Molten material stirring system and method for stirring the material

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10836669-B2
Application number	US-201816206580-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 30, 2018
Priority date	Nov 20, 2017
Publication date	Nov 17, 2020
Grant date	Nov 17, 2020

Abstract

A system and method for stirring molten material such as glass are provided. To prevent sagging of a cover of a stirring system, a portion where deformation or sagging may significantly occur is suspended by a suspension system, so that local sagging and deformation of the cover is suppressed. As a result, a crack which may occur in the cover is suppressed, and therefore, contamination of the molten material is likewise suppressed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A molten material stirring system comprising:
a stirring vessel configured to accommodate molten material;
a stirring blade positioned inside the stirring vessel;
a rotating rod to which the stirring blade is fixed;
a cover disposed over the stirring vessel, the cover comprising a central hole configured to allow the rotating rod to extend therethrough;
a plurality of hanging posts positioned a predetermined distance between an outer edge of the cover and the central hole; and
a suspension system configured to impart a lifting force on the cover through the plurality of hanging posts.

2. The molten material stirring system of claim 1 , wherein the cover comprises a first cover member and a second cover member divided by at least one border region extending through the central hole and each of the hanging posts comprises a first post member and a second post member respectively positioned on the first cover member and the second cover member proximate the border region and configured to face each other and to be combined with or separated from each other.

3. The molten material stirring system of claim 2 , wherein the suspension system comprises a holder which holds the first post member and the second post member together.

4. The molten material stirring system of claim 3 , wherein the hanging posts are symmetrically disposed with respect to the hole along the at least one border region.

5. The molten material stirring system of claim 3 , wherein the suspension system comprises:
a rail-type fixed frame positioned at an upper portion of the stirring vessel;
a first moving frame configured relative to the fixed frame to be movable back and forth in a first direction;
a second moving frame configured to be movable back and forth a predetermined distance in a second direction different from the first direction; and
a link member suspending the holder from the second moving frame.

6. The molten material stirring system of claim 5 , wherein the suspension system further comprises a locking device on the first moving frame to mechanically fix a position with respect to the fixed frame.

7. The molten material stirring system of claim 5 , wherein the suspension system further comprises a locking device on the second moving frame to mechanically fix a position with respect to the first moving frame.

8. The molten material stirring system of claim 2 , wherein the hanging posts are symmetrically disposed with respect to the hole along the at least one border region.

9. The molten material stirring system of claim 2 , wherein each of the first and second post members comprises a bonding preventing coating layer.

10. The molten material stirring system of claim 9 , wherein the bonding preventing coating layer comprises at least one of zirconia, silica, and alumina.

11. A molten material stirring method comprising:
accommodating molten material to be stirred in a stirring vessel covered with a cover comprising a central hole;
stirring the molten material in the stirring vessel using a stirring blade fixed to a rod passing through the central hole; and
imparting a lifting force from a suspension system upon the cover through a plurality of hanging posts, the plurality of hanging posts positioned a predetermined distance between an outer edge of the cover and the central hole.

12. The molten material stirring method of claim 11 , wherein the hanging posts are symmetrically disposed with respect to the central hole.

13. The molten material stirring method of claim 12 , further comprising forming a bonding preventing coating layer on each of the first and second post members.

14. The molten material stirring method of claim 11 , wherein the cover is divided into a first cover member and a second cover member by at least one border region extending through the central hole, each of the hanging posts is divided into a first post member and a second post member respectively positioned on the first cover member and the second cover member proximate the border region to face each other and to be combined with or separated from each other, and the first post member and the second post member are held together by a holder of the suspension system.

Assignees

• Corning Inc

Inventors

• An Jang-Hun
• Jung Tae-Woo
• Kim Jinsoo
• Lee Hosoon
• Lee Tae-Hyun
• Lim Se-Yeol

Classifications

• Y02P40/57

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

• B01F27/051

  characterised by their elements, materials or mechanical properties · CPC title

• B01F27/50

  Pipe mixers, i.e. mixers wherein the materials to be mixed flow continuously through pipes, e.g. column mixers · CPC title

• B01F27/1125

  with vanes or blades extending parallel or oblique to the stirrer axis · CPC title

• B01F27/0724

  directly mounted on the rotating axis · CPC title