Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C03—GLASS; MINERAL OR SLAG WOOL
  • C03B—MANUFACTURE, SHAPING, OR SUPPLEMENTARY PROCESSES
  • C03B5/00—Melting in furnaces; Furnaces so far as specially adapted for glass manufacture
  • C03B5/16—Special features of the melting process; Auxiliary means specially adapted for glass-melting furnaces
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C03—GLASS; MINERAL OR SLAG WOOL
  • C03B—MANUFACTURE, SHAPING, OR SUPPLEMENTARY PROCESSES
  • C03B5/00—Melting in furnaces; Furnaces so far as specially adapted for glass manufacture
  • C03B5/04—Melting in furnaces; Furnaces so far as specially adapted for glass manufacture in tank furnaces
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C03—GLASS; MINERAL OR SLAG WOOL
  • C03B—MANUFACTURE, SHAPING, OR SUPPLEMENTARY PROCESSES
  • C03B5/00—Melting in furnaces; Furnaces so far as specially adapted for glass manufacture
  • C03B5/16—Special features of the melting process; Auxiliary means specially adapted for glass-melting furnaces
  • C03B5/24—Automatically regulating the melting process
  • C03B5/245—Regulating the melt or batch level, depth or thickness
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02P—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
  • Y02P40/00—Technologies relating to the processing of minerals
  • Y02P40/50—Glass production, e.g. reusing waste heat during processing or shaping
  • Y02P40/57—Improving the yield, e-g- reduction of reject rates

Definitions

• the present disclosure relates generally to glass manufacturing apparatus and methods and, more particularly, to glass manufacturing apparatus including a delivery vessel and methods of manufacturing glass while biasing the free surface of the molten material within a molten material station to an operating elevation.
• a method of manufacturing glass comprises the step (I) of biasing a free surface of molten material within a delivery apparatus to an operating elevation by applying pressure to the free surface of molten material that is greater than or less than atmospheric pressure.
• the method further includes the step (II) of passing molten material from the delivery apparatus to a forming vessel while the free surface is biased to the operating elevation.
• step (I) includes applying pressure to the free surface that is greater than atmospheric pressure such that the operating elevation is lower than a reference elevation that the free surface would achieve under atmospheric pressure.
• step (I) includes applying pressure to the free surface that is less than atmospheric pressure such that the operating elevation is higher than a reference elevation that the free surface would achieve under atmospheric pressure.
• step (I) includes maintaining the operating elevation within a predetermined range of operating elevations.
• the method further includes the step of measuring an actual elevation of the free surface of molten material within the delivery apparatus, and step (I) includes adjusting a pressure applied to the free surface of the molten material to bias the free surface of molten material from the actual elevation to the operating elevation.
• the method further includes the step of changing the composition of the molten material that changes a reference elevation that the free surface would achieve under atmospheric pressure, and step (I) includes adjusting a pressure applied to the free surface of the molten material to compensate for the change in composition of the molten material.
• the method further comprises the step of changing a volumetric flow rate of molten material passing through the delivery apparatus that changes a reference elevation that the free surface would achieve under atmospheric pressure, and step (I) includes adjusting a pressure applied to the free surface of the molten material to compensate for the change in volumetric flow rate of the molten material.
• the applied pressure has an absolute value of greater than 0 kPa and less than or equal to 3.5 kPa.
• a method of manufacturing glass comprises the step (I) of biasing a free surface of molten material within an upstream molten material station to an operating elevation by applying pressure to the free surface of molten material that is greater than or less than atmospheric pressure by an absolute value that is greater than 0 kPa and less than or equal to 3.5 kPa.
• the method then includes the step (II) of passing molten material from the upstream molten material station to a downstream molten material station while the free surface is biased to the operating elevation.
• step (I) includes applying pressure to the free surface that is greater than atmospheric pressure such that the operating elevation is lower than a reference elevation that the free surface would achieve under atmospheric pressure.
• step (I) includes applying pressure to the free surface that is less than atmospheric pressure such that the operating elevation is higher than a reference elevation that the free surface would achieve under atmospheric pressure.
• step (I) includes maintaining the operating elevation within a predetermined range of operating elevations.
• the method further comprises the step of measuring an actual elevation of the free surface of molten material within the delivery apparatus, and step (I) includes adjusting a pressure applied to the free surface of the molten material to bias the free surface of molten material from the actual elevation to the operating elevation.
• the method further comprises the step of changing the composition of the molten material that changes a reference elevation that the free surface would achieve under atmospheric pressure, and step (I) includes adjusting a pressure applied to the free surface of the molten material to compensate for the change in composition of the molten material.
• the method further comprises the step of changing a volumetric flow rate of molten material passing through the delivery apparatus that changes a reference elevation that the free surface would achieve under atmospheric pressure, and step (I) includes adjusting a pressure applied to the free surface of the molten material to compensate for the change in volumetric flow rate of the molten material.
• the upstream molten material station is selected from the group consisting of: a fining vessel, a mixing vessel, and a delivery apparatus.
• a glass manufacturing apparatus comprises a forming vessel configured to form glass from molten material and a delivery apparatus including an interior volume configured to pass molten material from an upstream molten material station to the forming vessel while the molten material comprises a free surface within the interior volume of the delivery apparatus.
• the glass manufacturing apparatus further includes a pressure source in fluid communication with the interior volume of the delivery apparatus. The pressure source is configured to apply pressure that is greater than or less than atmospheric pressure to the free surface within the interior volume of the delivery apparatus to bias the free surface of the molten material to an operating elevation.
• the pressure source is configured to apply pressure to the free surface that is greater than atmospheric pressure such that the operating elevation is lower than a reference elevation that the free surface would achieve under atmospheric pressure.
• the pressure source is configured to apply pressure to the free surface that is less than atmospheric pressure such that the operating elevation is higher than a reference elevation that the free surface would achieve under atmospheric pressure.
• the apparatus further comprises a controller configured to operate the pressure source to maintain the operating elevation within a predetermined range of operating elevations.
• the apparatus further comprises a measuring device configured to measure an actual elevation of the free surface of the molten material.
• the controller is configured operate the pressure source in response to the measured actual elevation of the free surface to bias the free surface of the molten material from the actual elevation to an operating elevation within the predetermined range of operating elevations.
• FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a glass manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosure
• FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the glass manufacturing apparatus along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;
• FIG. 3 illustrates a free surface of molten material in a molten material station at one elevation under atmospheric pressure
• FIG. 4 illustrates a free surface of molten material in a molten material station at another elevation under atmospheric pressure
• FIG. 5 illustrates a free surface of molten material in a molten material station that is biased to an operating elevation by applying pressure to the free surface of molten material that is less than atmospheric pressure;
• FIG. 6 illustrates a free surface of molten material in a molten material station at one elevation under atmospheric pressure
• FIG. 7 illustrates a free surface of molten material in a molten material station at another elevation under atmospheric pressure
• FIG. 8 illustrates a free surface of molten material in a molten material station that is biased to an operating elevation by applying pressure to the free surface of molten material that is greater than atmospheric pressure.
• glass manufacturing apparatus and methods of the disclosure may be used to produce glass articles (e.g., containers, ribbons etc.).
• glass manufacturing apparatus and methods may be used to produce glass articles comprising a glass ribbon that may be further processed into one or more glass sheets.
• the glass manufacturing apparatus may be configured to form a glass ribbon by a down-draw, up-draw, float, fusion, press rolling, slot draw, or other glass forming techniques.
• the glass ribbon from any of these processes may be subsequently divided to provide sheet glass suitable for further processing into a desired display application.
• the glass sheets can be used in a wide range of display applications, for embodiment liquid crystal displays (LCDs), electrophoretic displays (EPD), organic light emitting diode displays (OLEDs), plasma display panels (PDPs), or the like.
• FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an embodiment of a glass manufacturing apparatus 101 configured to draw a glass ribbon 103.
• the glass manufacturing apparatus 101 is illustrated as a fusion down-draw apparatus although other glass manufacturing apparatus configured for up-draw, float, press rolling, slot draw, etc. may be provided in further embodiments.
• embodiments of the disclosure are not limited to producing glass ribbon. Indeed, the concepts presented in the present disclosure may be used in a wide range of glass manufacturing apparatus to produce a wide range of glass articles.
• the glass manufacturing apparatus 101 can include a melting vessel 105 configured to receive batch material 107 from a storage bin 109.
• the batch material 107 can be introduced by a batch delivery device 111 powered by a motor 113.
• the motor 113 can introduce a desired amount of batch material 107 into the melting vessel 105, as indicated by arrow 117.
• the melting vessel 105 may then melt the batch material 107 into a quantity of molten material 121.
• the glass manufacturing apparatus 101 can also include a fining vessel 127, for example a fining tube, located downstream from the melting vessel 105 and coupled to the melting vessel 105 by way of a first connecting tube 129.
• a mixing vessel 131 for example a stir chamber, can also be located downstream from the fining vessel 127 and a delivery apparatus 133 may be located downstream from the mixing vessel 131.
• a second connecting tube 135 can couple the fining vessel 127 to the mixing vessel 131 and a third connecting tube 137 can couple the mixing vessel 131 to the delivery apparatus 133.
• an optional delivery pipe 139 can be positioned to deliver molten material 121 from a delivery vessel 161 of the delivery apparatus 133 to a fusion draw machine 140.
• the fusion draw machine 140 may be configured to draw the molten material 121 into the glass ribbon 103.
• the fusion draw machine 140 can include a forming vessel 143 provided with an inlet 141 configured to receive molten material from the delivery vessel 161 either directly or indirectly, for example by the delivery pipe 139. If provided, the delivery pipe 139 can be configured to receive molten material from the delivery vessel 161 and the inlet 141 of the forming vessel 143 can be configured to receive molten material from the delivery pipe 139.
• the melting vessel 105, fining vessel 127, mixing vessel 131, delivery apparatus 133, and forming vessel 143 are embodiments of molten material stations that may be located in series along the glass manufacturing apparatus 101.
• the melting vessel 105 and features of the forming vessel 143 are typically made from a refractory material, for example refractory ceramic (e.g. ceramic brick, ceramic monolithic forming body, etc.).
• the glass manufacturing apparatus 101 may further include components that are typically made from platinum or platinum- containing metals for example platinum-rhodium, platinum-iridium and combinations thereof, but which may also comprise such refractory metals as molybdenum, palladium, rhenium, tantalum, titanium, tungsten, ruthenium, osmium, zirconium, and alloys thereof and/or zirconium dioxide.
• the platinum-containing components can include one or more of the first connecting tube 129, the fining vessel 127 (e.g., finer tube), the second connecting tube 135, the mixing vessel 131 (e.g., a stir chamber), the third connecting tube 137, the inlet 141 and features of the forming vessel 143.
• Portions of the delivery apparatus 133 can also include platinum-containing components such as the delivery vessel 161, the delivery pipe 139 and/or a stand pipe 163 of the delivery apparatus 133.
• FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the glass manufacturing apparatus 101 along line 2-2 of FIG. 1.
• the forming vessel 143 can include a trough 200 configured to receive the molten material 121 from the inlet 141.
• the forming vessel 143 further includes a forming wedge 201 comprising a pair of downwardly inclined converging surface portions 203, 205 extending between opposed ends of the forming wedge 201.
• the pair of downwardly inclined converging surface portions 203, 205 converge along a draw direction 207 to form a root 209.
• a draw plane 211 extends through the root 209 wherein the glass ribbon 103 may be drawn in the draw direction 207 along the draw plane 211.
• the draw plane 211 can bisect the root 209 although the draw plane 211 may extend at other orientations with respect to the root 209.
• the molten material 121 can flow from the inlet 141 into the trough 200 of the forming vessel 143.
• the molten material 121 can then overflow from the trough 200 by simultaneously flowing over corresponding weirs 202a, 202b and downward over the outer surfaces 204a, 204b of the corresponding weirs 202a, 202b.
• Respective streams of molten material then flow along the downwardly inclined converging surface portions 203, 205 of the forming wedge 201 to be drawn off the root 209 of the forming vessel 143, where the flows converge and fuse into the glass ribbon 103.
• the glass ribbon 103 may then be drawn off the root 209 in the draw plane 211 along draw direction 207.
• the glass ribbon 103 may be drawn from the root 209 with a first major surface 213 and a second major surface 215.
• the first major surface 213 and the second major surface 215 face opposite directions with a thickness 217 that can be less than or equal to about 1 mm, for example, from about 50 ⁇ to about 750 ⁇ , for example from about 100 ⁇ to about 700 ⁇ , for example from about 200 ⁇ to about 600 ⁇ , for example from about 300 ⁇ to about 500 ⁇ , and all subranges therebetween.
• the thickness 217 can be greater than 1 mm, for example from about 1 mm to about 3 mm and all subranges therebetween.
• glass manufacturing apparatus 101 for fusion drawing a glass ribbon can also include at least one edge roll assembly 149a, 149b.
• Each illustrated edge roll assembly 149a, 149b can include a pair of edge rolls 221 configured to provide proper finishing of the corresponding opposed edge portions 223a, 223b of the glass ribbon 103.
• the glass manufacturing apparatus 101 can further include a first and second pull roll assembly 151a, 151b.
• Each illustrated pull roll assembly 151a, 151b can include a pair of pull rolls 153 configured to facilitate pulling of the glass ribbon 103 in the draw direction 207 of the draw plane 211.
• the glass manufacturing apparatus 101 can further include a pressure source in fluid communication with an interior volume of one or more of the molten material stations (e.g., the fining vessel 127, the mixing vessel 131, and the delivery apparatus 133) of the glass manufacturing apparatus.
• the pressure source can be configured to apply pressure that may be greater than or less than atmospheric pressure to a free surface of molten material within the interior volume of the molten material station to bias the free surface of the molten material to an operating elevation.
• atmospheric pressure can be considered the pressure of the atmosphere at the elevation of the molten material station with respect to sea level.
• the atmospheric pressure may comprise one atmosphere of pressure (i.e., 101.325 kPa) when the molten material station is positioned at sea level.
• atmospheric pressure may be greater than one atmosphere of pressure if the molten material station is positioned at an elevation below sea level.
• atmospheric pressure may be less than one atmosphere of pressure if the molten material station is positioned above sea level.
• a portion or all of the glass manufacturing apparatus 101 may be positioned within a containment vessel designed to control conditions that may adversely impact the glass manufacturing process.
• a portion or all of the glass manufacturing apparatus 101 may be positioned within a containment vessel filled with an inert gas (e.g., nitrogen) to reduce or eliminate contact with platinum or other components of the glass manufacturing apparatus with oxygen that may otherwise oxidize portions of the glass manufacturing apparatus.
• the containment vessel may be pressurized to prevent leaking of oxygen- rich air into the containment vessel.
• the atmospheric pressure may be considered the absolute pressure of the gas within the containment area (i.e., the gauge pressure plus the pressure of the atmosphere at the elevation of the molten material station relative to sea level).
• an operating elevation of the free surface of the molten material can mean the elevation where the free surface is maintained while creating high quality glass with the forming vessel 143.
• the high quality glass comprises production quality glass wherein the glass is expected to produce acceptable quality glass, such as the highest possible quality glass, that is substantially free from defects that can interfere with the optical performance of the glass.
• the operating elevation is the elevation of the molten material within the molten material station while the high quality glass is being produced downstream from the molten material station.
• molten material may pass through the molten material station while the molten material includes a free surface at the operating elevation. This molten material can eventually be processed by the forming vessel into the high quality glass.
• the molten material may pass through the delivery apparatus 133 while the free surface of the molten material is maintained at the operating elevation. That molten material may then be drawn into a glass ribbon by the forming vessel 143, wherein the glass ribbon comprises high quality glass ribbon that is substantially free from defects that can interfere with the optical performance of the glass.
• the free surface of the molten material may be maintained at the operating elevation for hours, days, weeks or more while the high quality glass ribbon is continuously drawn from the forming vessel 143.
• a pressure source may be provided fluid in communication with an interior volume of one or more of the molten material stations (e.g., the fining vessel 127, the mixing vessel 131, and the delivery apparatus 133) of the glass manufacturing apparatus.
• a pressure source 171 may optionally be provided in fluid communication with the fining vessel 127 by pressure line 173a, 173b.
• a fluid manifold 175 may be provided that can be operated by a controller 177 to provide the desired level of pressure to the fining vessel 127 by the pressure source 171.
• the pressure source may comprise a source of inert gas (e.g., nitrogen or the like) to reduce or prevent oxidation of platinum or platinum-alloy material of the glass manufacturing apparatus.
• the pressure source may comprise a pressure vessel pressurized by a compressor, although one or more pumps or other pressure sources may be provided in further embodiments.
• the pressure source 171 may optionally be provided in fluid communication with the mixing vessel 131 by pressure line 173a, 173c.
• the fluid manifold 175 may be provided that can be operated by the controller 177 to provide the desired level of pressure to the mixing vessel 131 by the pressure source 171.
• the pressure source 171 may optionally be provided in fluid communication with the delivery apparatus 133 by pressure line 173a, 173d.
• the fluid manifold 175 may be provided that can be operated by the controller 177 to provide the desired level of pressure to the delivery apparatus 133 by the pressure source 171
• each of the molten material stations may include a corresponding separate pressure source 171.
• a pressure line may be placed in direct communication with the molten material station without the illustrated fluid manifold.
• the fining vessel 127 includes an interior volume 179 configured to pass molten material 121 from an upstream molten material station (e.g., the illustrated melting vessel 105) to be received downstream by the forming vessel 143 while the molten material 121 comprises a free surface 181 within the interior volume 179 of the fining vessel 127.
• the mixing vessel 131 includes an interior volume 183 configured to pass molten material 121 from an upstream molten material station (e.g., the illustrated fining vessel 127) to be received downstream by the forming vessel 143 while the molten material 121 comprises a free surface 185 within the interior volume 183 of the mixing vessel 131.
• the delivery apparatus 133 includes an interior volume 187 configured to pass molten material 121 from an upstream molten material station (e.g., the illustrated mixing vessel 131) to the forming vessel 143 while the molten material 121 comprises a free surface 189 within the interior volume 187 of the delivery apparatus 133.
• the delivery apparatus 133 passes molten material 121 directly to the forming vessel 143 by passing molten material 121 from the delivery pipe 139 of the delivery apparatus 133 to the inlet 141 of the forming vessel 143.
• the free surface 189 of the delivery apparatus 133 is positioned within the stand pipe 163 although the free surface may be positioned within the delivery vessel 161 in further embodiments.
• the pressure source 171 may be placed in fluid communication with the interior volume 179, 183, 187 of the molten material station (e.g., fining vessel 127, mixing vessel 131, delivery apparatus 133).
• the pressure source 171 may be configured to apply pressure that can be greater than or less than atmospheric pressure to the free surface 181, 185, 189 within the interior volume 179, 183, 187 of the molten material station (e.g., fining vessel 127, mixing vessel 131, delivery apparatus 133) to bias the free surface of the molten material to an operating elevation.
• the pressure source 171 may be configured to apply pressure to the free surface that can be greater than atmospheric pressure such that the operating elevation is lower than a reference elevation that the free surface would achieve under atmospheric pressure. In another embodiment, in addition or alternatively, the pressure source 171 may be configured to apply pressure to the free surface that can be less than atmospheric pressure such that the operating elevation is higher than a reference elevation that the free surface would achieve under atmospheric pressure.
• a controller 177 may be provided that can be configured to (e.g., "programmed to”, “encoded to”, designed to”, and/or “made to”) operate the pressure source 171 to maintain the operating elevation within a predetermined range of operating elevations.
• the controller 177 may receive a signal by way of communication lines 193a, 193b, 193c from a measuring device 191a, 191b, 191c that measures an actual elevation of a free surface 181, 185, 189 in a corresponding one of the molten material stations.
• the controller 177 may be configured to operate the pressure source 171 in response to the measured actual elevation of the free surface to bias the free surface of the molten material from the actual elevation to an operating elevation within the predetermined range of operating elevations.
• FIGS. 3-8 include pressure indicators 301 that may optionally be provided to indicate the pressure of the gas 303 above the free surface 189 within the interior volume 187 of the delivery apparatus 133.
• FIG. 3 schematically shows the free surface 189 of molten material 121 within the delivery apparatus 133 at an operating elevation designated by "0" by the schematic elevation gauge 305.
• a change in processing conditions may result in a corresponding change in the operating elevation.
• the composition of the molten material may be changed.
• Such change in composition may result in changes in density, viscosity or other attributes of the molten material that can result in a corresponding change in operating elevation of the free surface 189.
• changing the composition of the molten material may result in an increase in viscosity in the molten material that may result in lowering the operating elevation of the free surface 189 as schematically designated by by the elevation gauge 305 in FIG. 4.
• the elevation designated by in FIG. 4 can thereby illustrate a change in the reference elevation that the free surface achieves under atmospheric pressure based on the change in composition of the molten material.
• the volumetric flow rate of molten material passing through the delivery apparatus may result in a corresponding change in operating elevation of the free surface 189.
• reducing the volumetric flow rate may result in lowering the operating elevation of the free surface 189 as schematically designated by by the elevation gauge 305 in FIG. 4.
• the elevation designated by in FIG. 4 can also illustrate a change in the reference elevation that the free surface achieves by a change in the volumetric flow rate of the molten material passing through the delivery apparatus.
• Embodiment of the disclosure can include the step of biasing the free surface 189 of molten material within a delivery apparatus as shown in FIG. 4 to an operating elevation designated by "0" by the elevation gauge 305 in FIG. 5.
• Biasing can be achieved by applying a negative pressure to the free surface of molten material that is less than atmospheric pressure by greater than 0 kPa to less than or equal to 3.5 kPa although pressures greater than 3.5 kPa may be used in further embodiments.
• a pressure that is 3.5 kPa less than atmospheric pressure can raise the operating elevation of the free surface 189 from the elevation shown in FIG. 4 to the elevation shown in FIG. 5.
• the pressure applied to the free surface of the molten material may be adjusted to compensate for the change in composition or the change in volumetric flow rate of the molten material. Indeed, as shown in FIG.
• the method can include applying pressure to the free surface 189 that is less than atmospheric pressure (e.g., by up to 3.5 kPa) such that the operating elevation (shown in FIG. 5) is higher than a reference elevation (e.g., the elevation designated as in FIG. 4) that the free surface would achieve under atmospheric pressure (indicated by "0" pressure by the pressure indicator 301 in FIG. 4).
• atmospheric pressure e.g., by up to 3.5 kPa
• changing the composition of the molten material may result in a decrease in viscosity in the molten material that may result in raising the operating elevation of the free surface 189 from "0" schematically illustrated by the elevation gauge in FIG. 6 to the elevation "+1 " schematically designated by the elevation gauge 305 in FIG. 7.
• the elevation designated by in FIG. 7 can thereby illustrate a change in the reference elevation that the free surface achieves under atmospheric pressure based on the change in composition of the molten material.
• increasing the volumetric flow rate may result in raising the operating elevation of the free surface 189 from "0" schematically illustrated by the elevation gauge in FIG. 6 to the elevation schematically designated by the elevation gauge 305 in FIG. 7.
• the elevation designated by in FIG. 7 can also illustrate a change in the reference elevation that the free surface achieves by a change in the volumetric flow rate of the molten material passing through the delivery apparatus.
• Embodiment of the disclosure can include the step of biasing the free surface 189 of molten material within a delivery apparatus as shown in FIG. 7 to an operating elevation designated by "0" by the elevation gauge 305 in FIG. 8.
• Biasing can be achieved by applying a positive pressure to the free surface of molten material that is greater than atmospheric pressure by greater than 0 kPa to less than or equal to 3.5 kPa although applied pressures of greater than 3.5 kPa may be used in further embodiments.
• a pressure that is 3.5 kPa greater than atmospheric pressure can lower the operating elevation of the free surface 189 from the elevation shown in FIG. 7 to the elevation shown in FIG. 8.
• the pressure applied to the free surface of the molten material may be adjusted to compensate for the change in composition or the change in volumetric flow rate of the molten material. Indeed, as shown in FIG.
• the method can include applying pressure to the free surface 189 that is greater than atmospheric pressure (e.g., by up to 3.5 kPa) such that the operating elevation (shown in FIG. 8) is lower than a reference elevation (e.g., the elevation designated as in FIG. 7) that the free surface would achieve under atmospheric pressure (indicated by "0" pressure by the pressure indicator 301 in FIG. 7).
• atmospheric pressure e.g., by up to 3.5 kPa
• the methods of the disclosure can also include the step of maintaining the operating elevation within a predetermined range of operating elevations.
• the operating elevation of the free surface 189 may be maintained between -1 and +1 as designated by the pressure indicators in FIGS. 3-8.
• the measuring device 191c can measure an actual elevation of the free surface 189 of molten material 121 within the delivery apparatus 133.
• the pressure applied to the free surface 189 may then be adjusted to bias the free surface of molten material from the actual elevation to the operating elevation. For example, if the measuring device 191c measures the actual level of the free surface 189 as falling below shown in FIG.
• the controller 177 may activate the fluid manifold 175 to allow a negative pressure from the pressure source 171 to be applied to raise the level of the free surface to the operating level shown in FIG. 5.
• the controller 177 may activate the fluid manifold 175 to allow a positive pressure from the pressure source 171 to be applied to lower the level of the free surface to the operating level shown in FIG. 8.
• the method can include biasing the free surface 189 of molten material 121 within an upstream molten material station (e.g., fining vessel 127, mixing vessel 131, delivery apparatus 133) to an operating elevation by applying pressure to the free surface of molten material that can be greater than or less than atmospheric pressure by an absolute value that may be greater than 0 kPa and less than or equal to 3.5 kPa although greater than 3.5 kPa may be provided in further embodiments.
• the method can then include the step of passing molten material from the upstream molten material station to a downstream molten material station while the free surface is biased to the operating elevation.
• Application of pressure to the free surface to provide a desired operating elevation of the free surface can compensate for changes in the system (e.g., volumetric flow rate of the molten material, composition of the molten material, etc.) without having to redesign the molten material station to accommodate for a different operating elevation that would result from the changes in the system.
• the pressure may be adjusted to maintain the elevation of the free surface within a range of elevations that the molten material station can accommodate.
• a single molten material station may be provided that can accommodate various system designs since the pressure may be adjusted to help maintain the free surface at a desired level.
• Embodiments and the functional operations described herein can be implemented in digital electronic circuitry, or in computer software, firmware, or hardware, including the structures disclosed in this specification and their structural equivalents, or in combinations of one or more of them.
• Embodiments described herein can be implemented as one or more computer program products, i.e., one or more modules of computer program instructions encoded on a tangible program carrier for execution by, or to control the operation of, data processing apparatus.
• the tangible program carrier can be a computer readable medium.
• the computer readable medium can be a machine-readable storage device, a machine readable storage substrate, a memory device, or a combination of one or more of them.
• controller 177 may be provided to conduct any one of a variety or combination of functions.
• controller e.g., "processor”
• processor can encompass all apparatus, devices, and machines for processing data, including by way of example a programmable processor, a computer, or multiple processors or computers.
• the processor can include, in addition to hardware, code that creates an execution environment for the computer program in question, e.g., code that constitutes processor firmware, a protocol stack, a database management system, an operating system, or a combination of one or more of them.
• a computer program (also known as a program, software, software application, script, or code) can be written in any form of programming language, including compiled or interpreted languages, or declarative or procedural languages, and it can be deployed in any form, including as a standalone program or as a module, component, subroutine, or other unit suitable for use in a computing environment.
• a computer program does not necessarily correspond to a file in a file system.
• a program can be stored in a portion of a file that holds other programs or data (e.g., one or more scripts stored in a markup language document), in a single file dedicated to the program in question, or in multiple coordinated files (e.g., files that store one or more modules, sub programs, or portions of code).
• a computer program can be deployed to be executed on one computer or on multiple computers that are located at one site or distributed across multiple sites and interconnected by a communication network.
• the processes described herein can be performed by one or more controllers that can comprise one or more programmable processors executing one or more computer programs to perform functions by operating on input data and generating output.
• the processes and logic flows can also be performed by, and apparatus can also be implemented as, special purpose logic circuitry, e.g., an FPGA (field programmable gate array) or an ASIC (application specific integrated circuit) to name a few.
• special purpose logic circuitry e.g., an FPGA (field programmable gate array) or an ASIC (application specific integrated circuit) to name a few.
• processors suitable for the execution of a computer program include, by way of example, both general and special purpose microprocessors, and any one or more processors of any kind of digital computer.
• a processor will receive instructions and data from a read only memory or a random access memory or both.
• the essential elements of a computer are a processor for performing instructions and one or more data memory devices for storing instructions and data.
• a computer will also include, or be operatively coupled to receive data from or transfer data to, or both, one or more mass storage devices for storing data, e.g., magnetic, magneto optical disks, or optical disks.
• mass storage devices for storing data, e.g., magnetic, magneto optical disks, or optical disks.
• a computer need not have such devices.
• a computer can be embedded in another device, e.g., a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), to name just a few.
• PDA personal digital assistant
• Computer readable media suitable for storing computer program instructions and data include all forms data memory including nonvolatile memory, media and memory devices, including by way of example semiconductor memory devices, e.g., EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory devices; magnetic disks, e.g., internal hard disks or removable disks; magneto optical disks; and CD ROM and DVD- ROM disks.
• semiconductor memory devices e.g., EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory devices
• magnetic disks e.g., internal hard disks or removable disks
• magneto optical disks e.g., CD ROM and DVD- ROM disks.
• the processor and the memory can be supplemented by, or incorporated in, special purpose logic circuitry.
• a computer having a display device, e.g., a CRT (cathode ray tube) or LCD (liquid crystal display) monitor, and the like for displaying information to the user and a keyboard and a pointing device, e.g., a mouse or a trackball, or a touch screen by which the user can provide input to the computer.
• a display device e.g., a CRT (cathode ray tube) or LCD (liquid crystal display) monitor
• a keyboard and a pointing device e.g., a mouse or a trackball, or a touch screen by which the user can provide input to the computer.
• Other kinds of devices can be used to provide for interaction with a user as well; for example, input from the user can be received in any form, including acoustic, speech, or tactile input.
• Embodiments described herein can be implemented in a computing system that includes a back end component, e.g., as a data server, or that includes a middleware component, e.g., an application server, or that includes a front end component, e.g., a client computer having a graphical user interface or a Web browser through which a user can interact with an implementation of the subject matter described herein, or any combination of one or more such back end, middleware, or front end components.
• the components of the system can be interconnected by any form or medium of digital data communication, e.g., a communication network. Examples of communication networks include a local area network ("LAN”) and a wide area network (“WAN”), e.g., the Internet.
• LAN local area network
• WAN wide area network
• the computing system can include clients and servers.
• a client and server are generally remote from each other and typically interact through a communication network.
• the relationship of client and server arises by virtue of computer programs running on the respective computers and having a client-server relationship to each other.
• Ranges can be expressed herein as from “about” one particular value, and/or to "about” another particular value. When such a range is expressed, embodiments include from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent "about,” it will be understood that the particular value forms another aspect. It will be further understood that the endpoints of each of the ranges are significant both in relation to the other endpoint, and independently of the other endpoint.

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• 2016
  • 2016-04-19 WO PCT/US2016/028199 patent/WO2016176073A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2016-04-19 KR KR1020177034444A patent/KR20170141775A/ko unknown
  • 2016-04-19 CN CN201680038025.8A patent/CN107709253A/zh active Pending
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