Schott Ag

Wolfgang Muench

Frank-Thomas Lentes

Erich Rodek

Rainer Erwin Eichholz

Stefan Bauer

Volker Ohmstede

Carsten Weinhold

Klaus-Dieter Duch

Rudolf Singer

Holger Hunnius

Joerg Witte

Guenter Weidmann

Dirk Gohlke

Frank Karetta

Allen Jakway

An energy-efficient device for refining a glass melt to produce a glass and/or a glass ceramic is provided. The device includes a refining crucible defined at least by lateral walls with a metallic lining as a melt contact surface, so that a melt refining volume is defined by a base surface, a top surface and a circumferential surface; at least one heating device that conductively heats the lining by an electric current in the lining, so that the melt is heated through the lining, the heating device and the lining are connected to one another by a feeding device. The feeding device establishes contact with the lining so that an electric current runs from the top surface to the base surface or from the base surface to the top surface, at least in sections of the lining.

Energy efficient high-temperature refining

The apparatus for reduced-pressure refining of a glass melt includes a refining bank formed so that a reduced pressure is generated by a glass flow in it. The refining bank has a component, which is made from a refractory metal or refractory alloy acting as glass-contact material. The refractory metal or alloy contains molybdenum, tungsten, tantalum, and/or hafnium. The device of the present invention includes a protective gas reservoir for a protective gas and an automatically operating valve connecting the reservoir with the refining bank so that an inner side of the component that would otherwise be exposed when a pressure rise or a falling glass melt column occurs is protected from oxidation by the protective gas. A process for using the device during refining of the glass melt is also part of the invention.

Method and device for refining a glass melt using negative pressure

A hot forming unit or debiteuse for plate glass production, with a noble metal box or frame encompassed by and contained in a highly heat-resistant ceramic frame and having a drawing slot matched to a cross section of a plate glass sheet to be produced. The dimensional integrity of the drawing slot of the noble metal frame is assured because the ceramic frame is constructed of longitudinal components and lateral components, where the longitudinal components of the ceramic frame and the longitudinal legs of the noble metal box rest against one another and are held so that they can still move axially against each other in a limited fashion. The longitudinal legs of the noble metal box are held in a stretched position by tension springs.

Debiteuse made of ceramic for plate glass production

Growing community of inventors

Bubenheim, Germany

Wolfgang Muench