Provided is a manufacturing method for a glass article, including: a glass melting step of continuously melting glass raw materials (Gr) in a glass melting furnace (1) by heating (electric heating) through application of a current with an electrode (11) to generate a molten glass (Gm); and a forming step of forming the molten glass (Gm) into a sheet glass by a down-draw method. The glass melting step includes adjusting a water vapor amount in an atmosphere in the glass melting furnace (1) to 15 g/Nm.sup.3 or less.

A glass tank furnace having a high melting rate. The ratio of the length of the glass tank furnace to the width thereof is 2.3 to 2.8. By reducing the area of a furnace and optimizing the length-to-width ratio thereof, the heat loss of the tank furnace is reduced. By designing an appropriate liquid glass tank depth, the temperature of a furnace bottom is improved and the quality of the liquid glass is guaranteed. By providing pure oxygen burners (3) and electrodes (7), sufficient energy is guaranteed, the melting capability and the heating efficiency of the tank furnace are improved, and energy consumption and the discharge amount of carbon dioxide are significantly reduced. Weirs (5) arranged on the furnace bottom improve the outlet temperature of the liquid glass, reduce energy consumption, lower the temperature of the furnace bottom in the electrode area, prolong the service life of the furnace bottom, and guarantee an increased proportion of auxiliary power. By means of the design of bubbles (6) at the furnace bottom, the backflow strength of the liquid glass, the melting capability, and the quality of the liquid glass are improved.

Provided is a glass material that can satisfy both high Faraday effect and high light transmittance at wavelengths used. A glass material containing, in terms of % by mole of oxide, more than 40% Tb.sub.2O.sub.3 and having a percentage of Tb.sup.3+ of 55% by mole or more relative to a total content of Tb.

Provided is a glass material that can satisfy both high Faraday effect and high light transmittance at wavelengths used. A glass material containing, in terms of % by mole of oxide, more than 40% Tb.sub.2O.sub.3 and having a percentage of Tb.sup.3+ of 55% by mole or more relative to a total content of Tb.

A system for protecting air cooled condensers from hailstone damage including system components and method of installation, in which a protective screen preferably of stainless steel mesh is draped over and supported above condenser components to degrade hailstone momentum by reducing both velocity and mass, and by exposing residual hail to heat energy of air exhausting from the condenser.

Disclosed is an apparatus for conditioning molten glass. The apparatus includes a connecting tube assembly having a conduit for conveying the molten glass, the conduit including at least two flanges and a sealing member disposed between the at least two flanges around an outer peripheral region of the flanges, thereby forming an enclosed volume between an outer wall of the conduit, the at least two flanges and the sealing member. An atmosphere within the volume may be controlled such that a predetermined partial pressure of hydrogen or a predetermined partial pressure of oxygen may be maintained within the volume. A current may be established between the at least two flanges to heat the conduit.

A method of treating a ceramic body in a glass making process includes delivering a molten glass to a heated ceramic body, the ceramic body including a ceramic phase and an intergranular glass phase, the molten glass being in contact with a surface of the ceramic body. The method further includes contacting the ceramic body with a first electrode and contacting the molten glass with a second electrode. The method further includes applying an electric field between the first electrode and the second electrode to create an electric potential difference across the ceramic body between the first and second electrodes, the electric potential difference being less than an electrolysis threshold of the ceramic phase and the intergranular glass phase. The intergranular glass phase demixes under driven diffusion in the applied electric field and mobile cations in the intergranular glass phase enrich proximate one of the first and second electrode.

A glass forming apparatus includes a glass delivery vessel, a forming body with a forming body inlet and a downcomer (48) between the glass delivery vessel and the forming body. The downcomer includes a downcomer tube (100) with an inlet end (110) for receiving molten glass from the glass delivery vessel and an outlet end (109) for discharging molten glass to the forming body inlet. An upper heating zone (110) and a lower heating zone (150) positioned downstream from the upper heating zone (110) encircle the downcomer tube and a lower controlled atmosphere enclosure (155) is positioned around and sealed to the downcomer tube (100) in the lower heating zone (150). The lower controlled atmosphere enclosure (155) includes at least one heating element (156) for heating molten glass flowing through the downcomer tube within the forming body inlet.

A glass melting component for use in a melt includes at least one guide structure for the conveying and/or nucleation of gas bubbles from the melt. The guide structure is present at least on a surface of the glass melting component which faces the melt during use of the glass melting component.

Disclosed is an apparatus for conditioning molten glass. The apparatus includes a connecting tube assembly having a conduit for conveying the molten glass, the conduit (108) including at least two flanges (112, 114) and a sealing member (118) disposed between the at least two flanges (112, 114) around an outer peripheral region of the flanges, thereby forming an enclosed volume between an outer wall (110) of the conduit, the at least two flanges (112, 114) and the sealing member (118). An atmosphere within the volume may be controlled such that a predetermined partial pressure of hydrogen or a predetermined partial pressure of oxygen may be maintained within the volume. A current may be established between the at least two flanges to heat the conduit.