METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COOLING A GLASS FILAMENT FORMING AREA BENEATH A BUSHING

摘要

A cooling apparatus (100) for, and method of inducing a uniform air flow between, a filament forming area beneath a bushing in a filament forming apparatus are disclosed. The filament forming apparatus includes a bushing having two laterally spaced banks or sets of nozzles from which glass filaments are attenuated, for which the cooling apparatus includes an air housing (110) extending longitudinally between the banks of tips. The air housing has a top wall (112) and perforated two side walls (114, 116) defining an air chamber (117). Each side wall is oriented at an angle with respect to a vertical plane and faces in a downward direction. An air source supplies air (152) to the air housing from which it flows through the perforated side walls and toward the banks of bushing tips in the filament forming area. The openings (118, 120) in the side walls control the air flow from the air housing. The cooling apparatus may also include an air plenum (130, 132) coupled to each end of the air housing. Turning vanes (140) may be mounted at each intersection of the air housing and an air plenum to direct air into the air chamber. The cooling apparatus may also include a plurality of fluid cooled tubes (142) in the air beta housing to control the temperature in the air chamber. Alternatively, each side wall includes an opening and a screen (126, 128) mounted in each opening. Alternatively, the air source (150) may be replaced with a vacuum source and warm air in the filament forming area may be drawn into the air chamber by the vacuum source.