Asahi Glass Company, Limited

Yasuharu Hirahara

Kazuo Hamashima

Naruaki Tomita

Koji Obayashi

Hajime Ito

The present invention provides a A metal conduit for molten glass and a vacuum degassing apparatus are disclosed, which are capable of coping with extension and contraction, and vibration. By disposing at least one convex portionso to have a height of 4 mm or above in a radial direction and continuously extend in a peripheral direction, it is possible to absorb thermal expansion and contraction without changing the entire length of the metal conduitand to suppress from the metal conduitfrom vibrated even when molten glassis conveyed by the metal conduit. By employing the metal conduitstated earlier in an upstream conveying pipeA, an uprising pipeU, a vacuum degassing vessel, a downfalling pipeL, a downstream conveying pipeB or the like in a vacuum degassing apparatus, it is possible to cope with thermal expansion and contraction, and vibration caused when conveying molten glass

Conduit for molten glass, connecting conduit for molten glass and vacuum degassing apparatus

A conduit for molten glass, a molten glass degassing method and a sub-atmospheric apparatus are provided, which are able to produce homogenous and good quality glass at low cost. A conduit for molten glass, which is capable of flowing molten glass in a horizontal direction, and to which vertical pipes are connectable, is disposed in a substantially horizontal direction. The conduit for molten glass can increase the area of a free surface of the molten glass by setting a width W at a larger value than a height H in cross-section and having an outline in cross-section comprising a convex curve. When the conduit for molten glass thus configured is used as a sub-atmospheric apparatus, it is possible to degas the molten glass effectively. Additionally, it is possible to have a sufficient strength since the convex curve forming the cross-section is elliptical. Further, it is possible to reduce costs by decreasing the amount of metal required for forming the cross-section.

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Yokohama, Japan

Yasuharu Hirahara