| 摘要 |
<p>A furnace (12) including a roller conveyor (18) and gas burners (20) distinct from the conveyor for supplying forced convection that is the dominant mode of heat transfer to glass sheets during a heating process. The gas burners (20) have general utility but have particular utility when utilized in a closely spaced relationship to the roller conveyed glass sheets to provide the forced convection heating. Each burner (20) includes a combustion member (38) in which gas and air are introduced in a tangential relationship with respect to its inner surface to provide a swirling motion that mixes the gas with the air for combustion prior to discharge through outlets (46) to provide the forced convection heating. A glass sheet heated by this gas burner forced convection on the roller conveyor and subsequently cooled has reduced roll-wave distortion and reduced edge distortion as compared to radiantly heated glass sheets.</p> |
