JP2023082986A - Method for manufacturing glass article - Google Patents

Abstract

To appropriately prevent the damage of a transfer pipe and the solidification of molten glass from progressing when generating a trouble in current supply from power supply equipment used for the electric heating of molten glass in a melting furnace and the electric heating of a transfer pipe.SOLUTION: A method for manufacturing a glass article comprises: the melting step S1 of electrically heating molten glass Gm in a melting furnace 2 using an electrode Px by a current supplied from operation power supply equipment 15; the transfer step S2 of electrically heating a transfer pipe P included in a transfer device 3 by the current supplied from the operation power supply equipment 15; the molding step S3 of molding a glass article from the molten glass Gm transferred by the transfer device 3 using a molding apparatus 4; and the treatment step S4 of performing continuous transfer treatment for continuously transferring the molten glass Gm to at least the middle of the transfer device 3 from the melting furnace 2 when generating a trouble in the current supply from the operation power supply equipment 15.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

The present invention relates to a method for producing glass articles from molten glass produced in a melting furnace and transported in a transfer tube.

As is well known, in the manufacture of glass articles such as glass sheets and glass tubes, molten glass is transferred from a melting furnace to a forming apparatus. A route for transferring the molten glass is formed by a plurality of transfer pipes. 2. Description of the Related Art When generating molten glass in a melting furnace and transferring molten glass in transfer pipes, power supply equipment is generally used to supply electric current to the melting furnace and transfer pipes.

Specifically, Patent Document 1 discloses that a plurality of electrodes projecting into the furnace are arranged on the bottom wall of the melting furnace, and the molten glass in the furnace is electrically heated using these electrodes. ing. Further, Patent Document 2 discloses heating the molten glass in the transfer pipe by energizing and heating the transfer pipe using an electrode formed on the flange portion of the transfer pipe.

Both the electric heating of the molten glass in the melting furnace disclosed in Patent Document 1 and the electric heating of the transfer pipe disclosed in Patent Document 2 are performed by the supply of electric current from the power supply equipment.

JP 2018-193269 A JP 2015-105196 A

By the way, while the glass article is being manufactured by the molding apparatus from the molten glass transferred while performing the above-mentioned two types of electric heating, the electric current from some or all of the equipment in the power supply equipment suddenly supply may be disrupted. Specifically, a situation may occur in which the equipment (part of the equipment or all of the equipment mentioned above) cannot supply current due to a power outage, or the equipment cannot supply current normally due to a failure of the equipment. .

If such a situation occurs, the temperature of the molten glass in the melting furnace and the transfer pipe will drop. In particular, since the temperature of the molten glass in the transfer pipe drops significantly, the transfer pipe is likely to be damaged such as undue deformation and bursting. Such a problem is exacerbated by a large difference in degree of contraction between the transfer pipe and the supporting bricks (refractory bricks) surrounding it.

Moreover, since the solidification of the molten glass progresses in the melting furnace and the transfer pipe, in order to transfer the molten glass to its original state when the current supply from the equipment is restored, the melting furnace Troublesome and complicated repair work must be performed on the transfer pipe.

From the above point of view, the problem of the present invention is to solve the problem of damage or melting of the transfer tube when there is a problem in the supply of electric current from the power supply equipment used for the electric heating of the molten glass in the melting furnace and the electric heating of the transfer tube. It is to appropriately prevent the progress of solidification of glass.

The present invention, which has been devised to solve the above problems, generates molten glass from glass raw materials by electrically heating molten glass using electrodes in a melting furnace with an electric current supplied from an operating power supply equipment. a transfer step of transferring the molten glass flowing out of the melting furnace through the transfer pipe while a transfer pipe provided in the transfer device is energized and heated by the current supplied from the operating power supply equipment; and a molding step of molding the glass article from the transferred molten glass using a molding apparatus, and coping with a failure in the supply of current from the operating power supply equipment. and the handling step is characterized by performing a transfer continuation process for continuously transferring the molten glass from the melting furnace to at least partway through the transfer device.

According to such a configuration, when there is a problem in the supply of current from the working power supply facility (all or part of the power supply facility), the transfer continuation process is performed in the coping process. , the molten glass is continuously transferred from the melting furnace at least part way through the transfer device. Due to the heat quantity of the molten glass that is continuously transferred, the temperature drop of the transfer pipe existing at least at the upstream side portion of the transfer device can be reduced. As a result, damage such as bursting of the transfer tube can be appropriately prevented. Furthermore, since the molten glass continues to flow in the melting furnace due to the continuous transfer of the molten glass, the progress of solidification of the molten glass not only in the transfer pipe but also in the melting furnace can be appropriately stopped. As a result, when the supply of current from the operating power supply facility is restored, at least the upstream parts of the melting furnace and the transfer device can be restored to their original condition with or without simple repair work. Molten glass can be transferred.

In this configuration, there is a backup power supply facility that can be used in the event of a failure in the supply of current from the operation power supply facility, and in the countermeasure step, as the transfer continuation process, the transfer is continued from the backup power supply facility to the An electric current may be supplied to the electrodes of the melting furnace and/or the transfer tube.

In this way, the standby power supply facility can be effectively utilized for continuing transfer processing. In this case, the standby power supply equipment supplies current to the electrodes of the melting furnace, the transfer pipe, or both. can be reduced. Therefore, it is advantageous for continuing the transfer of the molten glass.

In the above configuration, the melting furnace includes a burner heating means capable of generating molten glass in the melting furnace by combustion heating using a burner, and the melting step includes only electric heating using the electrodes. Molten glass may be generated by the burner heating means in the coping step as the transfer continuation process.

By doing so, the burner heating means can be effectively used for the transfer continuation process. In this case, since the burner heating means performs heating necessary for producing molten glass, it is possible to more reliably reduce the temperature drop of the transferred molten glass.

Instead of this configuration, the melting furnace is provided with a burner heating means that contributes to the generation of molten glass in the melting furnace by combustion heating using a burner, and the melting step includes electric heating using the electrode. , the molten glass is generated by combustion heating using the burner heating means, and in the coping step, as the transfer continuation process, the amount of heat generated by the burner heating means is adjusted to the amount of heat generated by the burner heating means in the melting step. may be increased more than

In this way, the amount of heat generated by the burner heating means is increased to compensate for the reduction in the amount of heat generated by the electrical heating using the electrodes, and then the burner heating means is effectively used to perform the transfer continuation process. According to this, the temperature drop of the transferred molten glass can be reduced more reliably.

In the above configuration, the transfer device includes a clarification tank, an agitation tank, and a condition adjustment tank configured by the transfer pipe. Molten glass may be discharged from the outlet.

In this way, by discharging the molten glass from the outlet of the stirring tank, the transfer of the molten glass from the melting furnace to the stirring tank is facilitated, and the continuous transfer of the molten glass becomes possible. As a result, it is possible to reduce the temperature drop of the molten glass in the agitation tank and its upstream portion of the transfer device. Therefore, according to the configuration here, it is possible to prevent damage to the agitating tank and the clarification tank arranged upstream thereof.

In the above configuration, in the countermeasure step, the supply of the molten glass to the molding device may be continued by continuously transferring the molten glass to the molding device by the transfer device.

In this way, the molten glass is continuously transferred from the upstream end to the downstream end of the transfer device by performing the transfer continuation process by supplying current from the standby power supply equipment and/or heating by the burner heating means. can be transported by Then, the molten glass continuously transferred to the downstream end of the transfer device is continuously supplied to the molding device. In this case, the molding apparatus may be damaged due to the extreme temperature drop, but if the molten glass is continuously supplied to the molding apparatus, the temperature drop is greatly reduced by the amount of heat of the supplied molten glass. . Therefore, according to the configuration here, it is possible to prevent damage to all the transfer pipes of the transfer device and the molding device (especially the molded body).

In the above configuration, when the transfer continuation process is performed in the handling step, the flow rate of the molten glass transferred by the transfer device is made smaller than the flow rate of the molten glass transferred by the transfer device in the transfer step. may

In this way, it is possible to reduce the capacity of the standby power supply equipment and reduce the amount of heat generated by the burner heating means, thereby preventing an increase in equipment cost and complication of equipment.

According to the present invention, when there is a problem in the supply of electric current from the power supply equipment used for the electrical heating of the molten glass in the melting furnace and the electrical heating of the transfer tube, the transfer tube is damaged and the molten glass solidifies. can be properly prevented.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a schematic side view which shows the basic composition of the manufacturing apparatus for enforcing the manufacturing method of the glass article which concerns on embodiment of this invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a lateral partial transfer pipe of a transfer pipe, which is a component of a manufacturing apparatus for carrying out the method for manufacturing a glass article according to an embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a perspective view showing a vertical transfer pipe of a transfer pipe, which is a component of a manufacturing apparatus for carrying out a method for manufacturing a glass article according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. It is process drawing which shows the various processes of the manufacturing method of the glass article which concerns on embodiment of this invention. FIG. 4 is a schematic side view showing a state in which a first example of transfer continuation processing is being performed in a coping step in the manufacturing method of the glass article according to the embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 10 is a schematic side view showing a state in which a second example or a third example of transfer continuation processing is being performed in the coping step in the method for manufacturing the glass article according to the embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 10 is a schematic side view showing a state in which a fourth example of transfer continuation processing is being performed in the coping step in the method for manufacturing the glass article according to the embodiment of the present invention;

Hereinafter, a method for manufacturing a glass article according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 illustrates the basic configuration of a manufacturing apparatus for carrying out a method for manufacturing a glass article according to the present invention. As shown in the figure, this manufacturing apparatus 1 can be roughly divided into a melting furnace 2 which is arranged at the upstream end and which heats frit to generate molten glass Gm, and a molten glass Gm which flows out from the melting furnace 2. A transfer device 3 for transferring toward the downstream side and a forming device 4 for forming a glass ribbon Gr using the molten glass Gm supplied from the transfer device 3 are provided.

The melting furnace 2 defines a melting space within the furnace by walls made of refractory bricks or the like. A bottom wall portion 2a of the melting furnace 2 is provided with a plurality of electrodes Px which protrude into the furnace and are immersed in the molten glass Gm. These electrodes Px electrically heat the molten glass Gm. In this case, the heating of the molten glass Gm in the melting furnace 2 may be performed only by electrical heating by the electrodes Px, and in addition, a burner heating means 17, which will be described later, may be used. The melting furnace 2 is provided with a raw material feeder (for example, a screw feeder) that feeds frit onto the molten glass Gm from outside the furnace.

The transfer device 3 includes a clarification tank 5, an agitation tank 6, and a conditioning tank 7 in order from the upstream side as main components. An inlet 5 a of the clarification tank 5 communicates with an outlet 2 b of the melting furnace 2 via an upstream connecting pipe 8 . The outflow port 5b of the clarification tank 5 communicates with the inflow port 6a of the agitating tank 6 via a midstream connecting pipe 9. As shown in FIG. The outflow port 6b of the stirring vessel 6 communicates with the inflow port 7a of the conditioning vessel 7 via a cooling pipe 10. As shown in FIG. These upstream connecting pipe 8 , midstream connecting pipe 9 and cooling pipe 10 are also components of the transfer device 3 .

The fining tank 5 is for fining the molten glass Gm produced in the melting furnace 2 . The stirring vessel 6 stirs the clarified molten glass Gm with stirring blades (stirrers) 6x to homogenize it. The cooling pipe 10 cools the homogenized molten glass Gm to adjust its viscosity and the like. The conditioning tank 7 is for further adjusting the viscosity and flow rate of the cooled molten glass Gm. A plurality of stirring tanks 6 may be arranged on the transfer route of the transfer device 3 .

The clarification tank 5, the upstream connection pipe 8, the midstream connection pipe 9, and the cooling pipe 10 are all composed of transfer pipes P, more specifically, horizontal transfer pipes P1 as shown in FIG. The horizontal transfer pipe P1 has its pipe axis Z extending in the horizontal direction. Here, when the horizontal transfer pipe P1 constitutes the clarification tank 5 and the midstream connection pipe 9, the pipe axis Z thereof extends along the horizontal direction (including the slightly inclined direction). Further, when the horizontal transfer pipe P1 constitutes the upstream connecting pipe 8 and the cooling pipe 10, the pipe axis Z extends along the inclined direction gradually positioned upward as it moves downstream. The horizontal transfer pipe P1 includes a tubular portion Pa in which the molten glass Gm flows, flange portions Pb provided at one end and the other end of the tubular portion Pa in the direction of the tube axis Z, and outer peripheral portions of these flange portions Pb. and an attached electrode Py. These electrodes Py electrically heat the horizontal transfer pipe P1, and the molten glass Gm in the horizontal transfer pipe P1 is heated by the electric heating. The clarification tank 5, the upstream connection pipe 8, the midstream connection pipe 9, and the cooling pipe 10 may each be configured by connecting a plurality of horizontal transfer pipes P1.

Tubular portion Pa can be made of platinum, platinum alloys (such as platinum rhodium alloys, etc.), reinforced platinum, or reinforced platinum alloys. Both flange portions Pb and both electrodes Py can be made of platinum, platinum alloy, reinforced platinum, reinforced platinum alloy, nickel, or nickel alloy. Both flange portions Pb are fixed by welding or the like to one end and the other end of the tubular portion Pa in the direction of the tube axis Z, respectively. The material of each part and the method of fixing both flange parts Pb to the tubular part Pa described here are the same for the vertical transfer pipe P2 described below.

The stirring tank 6 is composed of a transfer pipe P, more specifically, a vertical transfer pipe P2 as shown in FIG. This vertical transfer pipe P2 is basically different from the above-described horizontal transfer pipe P1 in that its pipe axis Z extends in the vertical direction (preferably in the vertical direction) and that the electrodes Py are located in the tubular portion Pa. It is attached to the outer peripheral part of the flange part Pb provided in the upper end and the lower end, respectively. The flange portion Pb on the upper end side has an opening corresponding to the inner peripheral surface of the tubular portion Pa in the same manner as the flange portion Pb of the horizontal transfer pipe P1 described above. is in the form of a blind flange without such openings. In addition, the flange portion Pb on the lower end side has a drain port (see later-described FIG. 7) for discharging the molten glass. Further, the above-described inflow port 6a and outflow port 6b are formed in the upper and lower peripheral wall portions of the tubular portion Pa of the vertical transfer pipe P2, respectively. An inflow pipe 9a communicating with a midstream connecting pipe 9 is connected to the inflow port 6a, and an outflow pipe 10a communicating with a cooling pipe 10 is connected to the outflow port 6b. The opening at the upper end of the vertical transfer pipe P2 is covered with a cover (not shown), and the rotating shaft of the stirring blade 6x is inserted through a through hole provided in the center of the cover. The conditioning tank 7 is composed of a transfer pipe P, and more specifically, although there are differences in shape and the like from the vertical transfer pipe P2 in the figure, the same structure can be adopted.

Referring to FIG. 1, a molding apparatus 4 includes a molded body 11 for flowing molten glass Gm by an overflow down-draw method and molding it into a belt shape, and a large-diameter introduction pipe 12 for guiding the molten glass Gm to the molded body 11. have. Molten glass Gm is supplied to the introduction pipe 12 through the conditioning tank 7 of the transfer device 3 and the small-diameter pipe 13 that is a component thereof. Therefore, in this embodiment, the downstream end of the transfer device 3 is the outflow port 13 b of the small-diameter pipe 13 in the conditioning tank 7 . The upstream end of the transfer device 3 is the inlet 8a of the upstream connecting pipe 8 already described. Although the introduction pipe 12 is used as a component of the molding device 4 in this embodiment, it may be used as a component of the transfer device 3 .

The strip-shaped glass ribbon Gr is supplied to an annealing step and a cutting step, and sheet glass having a desired size is cut out as a glass article. The sheet glass obtained here has a thickness of, for example, 0.01 to 2 mm, and is used for glass substrates and cover glasses of displays such as liquid crystal displays and organic EL displays. The forming apparatus 4 may perform other down-draw methods such as the slot down-draw method, or may perform methods other than the down-draw method, such as the float method.

As the glass of the plate glass, silicate glass and silica glass are used, preferably borosilicate glass, soda lime glass, aluminosilicate glass and chemically strengthened glass are used, and alkali-free glass is most preferably used. Here, the alkali-free glass is a glass that does not substantially contain an alkali component (alkali metal oxide), and specifically, a glass in which the weight ratio of the alkali component is 3000 ppm or less. be. The weight ratio of the alkali component in the present embodiment is preferably 1000 ppm or less, more preferably 500 ppm or less, and most preferably 300 ppm or less.

In addition to the above configuration, the manufacturing apparatus 1 is provided with an operating power supply facility 15 as shown in FIG. The operating power source equipment 15 supplies electric current to the electrode Px of the melting furnace 2 and the electrode Py of the transfer pipe P (the electrodes of the horizontal transfer pipe P1 and the vertical transfer pipe P2). In this case, the working power supply facility 15 may be a single facility or a plurality of facilities (details will be described later).

Next, a method for manufacturing a glass article according to an embodiment of the invention will be described in detail.

This manufacturing method, as shown in FIG. 4, includes a melting step S1, a transfer step S2, a molding step S3, and a handling step S4.

The melting step S1 is a step in which the molten glass Gm is generated from the frit by heating the molten glass Gm using the electrodes Px in the melting furnace 2 with the electric current supplied from the operating power supply equipment 15.

In the transfer step S2, the molten glass Gm flowing out from the outlet 2b of the melting furnace 2 is transferred by the transfer device 3 while the transfer pipe P is energized and heated using the electrode Py by the electric current supplied from the power source equipment 15 for operation. It is a process of transferring by a pipe P.

The forming step S<b>3 is a step of forming a glass article using the forming device 4 from the molten glass Gm transferred by each transfer pipe P of the transfer device 3 .

The coping step S<b>4 is a step of coping with a problem in the current supply from the working power supply facility 15 . In this countermeasure step S4, transfer continuation processing for continuously transferring the molten glass Gm from the melting furnace 2 to at least halfway through the transfer device 3 is performed. In addition, when the power supply equipment 15 for operation receives power supply from an electric power company, the case where the supply of current is disturbed is the case where a power failure occurs or the power supply equipment 15 for operation breaks down. . Further, when the operating power supply facility 15 is for self-generating power, there is a case where the operating power supply facility 15 fails or the like. Furthermore, if the working power supply facility 15 is equipped with a facility that receives power from an electric power company and a facility that generates in-house power, one or both of them may experience a power failure or failure as described above. is the case.

The advantages of performing the transfer continuation process in the handling step S4 are as follows. That is, when the current supply is disturbed as described above, the molten glass Gm is continuously transferred to at least halfway through the transfer device 3. 3, the temperature drop of the transfer pipe P present at least in the upstream portion is reduced. As a result, damage such as bursting of the transfer pipe P of the transfer device 3 can be appropriately prevented. Furthermore, since the molten glass Gm continues to flow in the melting furnace 2 due to the continuous transfer of the molten glass Gm, the progress of solidification of the molten glass Gm not only in the transfer pipe P but also in the melting furnace 2 is appropriate. to be stopped. As a result, when the current supply from the operating power supply facility 15 is restored, the molten glass can be restored to its original state by simply performing a simple repair work on the transfer pipe P or the melting furnace 2 or without performing a repair work. Allows you to transport Gm.

First to fourth examples of the transfer continuation process performed in the handling step S4 will be described below.

FIG. 5 is a schematic side view for explaining a first example of transfer continuation processing. As shown in the figure, the first example has a standby power supply facility 16 that can be used in the event that the supply of current from the working power supply facility 15 is interrupted. Under this basic configuration, in the countermeasure step S4, a current is supplied from the standby power supply equipment 16 to the electrode Px of the melting furnace 2 and the electrode Py of each transfer pipe P of the transfer device 3. In this way, supply of electric current from the standby power supply facility 16 enables continuous transfer of the molten glass Gm. In this first example, the molten glass Gm can be continuously transferred to the downstream end of the transfer device 3 (in this embodiment, the outflow port 13b of the conditioning tank 7). In this way, the molten glass Gm flowing out from the downstream end 13b of the transfer device 3 is continuously supplied to the molded body 11 through the introduction pipe 12 of the molding device 4. Therefore, in this first example, the temperature drop of the molten glass Gm in all the transfer pipes P and the introduction pipe 12 of the transfer device 3 and the molten glass Gm supplied to the molded body 11 can be reduced. As a result, it is possible to prevent not only all the transfer pipes P and the introduction pipes 12 of the transfer device 3 from being damaged, but also the molding 11 from being damaged. More specifically, when the molten glass Gm is no longer supplied, the molded body 11 experiences a sudden temperature drop, or when the molten glass Gm is restarted and a sudden temperature rise occurs, damage such as cracking occurs. Although it may occur, such a problem does not occur by continuously supplying the molten glass Gm. When this first example is performed, the flow rate A of the molten glass Gm transferred is made less than the flow rate B of the molten glass Gm transferred when the transfer step S2 is performed. 30-99% of B, more preferably 30-90%, but the flow rate A may be equal to the flow rate B. As a result, the capacity of the standby power supply facility 16 can be reduced, and an increase in facility cost and complication of the facility can be prevented. Also, in this first example, the working power supply facility 15 is supplied with power from the electric power company and the standby power supply facility 16 is powered by private power generation, but the reverse is also possible. Alternatively, the working power supply facility 15 may be used in combination with power supply from an electric power company and in-house power generation, and the standby power supply facility 16 may be another in-house power generation system (one or more in-house power generation systems). good. Furthermore, in this first example, the capacity (capacity) of the standby power supply facility 16 is made smaller than the capacity of the working power supply facility 15 (for example, 20% to 99%, more preferably 20% to 90%). , and vice versa, or the abilities may be the same.

FIG. 6 is a schematic side view for explaining a second example of transfer continuation processing. As shown in the figure, in the second example, the melting furnace 2 is equipped with a burner heating means 17 capable of generating the molten glass Gm, and the electrode Px of the melting furnace 2 is used in the melting step S1. The molten glass Gm is generated only by electric heating. Under this basic configuration, molten glass Gm is generated in the melting furnace 2 by the burner heating means 17 in the countermeasure step S4. In this way, since the burner heating means 17 performs heating necessary for generating the molten glass Gm, it is possible to more reliably reduce the temperature drop of the continuously transferred molten glass Gm. In this second example, since the molten glass can be continuously transferred to the middle of the upstream part or the downstream part of the transfer device 3, the temperature drop of the molten glass Gm in the transfer pipe P of the relevant part of the transfer device 3 is reduced. can. Therefore, in this second example, it is possible to prevent the transfer pipe P from being damaged at that portion of the transfer device 3 . In addition, since the flow rate of the molten glass Gm transferred when this second example is performed is the same as in the case of the above-described first example, the amount of heat generated by the burner heating means 17 is reduced, and the equipment cost is increased. can be prevented. This second example may be used in combination with the first example described above. That is, in the countermeasure step S4, a current may be supplied from the backup power supply equipment 16 to the electrode Py of each transfer pipe P, or alternatively or together with this, a current may be supplied from the backup power supply equipment 16 to the electrode Px of the melting furnace 2. You may

The burner heating means 17 can be composed of, for example, a plurality of burners arranged on the side wall of the melting furnace 2, and each burner injects a flame above the molten glass in the melting furnace 2 to heat the frit and the molten glass Gm. heat up. In the melting step S1, the burner may be removed, and in the handling step S4, the burner may be attached.

A third example of the transfer continuation process will be described with reference to FIG. In the third example, in the melting step S1, the molten glass Gm is melted by electric heating using the electrodes Px of the melting furnace 2 and heating using the burner heating means 17 that assists in the generation of the molten glass Gm in the melting step S1. I am trying to generate. Under this basic configuration, in the countermeasure step S4, the amount of heat generated by the burner heating means 17 is increased more than the amount of heat generated by the burner heating means 17 in the melting step S1. In this way, the molten glass Gm is generated by the burner heating means 17 after the decrease in the amount of heat generated by the electrical heating using the electrode Px is compensated for by the increase in the amount of heat generated by the burner heating means 17 . Therefore, in this third example, the drop in temperature of the transferred molten glass Gm can be more reliably reduced, and the molten glass Gm can be more appropriately continuously transferred halfway to the upstream side or downstream side of the transfer device 3. can. Also, the flow rate of the molten glass Gm transferred when the third example is carried out is the same as in the case of the above-described first example. Therefore, according to this third example, the same effects as those of the above-described second example can be obtained. This third example may be used in combination with the first example described above. That is, in the countermeasure step S4, a current may be supplied from the backup power supply equipment 16 to the electrode Py of each transfer pipe P, or alternatively or together with this, a current may be supplied from the backup power supply equipment 16 to the electrode Px of the melting furnace 2. You may

An increase in the amount of heat generated by the burner heating means 17 may be realized, for example, by increasing the amount of heat generated per burner, or by increasing the number of burners in operation. can be realized by

FIG. 7 is a schematic side view for explaining a fourth example of transfer continuation processing. As shown in the figure, in the fourth example, the molten glass Gm is discharged from the drain port 6e of the stirring tank 6 in the countermeasure step S4. In this case, the time to start discharging the molten glass Gm from the drain port 6e can be, for example, when the supply of the molten glass Gm to the molding device 4 is stopped. In this way, as the molten glass Gm is discharged from the drain port 6e of the stirring tank 6, the transfer of the molten glass Gm from the melting furnace 2 to the stirring tank 6 is promoted, so that the molten glass Gm continues. transport becomes possible. This reduces the temperature drop of the molten glass Gm in the stirring tank 6 in the transfer device 3 and in the transfer pipe P on the upstream side thereof. Therefore, according to this fourth example, damage to the stirring tank 6, the midstream connection pipe 9, the clarification tank 5, and the upstream connection pipe 8 can be prevented. The flow rate (flow rate per unit length) of the molten glass Gm transferred when this fourth example is carried out is the same as in the case of the above-described first example. Note that, instead of the configuration here, a drain port may be formed at a location other than the stirring tank 6 in the transfer device 3, and the molten glass Gm may be discharged from the drain port. In addition, this fourth example may be used in combination with the first example described above, may be used in combination with either one of the second example and the third example, or may be used in combination with the combination of the first example and the second example. It may be used together with a combination of the first example and the third example.

Although the method for manufacturing a glass article according to the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this, and various variations are possible without departing from the gist of the present invention.

For example, in the above embodiments, the present invention is applied to a method for producing plate glass, but the present invention may be applied to a method for producing glass articles other than plate glass (for example, glass rolls, glass tubes, glass fibers, etc.). good.

In the above embodiments, the first to fourth examples were given as the transfer continuation process for continuously transferring the molten glass in the transfer pipe. Another treatment may be performed or may be used in combination with another treatment as long as the molten glass can be continuously transferred in the transfer pipe. For example, in the countermeasure step S4, it is preferable to supply frit onto the molten glass Gm from outside the furnace. The glass raw material may be supplied intermittently or continuously. In addition, a raw material feeder may be used to supply the glass raw material, or the raw material for glass may be supplied by an operator. When using the raw material feeder in the handling step S4, it is preferable to supply current from the standby power supply facility 16 to the raw material feeder.

1 Manufacturing device 2 Melting furnace 3 Transfer device 4 Molding device 5 Clarifying tank 6 Stirring tank 6d Bottom part (bottom wall) of stirring tank
6e Stirring tank discharge port (drain port)
7 conditioning tank 8 upstream connecting pipe 8a upstream end of transfer pipe (inlet of upstream pipe)
9 Midstream connection pipe 10 Cooling pipe 11 Components of molding device (molded body)
13 Conditioning tank small diameter pipe 13b Downstream end of transfer pipe (conditioning tank outlet)
15 Working power supply facility 16 Standby power supply facility 17 Burner heating means Gm Molten glass P Transfer pipe P1 Horizontal transfer pipe P2 Vertical transfer pipe Pa Tubular portion Pb Flange portion Px Melting furnace electrode Py Transfer pipe electrode S1 Melting process S2 Transfer process S3 Forming process S4 Coping process

Claims (7)

a melting step of generating molten glass from glass raw materials by energizing and heating molten glass using electrodes in a melting furnace with an electric current supplied from an operating power supply;
a transfer step of transferring the molten glass flowing out of the melting furnace through the transfer pipe while the transfer pipe provided in the transfer device is energized and heated by the current supplied from the operating power supply equipment;
and a forming step of forming a glass article from the molten glass transferred by the transfer device using a forming device, the method comprising:
Further comprising a coping step for coping with a problem in the supply of current from the working power supply facility,
The method for manufacturing a glass article, wherein, in the coping step, a transfer continuation process is performed for continuously transferring the molten glass from the melting furnace to at least partway through the transfer device. Having a standby power supply facility that can be used in the event that there is a problem with the supply of current from the operation power supply facility,
2. The method of manufacturing a glass article according to claim 1, wherein, in said coping step, as said transfer continuation process, a current is supplied from said backup power supply equipment to said electrode of said melting furnace and/or said transfer pipe. The melting furnace comprises burner heating means capable of generating molten glass in the melting furnace by combustion heating using a burner,
In the melting step, molten glass is generated only by electric heating using the electrodes,
3. The method of manufacturing a glass article according to claim 1, wherein in the coping step, molten glass is generated by the burner heating means as the transfer continuation process. The melting furnace comprises a burner heating means that contributes to the production of molten glass in the melting furnace by combustion heating using a burner,
In the melting step, molten glass is generated by electric heating using the electrode and combustion heating using the burner heating means,
3. The method of manufacturing a glass article according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, in said coping step, as said transfer continuation processing, the amount of heat generated by said burner heating means is increased more than said amount of heat generated by said burner heating means in said melting step. The transfer device includes a clarification tank, an agitation tank and a conditioning tank configured by the transfer pipe,
5. The method for manufacturing a glass article according to claim 1, wherein, in the coping step, the molten glass is discharged from a discharge port provided at the bottom of the stirring tank as the transfer continuation process. 5. The glass article according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein in the handling step, the molten glass is continuously transferred to the forming device by the transfer device, thereby continuing to supply the molten glass to the forming device. Production method. Claims 1 to 6, wherein when the transfer continuation process is performed in the handling step, the flow rate of the molten glass transferred by the transfer device is made smaller than the flow rate of the molten glass transferred by the transfer device in the transfer step. 3. A method for producing a glass article according to any one of .

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