Apparatus for refining molten glass under reduced pressure

摘要

Disclosed is a vacuum degassing apparatus (10) for refining molten glass (G) under reduced pressure, the apparatus comprising a means for absorbing thermal expansion in at least one of an uprising pipe (16), a downfalling pipe (18) and the vacuum degassing vessel (14). The vacuum degassing apparatus may include a lifting device (42) to absorb deformation in a vertical direction due to thermal expansion of the vacuum degassing vessel, a sliding device (46) to absorb thermal expansion of the vacuum degassing vessel in a longitudinal direction thereof, or a thermal expansion absorbing layer (48) to absorb thermal expansion of an uprising pipe and a downfalling pipe in a cross-sectional direction, or a thermal expansion absorbing layer (49) provided along a portion of an outer surface of the vacuum degassing vessel in a height direction.