Patent ID: 8991214
Filing Date: 2015-03-31
Classification: C03B,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A method of refurbishing a quartz glass component in an eroded or contaminated and deteriorated state, comprising: inspecting an eroded or contaminated and deteriorated quartz glass component by irradiating same with ultraviolet light of a wavelength of 200-380 nm to cause a fluorescence effect; determining an erosion or contamination status through visual inspection of differences in fluorescing colors visible upon irradiation of the eroded or contaminated and deteriorated quartz glass component, the colors being attributable to surface deposit on the eroded or contaminated and deteriorated quartz glass component and to the quartz glass of the eroded or contaminated and deteriorated quartz glass component; performing a predetermined cleaning method on the eroded or contaminated and deteriorated quartz glass component based on the erosion or contamination status, the predetermined cleaning method being a primary cleaning method that is a dry ice blast cleaning comprising peeling off the surface deposit by spraying dry ice particles onto the eroded or contaminated and deteriorated quartz glass component together with compressed air or compressed nitrogen gas and utilizing thermal contraction to effect removal of the surface deposit; whereby, after performing the predetermined cleaning method, a cleaned quartz glass component is obtained; checking the erosion or contamination status of the cleaned quartz glass component by irradiating the cleaned quartz glass component with ultraviolet light and visually inspecting the cleaned quartz glass component; and performing a post-cleaning treatment selected from a removal and replacement treatment in which a portion of the cleaned quartz glass component is removed and replaced with a replacement portion of new quartz glass material and a flame treatment without the removal and replacement treatment, wherein the post-cleaning treatment is a removal and replacement treatment comprising the steps of separating the cleaned quartz glass component into an eroded portion and a non-eroded portion, discarding the eroded portion, substituting the eroded portion with a replacement portion of new quartz glass material, dividing the non-eroded portion separated from the quartz glass component into divided pieces of the non-eroded portion, dividing the new quartz glass material into divided pieces of the new quartz glass material, forming parts by welding the divided pieces of the non-eroded portion and the divided pieces of the new quartz glass material, and welding the parts to form an integral structure.