| 摘要 |
<p><PICT:1066768/C1/1> In a method of producing glass beads a stream 16 of conditioned molten glass is flowed into a stream of high velocity gas substantially transverse to the path of the molten glass, thus dispersing the glass stream and causing it to be carried along by the gas stream, and raw gas is fed into the stream of high velocity gas in which it is burned to thereby maintain the latter at a temperature sufficient to maintain the glass viscosity below 500 poises, so that the dispersed glass spheralizes and forms glass beads. The glass stream 16 may be conditioned by passing an electric current therethrough, by having an electrically conducting orifice 14 in a glass melting tank connected to an electrical supply source 20 in turn connected to an electrode 18 which arcs across to the stream 16. The high velocity gas stream is formed by expelling the combusted products of a gas from the orifice 26 of a burner 24 at velocities in excess of 40 f.p.s., preferably about 250 ft./sec. By feeding raw gas at a low velocity from a pipe 34 into the high velocity stream, wherein it is burned, the required temperature is maintained. The formed beads are collected in a tank 40 filled with a suitable fluid medium 42, e.g. water and oils, wherein the beads are cooled, and may be tempered.</p> |
