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  Method and a device for the refining of glassUSPTO Application #: 20070266737Title: Method and a device for the refining of glass Abstract: A device for the refining of a glass melt at high temperatures according to the skull pot principle is provided. The device includes a skull crucible having walls that are constructed from a plurality of pipes, a high-frequency coil for coupling electrical energy into the contents of the skull crucible, and an inlet and an outlet of the skull crucible being arranged in a melt surface region of the glass melt, wherein the inlet and the outlet are essentially arranged lying opposite one another. (end of abstract) Agent: Charles N.j. Ruggiero Ohlandt, Greeley, Ruggiero & Perle, L.L.P. - Stamford, CT, US Inventors: Erich Rodek, Wolfgnag Schmid Bauer, Hilgegard Romer, Gunter Weidmann, Werner Kiefer USPTO Applicaton #: 20070266737 - Class: 065346000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Glass Manufacturing, Glass Conditioning Channel Section The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070266737. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a divisional application of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/362,396 filed Jul. 16, 2003, now pending, which is a national stage entry of International Application No. PCT/EP01/08148 filed on Jul. 14, 2001, which claims the benefit of German Application No. DE 100 41 757.4-45 filed on Aug. 25, 2000, the entire contents of all of which are incorporated by reference herein. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The invention concerns the production of glass in general from waste glass or glass batches. The three essential stations of the production process comprise melting, then refining and finally homogenizing. [0004] 2. Description of Related Art [0005] The production of high-value special glasses requires the process step of refining after melting, in order to remove the residual bubbles from the melt. The prior art comprises the refining of glasses by addition of refining agents such as redox refining agents or evaporating refining agents. One speaks here of chemical refining, since the release of gases form the melt is utilized in order to inflate small bubbles that are present and thus to facilitate the rise of these bubbles. [0006] Along with the methods of chemical refining, alternatively or additionally, physical effects are utilized, as described in the literature, for expelling bubbles and thus for refining, such as, for example, centrifugal force (U.S. Pat. No. 3,893,836) or the reduction of the bath depth and thus the rise of bubbles to the surface of the melt is facilitated (DE 197 10 351 C1). [0007] It is known that refining is promoted by increasing the temperature of the melt. However, when refractory material is used for the refining tank, limits are imposed. If ceramics with high a zirconium content are used, then temperatures of a maximum 16,500.degree. C. can be produced. [0008] It is known also to conduct refining in an apparatus that operates according to the so-called skull pot principle. See EP 0 528,025 B1. Such a device comprises a crucible, the walls of which are formed from a ring or collar of metal pipes, which can be connected to a cooling medium, with slots between the metal pipes adjacent to one another. The device also contains an induction coil, which surrounds the walls of the crucible and by means of which high-frequency energy can be coupled into the contents of the crucible. This direct heating of the glass melt by means of irradiation of high-frequency energy is conducted at a power of 10 kHz to 5 MHz. [0009] Such a crucible permits essentially higher temperatures than a vessel made of refractory material. The advantage of high-temperature refining in comparison to all other physical refining processes is that it is very effective and rapid due to the high temperatures. The processes take place clearly more rapidly at high temperatures, so that very small, rapid aggregate modules can be prepared for the process of refining. [0010] DE 2,033,074A describes an arrangement for the continuous melting and refining of glass. A refining device is provided therein, which operates according to the skull pot principle. The melt from the bottom region of the melting vessel reaches the refining vessel via a connection channel. It enters in the bottom region of the latter. The glass flow in the refining vessel thus rises upward from the bottom. This has the advantage that the flow has the same direction as the lifting force of the bubbles. The bubbles to be removed reach the hot surface of the melt and are discharged from the latter. [0011] A disadvantage of this embodiment consists of the fact that the connection channel between the melting-down basin and the high-frequency refining device is subject to intense wear and tear due to the high flow velocities. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0012] The object of the invention is to develop a system in which the good refining results remain, based on an upward flow of the glass melt, but in which also the melt remains hot at the surface in the region where the bubbles are discharged, so that all bubbles can burst at the surface, and in which the problematic connection channel between the melting vat and the refining device can be omitted. [0013] The inventor has recognized the following: If the inlet as well as the outlet of the high-frequency crucible is arranged in the upper region and in fact in such a way that the two of these lie opposite one another, then a very good and effective refining results. One would have expected that with such a structure, an essential part of the melt would be unheated and unrefined and led along directly to the outlet in the short circuit from the inlet at the surface. However, this is not the case. Rather, a defined flow is set up based on the differences in density in different melt regions. If the expansion coefficient of the melt is sufficiently high and the heating of the melt in the crucible is assured appropriately, the laterally introduced cold glass does not directly reach the crucible outlet via short-circuit currents, but is first pulled to the bottom of the crucible and from here is led to the surface and to the outlet via convection rollers according to circular movements of variable length. [0014] The inlet and outlet should essentially lie diametrically opposite each other. This is not absolutely necessary, however; certain deviations are admissible. Also, the crucible should be dimensioned correctly, but this is an optimizing problem, which can be solved by the person of average skill in the art. [0015] The connection channel between the melting vat and the refining crucible, which is known from the prior art, will be avoided. Instead of this, the melt can overflow from the melting vat into an open channel to the refining crucible. [0016] It may be appropriate to configure the refining crucible according to DE 2,033,074 A. The crucible comprises a lower part of relatively small diameter, and an upper part of relatively large diameter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS [0017] The invention is explained in more detail on the basis of the drawing. The following are shown individually therein: [0018] FIG. 1 shows a set-up for the production of glass. [0019] FIG. 2 shows a refining crucible according to the invention in a vertical section. [0020] FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of a set-up for the production of glass. Continue reading... Full patent description for Method and a device for the refining of glass Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Method and a device for the refining of glass patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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