Patent ID: 8276403

Claim:
A method of removing oxygen from molten metal in the float bath chamber of a float glass manufacturing process comprising: providing a chamber having within it a glass ribbon and molten metal, the molten metal contaminated by oxygen, and a gaseous atmosphere above the glass ribbon and molten metal, there being an interface between the molten metal and the gaseous atmosphere; providing at least one reducing gas container on the molten metal between a sidewall of the chamber and the glass ribbon, wherein the at least one reducing gas container and the molten metal form a cavity and wherein a perimeter of the cavity is formed by an inner surface of the at least one reducing gas container and the molten metal; providing a source of a reducing gas which is external to the chamber; directing the reducing gas into the cavity, wherein the oxygen in the molten metal chemically reacts with the reducing gas to form a vapor stream comprising reducing gas and water vapor; and removing the reducing gas and water vapor from the cavity.