GLASS MOLTEN BODY REFINING APPARATUS

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a glass molten body refining apparatus which is used for efficiently carrying out the refining and has high through-put and in which the temperature condition of the glass molten body is flexibly set/adjusted and the glass molten body is produced at a low cost and efficiently and surely refined with high through-put. SOLUTION: The glass molten body refining apparatus is provided with a tubular structure (4) horizontally arranged, receiving the glass molten body and capable of being heated. The tubular structure (4) is surrounded by refractories (2, 6). At least a part of the inside surfaces (3,7) of the tubular structure (4) is made of metal and the cross section of the tubular structure (4) is non-circular extending in nearly horizontal direction. The tubular structure (4) comprises a lower part (2) and an upper part (6) made of the refractory. A tubular flow passage (4) is formed in the lower part (2) to receive the glass molten body. The upper part (6) covers the tubular flow passage. The lower part (2) and the upper part (6) are separately electrically heated. COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI