiple functions simultaneously: it monitors bubbler integrity, detects metal contamination, measures cladding thickness degradation, and provides early warning of failures. This multi-functionality is achieved through a single monitoring infrastructure, avoiding the need for separate specialized sensors or systems for each detection task, thereby minimizing the increase in device complexity.
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 solution extends the lifespan of bubblers, reduces maintenance frequency, and prevents furnace failures by automatically monitoring and alerting on potential issues, ensuring continuous operation and reducing corrosion risks.
Implementation Method 1
temperature of the molten material by a thermoelectric effect of the circuit
Data Source
AI summary
A bubbler device and method of its operation are disclosed. The bubbler device includes a bubbler tube that provides bubbles to a molten material in a furnace; a protective layer disposed on the bubbler tube; and a wire that is electrically coupled to the protective layer. The wire extends through the bore, and the protective layer and the wire partially form an electrical circuit for measuring integrity of the bubbler device based on at least one of conductivity or resistance in the electrical circuit. Sometimes, an inner protective material may be disposed on an inside surface of the tube and coupled to the protective layer, and the wire can be coupled to the inner protective material or multiple wires may be used. The use of dissimilar materials in these components may be used to form a thermocouple junction to measure the temperature of the molten material in a furnace.