System and method for cooling semiconductor coated hot glass sheets

Abstract

A system ( 20, 20 ′) and method for cooling semiconductor coated hot glass sheets in a cooling station ( 36 ) within a vacuum chamber ( 24 ). The semiconductor coated hot glass sheets are conveyed between radiant heat absorbing members ( 112 ) of a radiant heat absorber ( 110 ) to provide the cooling. In one embodiment the glass sheets are conveyed vertically for the cooling and in another the glass sheets are conveyed horizontally.

1 . A system for cooling semiconductor coated hot glass sheets comprising:
 a housing defining a vacuum chamber;   a conveyor for conveying hot glass sheets freshly coated with semiconductor material through the vacuum chamber; and   a cooling station including a radiant heat absorber having radiant heat absorbing members spaced from each other in an opposed relationship between which the semiconductor coated glass sheets are conveyed so the radiant heat absorbing members absorb radiant heat therefrom to provide cooling.   
   
   
       2 . A system for cooling semiconductor coated hot glass sheets as in  claim 1  wherein the conveyor has upper supports that support upper extremities of the semiconductor coated glass sheets which depend downwardly therefrom in a vertical orientation during the conveyance through the vacuum chamber and between the radiant heat absorbing members of the radiant heat absorber, and the radiant heat absorbing members of the radiant heat absorber having generally continuous planar heat absorbing surfaces that extend vertically and oppose each other in a spaced and parallel relationship with the vertically oriented semiconductor coated glass sheets being conveyed therebetween for cooling. 
   
   
       3 . A system for cooling semiconductor coated hot glass sheets as in  claim 1  wherein the conveyor includes horizontal rolls spaced along the housing within the vacuum chamber to convey the semiconductor coated glass sheets horizontally through the vacuum chamber and between the radiant heat absorbing members of the radiant heat absorber, the radiant heat absorber including upper and lower heat absorbing members including planar heat absorbing surfaces, the upper heat absorbing member having a generally continuous downwardly facing heat absorbing surface spaced above the conveyor rolls, and the lower heat absorbing member including spaced portions located between the conveyor rolls and having upwardly facing heat absorbing surface portions that are spaced below the conveyed semiconductor coated glass sheets. 
   
   
       4 . A system for cooling semiconductor coated hot glass sheets as in  claim 3  wherein the lower heat absorbing portion has a one-piece unitary construction including a lower base from which its spaced portions project upwardly between the conveyor rolls. 
   
   
       5 . A system for cooling semiconductor coated hot glass sheets as in  claim 1  wherein the radiant heat absorbers are made from a material selected from graphite and a refractory. 
   
   
       6 . A system for cooling semiconductor coated hot glass sheets as in  claim 1  wherein the radiant heat absorbers are alpha state silicon carbide. 
   
   
       7 . A system for cooling semiconductor coated hot glass sheets as in  claim 1  wherein the conveyor has upper supports that support upper extremities of the semiconductor coated glass sheets which depend downwardly therefrom in a vertical orientation during the conveyance through the vacuum chamber and between the radiant heat absorbing members of the radiant heat absorber, and the radiant heat absorbing members of the radiant heat absorber being made from a refractory material and having generally continuous planar heat absorbing surfaces that extend vertically and oppose each other in a spaced and parallel relationship with the vertically oriented semiconductor coated glass sheets being conveyed therebetween for cooling. 
   
   
       8 . A system for cooling semiconductor coated hot glass sheets as in  claim 1  wherein the conveyor includes horizontal rolls spaced along the housing within the vacuum chamber to convey the semiconductor coated glass sheets horizontally through the vacuum chamber and between the radiant heat absorbing members of the radiant heat absorber, the radiant heat absorber including upper and lower heat absorbing members made from a refractory material and including planar heat absorbing surfaces, the upper heat absorbing member having a generally continuous downwardly facing heat absorbing surface spaced above the conveyor rolls, and the lower heat absorbing member including spaced portions located between the conveyor rolls and having upwardly facing heat absorbing surface portions that are spaced below the conveyed semiconductor coated glass sheets. 
   
   
       9 . A system for cooling semiconductor coated hot glass sheets as in  claim 8  wherein the refractory lower heat absorbing portion has a one-piece unitary construction including a lower refractory base from which its refractory spaced portions project upwardly between the conveyor rolls. 
   
   
       10 . A system for cooling semiconductor coated hot glass sheets as in  claim 1  wherein the conveyor includes horizontal rolls spaced along the housing within the vacuum chamber to convey the semiconductor coated glass sheets horizontally through the vacuum chamber and between the radiant heat absorbing members of the radiant heat absorber, the radiant heat absorber including upper and lower heat absorbing members made from a refractory material and including planar heat absorbing surfaces, the upper heat absorbing member having a generally continuous downwardly facing heat absorbing surface spaced above the conveyor rolls, and the lower heat absorbing member having a unitary one-piece construction including a lower base and spaced portions projecting upwardly from the base between the conveyor rolls and having upwardly facing heat absorbing surface portions that are spaced below the conveyed semiconductor coated glass sheets. 
   
   
       11 . A method for cooling a semiconductor coated hot glass sheet comprising: conveying a hot glass sheet newly coated with semiconductor material within a vacuum chamber to between a pair of spaced radiant heat absorbing members that receive radiant heat from the coated glass sheet to provide cooling. 
   
   
       12 . A method for cooling a semiconductor coated hot glass sheet as in  claim 11  wherein the semiconductor coated hot glass sheet is conveyed in a vertically extending orientation supported by the conveyor at an upper extremity of the coated glass sheet and conveyed between vertically extending radiant heat absorbing members for the cooling. 
   
   
       13 . A method for cooling a semiconductor coated hot glass sheet as in  claim 11  wherein the semiconductor coated hot glass sheet is conveyed in a horizontally extending orientation on rolls of a roll conveyor to between upper and lower radiant heat absorbing members with the semiconductor material facing upwardly toward the upper heat absorbing member. 
   
   
       14 . A method for cooling a semiconductor coated hot glass sheet as in  claim 13  wherein the semiconductor coated hot glass sheet is cooled from above by an upper radiant heat absorbing member that has a continuous downwardly facing surface. 
   
   
       15 . A method for cooling a semiconductor coated hot glass sheet as in  claim 13  wherein the semiconductor coated hot glass sheet is cooled from below by a lower radiant heat absorbing member that has spaced portions projecting upwardly between the conveyor rolls. 
   
   
       16 . A method for cooling a semiconductor coated hot glass sheet as in  claim 13  wherein the semiconductor coated hot glass sheet is cooled from above by an upper radiant heat absorbing member that has a continuous downwardly facing surface and wherein the semiconductor coated glass sheet is cooled from below by a lower radiant heat absorbing member that has spaced portions projecting upwardly between the conveyor rolls. 
   
   
       17 . A method for cooling a semiconductor coated hot glass sheet as in  claim 11  wherein the semiconductor coated hot glass sheet is cooled between radiant heat absorbing members made of a refractory material. 
   
   
       18 . A method for cooling a semiconductor coated hot glass sheet as in  claim 11  wherein the semiconductor coated hot glass sheet is cooled between radiant heat absorbing members made of alpha state silicon carbide.