prototype glass heater cone

The 16" cone shown on the right is designed to mix and disperse gas, which then combusts on the inside. This prototype gas heater, capable of instant and precise control of temperature, is intended as an application for cooking in a commercial kitchen.

We were asked to prepare this borosilicate cone to replaced a steel first iteration. The designer was interested in seeing flame patterns at various flow rates. We were very skeptical about the efficacy
of borosilicate glass for the projected temperature ranges and rapid fluxuations - normally the choice would be quartz.

prototype glass heater cone

prototype glass cone

But the designer, David Andres, was insistent that everything would be fine..... and he didn't have a budget for a quartz prototype.

So with reservations and trepidation, we accepted the work. David offered to let us know when he was going to fire the device up. We jumped at the chance. This one counts as a surprise; we would not have expected the cone to last due to thermal stresses, and were excited to watch the process thru a polariscope as it ran thru it's temperature range.