Abstract:
L'invention concerne un dispositif de refroidissement (1, 1', 1 ") d'une fibre optique (13), comprenant deux parties (20, 29), chacune des parties (20,29) comprenant au moins une surface de réception (204, 294) sur laquelle est agencé un demi-canal (240, 2940) de sorte qu'une fois les deux parties (20,29) mises en contact au niveau de leur surface de réception (204, 294), les deux parties (20,29) forment un canal principal débouchant destiné à accueillir le passage de la fibre optique (13), caractérisé en ce que chacune des parties (20,29) est un bloc d'un matériau thermiquement conducteur et en ce qu'au moins l'une (20) des parties comprend un canal secondaire (209) cylindrique fluidiquement connecté à une pluralité d'orifices (2046) répartis le long du demi-canal (2040) de cette partie (20) pour former une chambre de distribution de fluide caloporteur pour la pluralité d'orifices (2046).
Abstract:
A system and method for cooling and coating optical fiber includes the capability to control the amount of coolant gas that is fed to and recycled through a heat exchanger for cooling the optical fiber. The capability to control the amount of fed and recycled coolant gas includes measuring at least one parameter selected from the thermal conductivity of the coolant gas, the viscosity of the coolant gas, the diameter of the primary coating on the optical fiber, and the power usage of a coating applicator for applying primary coating on the optical fiber.
Abstract:
A heat exchanger system (20) for cooling a fiber includes an outer tube section (22), an inner tube section (24) disposed within and separated a selected distance from the outer tube section to form an annular gap (23) therebetween, and a plurality of fins (26) extending transversely from internal peripheral wall portions of the inner tube section toward a central axis of the inner tube section. The inner tube section includes an internal passage configured to receive and cool the fiber as the fiber moves through the heat exchanger, and the fins facilitate heat transfer between a cooling medium (23) flowing through the annular gap and a coolant fluid (25) flowing within the inner tube section during system operation.
Abstract:
A method of manufacturing an optical fibre, which method comprises the steps of : i) providing an optical preform, ii) heating one end of said optical preform, iii) drawing an optical fibre from the heated end of the optical preform, iv) cooling the optical fibre thus drawn into step iii), v) winding the cooled optical fibe onto a reel, with a change in the tension buildup being introduced into the optical fibre in step iv) resulting in variations in the refractive index of the optical fibre as a function of the longitudinal position.
Abstract:
A fiber drawing device (1) has a fiber drawing furnace (11), a heating furnace (21) and a resin curing unit (31). An He gas supply passage (15) from a supply unit (14) is connected to a furnace tube (13) of the fiber drawing furnace (11), for supplying an He gas. An optical fiber (3) heat-drawn in the fiber drawing furnace (11) is fed to a heating furnace (21), and a preset portion of the optical fiber (3) is gradually cooled at a preset cooling speed. An N2 gas supply passage (25) from an N2 gas supply unit (24) is connected to a furnace tube (23) of the heating furnace (21), for supplying an N2 gas. Later, a UV resin (39) is applied to the optical fiber (3) by a coating die (38) and then is cured at the resin curing unit (31) to produce an optical fiber strand (4).
Abstract:
A cooler of an optical fiber draw tower. The cooler situated below a melting furnace for melting a preform for an optical fiber, for cooling the optical fiber drawn from the preform melted in the melting furnace, includes at least one heat exchanger installed with a predetermined length surrounding the optical fiber drawn from the melting furnace, for cooling the drawn optical fiber. The heat exchanger is formed of a thermo-electric cooler (TEC) for taking electrical energy through one heat absorbing surface to emit heat to the other heat emitting surface and has a tubular shape in which the heat absorbing surface of the TEC surrounds the optical fiber drawn from the melting furnace along the drawing direction by a predetermined length, and the drawn optical fiber is cooled as it passes through the tubular TEC. Also, the cooler further includes an auxiliary cooler attached to the heat emitting surface of the TEC, for cooling the emitted heat. Therefore, the cooler can enhance the cooling effect, so that the drawing of the optical fiber can be sped up without increasing the height of the optical fiber draw tower.
Abstract:
A method of and an apparatus for cooling an optical fibre drawn from a heated glass blank by passing the fibre (3) through a cooling pipe (9) in which a cooling gas (A) flows in the axial direction of the fibre around it. In order to reduce the consumption of cooling gas, the cooling gas is caused to flow turbulently (B) around the fibre by means of a throttle point (20) formed by a partition wall (19) in the cooling pipe, so that a laminar flow of cooling gas around the fibre is prevented and the transfer of heat between the cooling gas and the fibre is improved.
Abstract:
A single mode optical fiber having a core made from silica and less than or equal to about 6.5 weight% germania and having a maximum relative refractive index Δ 1ΜΑΧ . The optical fiber also has an inner cladding surrounding the core and having a minimum relative refractive index Δ 2ΜΙΝ · A difference between a softening point of the core and a softening point of the inner cladding is less than or equal to about 20 °C, and Δ 1ΜΑΧ > Δ 2ΜΑΧ . The single mode optical fiber may also have an outer cladding surrounding the inner cladding made from silica or SiON. The outer cladding has a maximum relative refractive index Δ 3ΜΑΧ , and Δ 3ΜΑΧ > Δ 2ΜΙΝ . A method for manufacturing an optical fiber includes providing a preform to a first furnace, the preform, drawing the optical fiber from the preform, and cooling the drawn optical fiber in a second furnace.