Schott Glas

Wolfgang Buergel

Heinrich Ostendarp

Holger Wegener

Ulrich Fotheringham

Dirk Sprenger

Eva Hoelzel

A simple and economical method is described for compacting or shrinking flat glass panes. The method ensures high temperature homogeneity in the glass. First, the glass panes are cleaned and then a stack of glass panes to be treated is assembled without applying a release agent to any of the glass panes. Then the stack of glass panes is placed between ceramic panels made of silicon-infiltrated silicon carbide and this stack together with the ceramic panels is subjected to a heat treatment in a radiation furnace at temperatures ranging from 300&deg; C. to 900&deg; C. The ceramic panels have a thermal conductivity, which, in the region of the heat treatment temperature, is at least 5 times as large as that of the glass panes. The ratio of the total thickness of the ceramic panels to the height of the glass stack should be at least 1/&lgr;/40W/(mK), wherein &lgr; is the thermal conductivity of the ceramic panel at the temperatures of the heat treatment.

Growing community of inventors

Mainz, Germany

Wolfgang Buergel