Patent ID: 8607591
Filing Date: 2013-12-17
Classification: C03B

Abstract:
1. A device for manufacturing glass in which bubble formation on precious metal or refractory metal components is prevented, said device comprising: a precious metal or refractory metal wall at least partially surrounding a glass melt from which the glass is manufactured; means for measuring an oxygen partial pressure at an interface between said glass melt and said at least one precious metal or refractory metal wall, wherein said means for measuring said oxygen partial pressure at said interface comprises an electrode pair and a first evaluation unit, said electrode pair consists of a measuring electrode at the interface and a reference electrode in the glass melt, said first evaluation unit is connected electrically to said measuring electrode at said interface and to said reference electrode in said glass melt, and said first evaluation unit determines a first potential difference between said measuring electrode at said interface and said reference electrode in said glass melt and converts said first potential difference into said oxygen partial pressure at said interface; means for measuring an oxygen partial pressure in the glass melt, said means for measuring said oxygen partial pressure in said glass melt comprises another electrode pair and a second evaluation unit, said another electrode pair consists of a measuring electrode in the glass melt and said reference electrode in the glass melt, said second evaluation unit is connected electrically to said measuring electrode in the glass melt and to said reference electrode in the glass melt, and said second evaluation unit determines a second potential difference between said measuring electrode in said glass melt and said reference electrode in said glass melt and converts said second potential difference into said oxygen partial pressure in said glass melt; and a regulating unit connected electrically to said first evaluation unit so as to receive said oxygen partial pressure at said interface from said first evaluation unit and also connected electrically to said second evaluation unit so as to receive said oxygen partial pressure in said glass melt from said second evaluation unit; wherein said regulating unit performs a comparison between said oxygen partial pressure at said interface and said oxygen partial pressure in said glass melt supplied to the regulating unit by said first evaluating device and said second evaluating device and adjusts a mixing ratio of a reactive gas and a carrier gas in a gas mixture supplied to a side of said precious metal or refractory metal wall facing away from the glass melt according to said comparison between said oxygen partial pressure at said interface and said oxygen partial pressure in said glass melt, so that said oxygen partial pressure at said interface is maintained within a safe range, said safe range having an upper threshold value, above which oxygen bubbles form in said glass melt at said interface, and a lower threshold value, below which alloy damage occurs to said precious metal or refractory metal wall at said interface or formation of bubbles of N