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A process and an apparatus for refining molten glass that includes a housing having a vertically oriented longitudinal axis and a transverse axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. Molten glass is received at an upper end of the housing and is discharged from a lower end of the housing. A guide

A process and an apparatus for refining molten glass that includes a housing having a vertically oriented longitudinal axis and a transverse axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. Molten glass is received at an upper end of the housing and is discharged from a lower end of the housing. A guide extends at least partway across the housing and directs molten glass in a generally downward direction through the housing and in a parallel or oblique direction relative to the transverse axis of the housing.

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1. An apparatus for refining molten glass that includes: a housing defining an inner chamber and having a vertically oriented longitudinal axis and a transverse axis perpendicular to said longitudinal axis;an inlet at an upper end of said housing to receive unrefined molten glass;an outlet at a lowe

1. An apparatus for refining molten glass that includes: a housing defining an inner chamber and having a vertically oriented longitudinal axis and a transverse axis perpendicular to said longitudinal axis;an inlet at an upper end of said housing to receive unrefined molten glass;an outlet at a lower end of said housing to discharge refined molten glass from said housing; anda guide positioned within said housing having a flow surface upon which molten glass can flow by gravity between said inlet and said outlet of said housing, said flow surface having a surface area that is greater than a transverse cross-sectional area of said housing, wherein said guide includes a series of guides, with each guide having a flow surface that extends at least partway across said inner chamber of said housing and in a parallel or oblique direction relative to said transverse axis of said housing, and wherein said flow surfaces are spaced apart from one another along said longitudinal axis of said housing, and wherein said guide includes a first upper guide that extends entirely across said inner chamber of said housing and a second lower guide that extends entirely across said inner chamber of said housing, and wherein said first upper guide includes a slot arranged such that molten glass can flow from an upstream end toward a downstream end of said first upper guide, and can drop through said slot onto an upstream end of said second lower guide,wherein, when a volume of unrefined molten glass is introduced into said housing, the volume of unrefined molten glass is distributed over said flow surface of said guide such that the surface area of the volume of molten glass is increased and the thickness of the volume of molten glass is decreased so as to produce the refined molten glass. 2. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said series of guides are alternately arranged on opposite sides of said housing such that said flow surfaces of said guides overlap one another along said longitudinal axis of said housing. 3. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said guide includes a barrier positioned between an upstream end and a downstream end of said flow surface to maintain a substantially uniform level of molten glass thereon. 4. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said flow surface of said guide extends radially outwardly from said longitudinal axis of said housing. 5. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said flow surface of said guide extends radially inwardly from a sidewall of said housing. 6. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 that includes: a vacuum pump and evacuation system coupled to said inner chamber of said housing to create a sub-atmospheric pressure environment within said inner chamber of said housing. 7. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 that also includes: vibrators that add vibration energy to said guide. 8. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 that also includes: a heater carried by said guide that supplies heat to said inner chamber of said housing. 9. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said housing has a length measured along said longitudinal axis and a width measured along said transverse axis, and wherein said length of said housing is substantially the same as said width. 10. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said guide extends at a downward angle of greater than 0 degrees and less than or equal to 30 degrees from said transverse axis of said housing. 11. A glass melting and refining apparatus including a glass melting furnace upstream of the apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein a body of molten glass is held within said glass melting furnace, and wherein said body of molten glass has a free surface located above said upper end of said housing such that molten glass can flow by gravity from said glass melting furnace into said inner chamber of said housing. 12. An apparatus for refining molten glass that includes: a housing defining an inner chamber and having a vertically oriented longitudinal axis and a transverse axis perpendicular to said longitudinal axis;an inlet at an upper end of said housing to receive unrefined molten glass;an outlet at a lower end of said housing to discharge refined molten glass from said housing; anda guide positioned within said inner chamber of said housing that directs molten glass to flow by gravity through said inner chamber of said housing, said guide extending at least partway across said inner chamber of said housing and in a parallel or oblique direction relative to said transverse axis of said housing; anda vacuum port coupled to said inner chamber of said housing through which gases are evacuated from said housing to create a sub-atmospheric pressure environment within said inner chamber of said housing,wherein said guide is constructed and arranged wherein molten glass flowing through said inner chamber of said housing repeatedly passes from one side of said longitudinal axis of said housing to another, without intersecting said longitudinal axis, orwherein said guide has a flow surface that extends from said upper end to said lower end of said housing, and wherein said flow surface follows a helical path between said upper end and said lower end of said housing. 13. The apparatus set forth in claim 12 wherein said guide includes a series of guides that direct molten glass to flow by gravity through said inner chamber of said housing such that the molten glass cascades over said guides in succession. 14. The apparatus set forth in claim 13 wherein each of said guides extend partway across said inner chamber of said housing in a direction substantially parallel to said transverse axis of said housing. 15. The apparatus set forth in claim 12 wherein each of said guides extend partway across said inner chamber of said housing in a direction substantially parallel to said transverse axis of said housing. 16. The apparatus set forth in claim 12 wherein said housing includes a vertically oriented sidewall extending between said inlet and said outlet of said housing, and wherein said vacuum port extends through said sidewall of said housing. 17. The apparatus set forth in claim 12 wherein said guide extends at a downward angle of greater than 0 degrees and less than or equal to 30 degrees from said transverse axis of said housing. 18. The apparatus set forth in claim 15 wherein said flow surface has a surface area greater than a transverse cross-sectional area of said inner chamber of said housing, wherein, when a volume of molten glass is introduced into said inner chamber of said housing, the volume of molten glass is distributed over said flow surface of said guide such that the surface area of the volume of molten glass is increased and the thickness of the volume of molten glass is decreased. 19. An apparatus for refining molten glass that includes: a housing defining an inner chamber and having a vertically oriented longitudinal axis and a transverse axis perpendicular to said longitudinal axis;an inlet at an upper end of said housing to receive unrefined molten glass;an outlet at a lower end of said housing to discharge refined molten glass from said housing;a vacuum port coupled to said inner chamber of said housing through which gases are evacuated from said housing to create a sub-atmospheric pressure environment within said inner chamber of said housing; anda guide positioned within said inner chamber of said housing that directs molten glass to flow by gravity through said housing, said guide extending at least partway across said inner chamber in a parallel or oblique direction relative to said transverse axis of said housing, wherein said guide includes a series of alternating first and second guides, with said first guide extending along a sidewall of said housing and having a central passageway through which molten glass can flow by gravity from said first guide onto said second guide, and wherein a periphery of said second guide is spaced apart from said sidewall of said housing such that molten glass can drop from said periphery of said second guide onto said first guide. 20. The apparatus set forth in claim 19 wherein said guide directs molten glass to flow by gravity in a downward direction between said inlet and said outlet of said housing, and wherein said guide extends in a parallel or oblique direction relative to the transverse axis of said housing. 21. The apparatus set forth in claim 19 wherein said guide has a flow surface upon which molten glass can flow between said inlet and said outlet of said housing, said flow surface having a surface area greater than a transverse cross-sectional area of said inner chamber of said housing. 22. An apparatus for refining molten glass that includes: a housing defining an inner chamber and having a vertically oriented longitudinal axis and a transverse axis perpendicular to said longitudinal axis;an inlet at an upper end of said housing to receive unrefined molten glass;an outlet at a lower end of said housing to discharge refined molten glass from said housing; anda guide positioned within said inner chamber of said housing that directs molten glass to flow by gravity through said housing, said guide extending at least partway across said inner chamber in a parallel or oblique direction relative to said transverse axis of said housing,wherein said guide is constructed and arranged wherein molten glass flowing through said inner chamber of said housing repeatedly passes from one side of said longitudinal axis of said housing to another, without intersecting said longitudinal axis, orwherein said guide has a flow surface upon which molten glass can flow between said inlet and said outlet of said housing, said flow surface having a surface area greater than a transverse cross-sectional area of said inner chamber of said housing,wherein, when a volume of unrefined molten glass is introduced into said inner chamber of said housing, the volume of unrefined molten glass is distributed over said flow surface of said guide such that the surface area of the volume of molten glass is increased and the thickness of the volume of molten glass is decreased so as to produce the refined molten glass,wherein said flow surface of said guide extends from said upper end to said lower end of said housing, and wherein said flow surface follows a helical path between said upper end and said lower end of said housing. 23. The apparatus set forth in claim 22 wherein said guide includes a series of guides, with each guide having a flow surface that extends at least partway across said inner chamber of said housing and in a parallel or oblique direction relative to said transverse axis of said housing, and wherein said flow surfaces are spaced apart from one another along said longitudinal axis of said housing. 24. The apparatus set forth in claim 23 wherein each of said guides extend partway across said inner chamber of said housing in a direction substantially parallel to said transverse axis of said housing. 25. The apparatus set forth in claim 22 wherein said flow surface of said guide extends radially outwardly from said longitudinal axis of said housing. 26. The apparatus set forth in claim 22 wherein said flow surface of said guide extends radially inwardly from a sidewall of said housing. 27. An apparatus for refining molten glass that includes: a housing defining an inner chamber and having a vertically oriented longitudinal axis and a transverse axis perpendicular to said longitudinal axis;an inlet at an upper end of said housing to receive unrefined molten glass;an outlet at a lower end of said housing to discharge refined molten glass from said housing; anda guide positioned within said inner chamber of said housing that directs molten glass to flow by gravity through said housing, said guide extending at least partway across said inner chamber in a parallel or oblique direction relative to said transverse axis of said housing,wherein said guide is constructed and arranged such that molten glass flowing through said inner chamber of said housing (i) repeatedly intersects said longitudinal axis of said housing, (ii) repeatedly passes from one side of said longitudinal axis of said housing to another, without intersecting said longitudinal axis, or (iii) repeatedly moves toward and away from said longitudinal axis of said housing,wherein, when a volume of unrefined molten glass is introduced into said inner chamber of said housing, the volume of unrefined molten glass is distributed over a flow surface of said guide such that the surface area of the volume of molten glass is increased and the thickness of the volume of molten glass is decreased so as to produce the refined molten glass, wherein said guide includes a first upper guide that extends entirely across said inner chamber of said housing and a second lower guide that extends entirely across said inner chamber of said housing, and wherein said first upper guide includes a slot arranged such that molten glass can flow from an upstream end toward a downstream end of said first upper guide, and can drop through said slot onto an upstream end of said second lower guide.