Apparatus and method for heating a metallic vessel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10633276-B2
Application number	US-201615768683-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 21, 2016
Priority date	Oct 21, 2015
Publication date	Apr 28, 2020
Grant date	Apr 28, 2020

Abstract

Disclosed is an apparatus and method of making molten glass. The apparatus includes a vessel for conveying the molten glass and at least one flange (100) configured to supply an electric current to the vessel through the flange (100), the flange (100) including a first ring (112) extending completely around the vessel in a closed loop, the first ring (112) comprising a first portion (118) including a first thickness and a second portion (128) including a second thickness different from the first thickness, wherein the first portion (118) and the second portion (128) overlap in a plane of the flange (100) such that at least a portion of the first portion (118) is positioned between at least a portion of the second portion (128) and the vessel wall, and neither the first portion nor the second portion extends completely around the vessel. Also disclosed is a method of making glass using the disclosed flange. When the vessel comprises two flanges each connected to an electrode portion (116), current is more uniformly distributed about the vessel, which prevents hot spots.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for processing a molten material comprising:
a vessel comprising a wall, the vessel arranged to convey the molten material; and
a flange attached to the vessel and configured to deliver an electric current to the vessel wall, the flange comprising:
a first ring extending completely around the vessel in a closed loop, the first ring comprising a first portion including a first thickness and a second portion including a second thickness different from the first thickness, wherein the first portion and the second portion overlap in a plane of the flange such that the first portion is positioned between the second portion and the vessel wall, and neither the first portion nor the second portion extends completely around the vessel;
an outermost ring, wherein a thickness of the outermost ring varies as a function of angular position about the vessel; and
an electrode attached to the outermost ring, wherein a portion of the outermost ring adjacent the electrode is thicker than a portion of the outermost ring opposite the electrode.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the first portion of the first ring is less than the thickness of the second portion of the first ring.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a second ring extending in a closed loop around the first ring.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein a thickness of the second ring is greater than the thickness of the second portion.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the first ring comprises a first metal and the second ring comprises a second metal different from the first metal.

6. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the second ring is an outermost ring.

7. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the second ring comprises nickel.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein on a first radial line extending from and perpendicular to a centerline of the vessel in a plane of the flange, the first radial line crosses the first portion of the first ring without intersecting the second portion of the first ring.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the first radial line is parallel to a minor axis of the vessel.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first ring further comprises a third portion positioned between the first portion and the second portion, wherein the third portion does not extend completely around the vessel.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the molten material is molten glass.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first ring comprises platinum.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a cross sectional shape of the vessel in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the vessel is oblong.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the vessel is a fining vessel.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the portion of the outermost ring adjacent the electrode is 25% to 75% thicker than a portion of the outermost ring opposite the electrode.

16. An apparatus for making glass comprising;
a vessel comprising a wall;
a flange attached to the vessel and configured to deliver an electric current to the vessel wall, the flange comprising:
a first ring extending completely around the vessel and attached to the vessel wall in a closed loop, the first ring comprising a first portion including a first thickness and a second portion including a second thickness different from the first thickness, wherein the first portion and the second portion each extends around less than an entirety of the vessel and a radial line extending from and perpendicular to a centerline of the vessel in a plane of the flange crosses a width of both the first portion and the second portion; and
a second ring extending completely around the first ring in a closed loop;
an outermost ring, wherein a thickness of the outermost ring varies as a function of angular position about the vessel; and
an electrode attached to the outermost ring, wherein a portion of the outermost ring adjacent the electrode is thicker than a portion of the outermost ring opposite the electrode.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the first ring comprises a first metal and the second ring comprises a second metal different than the first metal.

18. The apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the first ring comprises a third portion comprising a third thickness different than the first and second thicknesses, and wherein the third portion does not extend completely around the vessel.

19. The apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the second ring contacts the first ring around an entire perimeter of the first ring, and wherein both the first portion and the second portion contact the second ring.

20. The apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein a cross sectional shape of the vessel in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the vessel is oblong.

21. The apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the vessel is a fining vessel.

22. The apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the portion of the outermost ring adjacent the electrode is 25% to 75% thicker than a portion of the outermost ring opposite the electrode.

Assignees

• Corning Inc

Inventors

• De Angelis Gilbert
• He Chunhong Chelsie

Classifications

• Y02P40/57

  Improving the yield, e-g- reduction of reject rates · CPC title

• C03B7/06

  Means for thermal conditioning or controlling the temperature of the glass · CPC title

• H05B3/03

  Electrodes · CPC title

• C03B5/04 Primary

  in tank furnaces {(C03B5/02 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• C03B5/225

  Refining (C03B5/18 takes precedence {; Refining agents C03C1/004}) · CPC title