Bus bar design to enable high current input for low resistivity glasses

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11993533-B2
Application number	US-201917415778-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 3, 2019
Priority date	Dec 21, 2018
Publication date	May 28, 2024
Grant date	May 28, 2024

Abstract

An assembly provides electrical current to molten glass in a glass melting tank. The assembly includes a structure having an electrode that is in contact with the molten glass, and a fluid-cooled connection apparatus. The fluid-cooled connection apparatus includes a first connection element electrically connected to a current source and a second connection element electrically connected to the current source, where the first and second connection elements are spaced apart from each other; and an electrical cross-connect strut having a first end secured to the first connection element and a second end secured to the second connection element. The assembly also includes a bus bar electrically connected to the fluid-cooled connection apparatus and to an electrode. The current source provides a current to the molten glass via the structure and the electrode for heating the molten glass through resistive heating.

First claim

We claim:

1. An assembly for providing electrical current to molten glass in a glass melting tank, comprising:
a structure comprising:
a fluid-cooled connection apparatus comprising:
a first connection element and a second connection element, said first and second connection elements in electrical communication with a current source and spaced apart from each other; and
an electrical cross-connect strut having a first end secured to said first connection element and a second end secured to said second connection element;
and
a bus bar in electrical communication with the fluid-cooled connection apparatus and an electrode;
said electrode disposed so as to be in contact with the molten glass; and
wherein the current source provides a current to the molten glass via the structure and the electrode for heating the molten glass through resistive heating.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the fluid is water.

3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the fluid is selected from the group consisting of: a liquid, a gas, an emulsion, a suspension, an oil, a refrigerant, and combinations thereof.

4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the bus bar is fluid-cooled.

5. The assembly of claim 4 wherein the fluid is water.

6. The assembly of claim 4 wherein a first fluid source supplies fluid for the fluid-cooled connection apparatus and a second fluid source supplies fluid for the fluid-cooled bus bar.

7. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said fluid-cooled connection apparatus further comprises:
a first portion secured to a first area of the bus bar; and
a second portion secured to a second area of the bus bar,
wherein said first and second areas of the bus bar are spaced apart from each other.

8. The assembly of claim 7 wherein the first connection element is secured to the first portion of the fluid-cooled connection apparatus and the second connection element is secured to the second portion of the fluid-cooled connection apparatus.

9. The assembly of claim 8 wherein the first connection element is electrically connected to the current source via a first cable and the second connection element is electrically connected to a second current source via a second cable.

10. The assembly of claim 8 wherein the first connection element is electrically connected to the current source via a first cable and the second connection element is electrically connected to the current source via a second cable.

11. The assembly of claim 10 wherein a point of connection of the first cable to the first connection element is spaced apart from the first portion of the fluid-cooled connection apparatus.

12. The assembly of claim 11 wherein a point of connection of the second cable to the second connection element is spaced apart from the second portion of the fluid-cooled connection apparatus.

13. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the first and second connection elements are spaced apart by at least six inches.

14. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the fluid-cooled connection apparatus is comprised primarily of copper.

15. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the bus bar is primarily comprised of steel.

16. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the electrode is primarily comprised of tin.

17. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the current source supplies at least about 3000 amps of current.

18. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the current source supplies at least about 10,000 amps of current.

19. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising cooling fluid flowing through an interior portion of the fluid-cooled connection apparatus.

20. The assembly of claim 19 wherein the cooling fluid is water having a flow rate between about 0.5 gallons per minute and about 1.0 gallons per minute.

21. The assembly of claim 19 wherein the cooling fluid is water having a temperature entering the interior portion of the fluid-cooled connection apparatus in the range of about 30° C. to about 40° C.

22. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the current source supplies at least about 10,000 amps of current, wherein the bus bar is fluid-cooled, wherein the electrode has a length in the range of about 6 inches to about 9 inches, and wherein a maximum temperature of the bus bar is less than about 450° C.

23. A method for providing electrical current to molten glass in a glass melting tank, the method comprising:
providing a structure comprising:
a fluid-cooled connection apparatus comprising:
a first connection element and a second connection element, said first and second connection elements in electrical communication with a current source and are spaced apart from each other; and
an electrical cross-connect strut having a first end secured to said first connection element and a second end secured to said second connection element;
and
a bus bar in electrical communication with the fluid-cooled connection apparatus and to an electrode;
disposing the electrode so as to be in contact with the molten glass; and
energizing the current source to provide a current to the molten glass via the structure and the electrode for heating the molten glass through resistive heating.

24. The assembly of claim 23 wherein the fluid is water.

25. The assembly of claim 23 wherein the fluid is selected from the group consisting of: a liquid, a gas, an emulsion, a suspension, an oil, a refrigerant, and combinations thereof.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein the current source supplies at least about 10,000 amps of current, wherein the bus bar is fluid-cooled, wherein the electrode has a length in the range of about 6 inches to about 9 inches, and wherein a maximum temperature of the bus bar is less than about 450° C.

Assignees

• Corning Inc

Inventors

• Burns Brian Douglas
• De Angelis Gilbert
• He Chunhong Chelsie
• Kimble Iii Edward Lee
• Li Yuehao
• Schrock Benjamin Pelham
• Tammaro Matthew Nicholas

Classifications

• C03B5/03 Primary

  Tank furnaces · CPC title

• F27D11/04

  with direct passage of current through the material being heated · CPC title

• H02G5/10

  Cooling · CPC title

• H05B3/03

  Electrodes · CPC title

• H05B2203/025

  Heaters specially adapted for glass melting or glass treatment · CPC title