DE-112020007706-B4 - DEVICE AND METHOD FOR PRODUCEING A FIBER GLASS PREFORM

DE112020007706B4DE 112020007706 B4DE112020007706 B4DE 112020007706B4DE-112020007706-B4

Abstract

Device for producing a glass fiber preform, comprising a reaction cavity (1), a clamping mechanism (2) and a drive mechanism (3), wherein the clamping mechanism (2) is arranged in the reaction cavity (1) and is designed for attaching a target rod (4) and the drive mechanism (3) is designed to drive the clamping mechanism (2) so that it rotates about a vertical axis and moves up and down along a vertical direction, wherein several partitions (5) are arranged in the reaction cavity (1) and the several partitions (5) divide the reaction cavity (1) into a first chamber (11), a second chamber (12) and a third chamber (13); wherein each of the multiple partition walls (5) has a through-hole which is designed to be arranged coaxially to the target rod (4) so that the target rod (4) can be arranged in the first chamber (11), the second chamber (12) or the third chamber (13) after it has been moved along the vertical direction; wherein the first chamber (11) is designed to deposit a loose body onto the target rod (4) using an axial vapor deposition (VAD) process; wherein the second chamber (12) is designed to perform a dehydration treatment and a sintering treatment on the loose body, so that a glass fiber preform (10) is obtained; and wherein the third chamber (13) is designed to carry out an annealing treatment on the glass fiber preform (10); wherein the multiple partitions (5) are made of flexible material and an opening diameter of the through-hole located on each of the multiple partitions (5) is less than a diameter of the loose body or a diameter of the glass fiber preform (10), such that the multiple partition walls (5) engage with the loose body or the glass fiber preform (10) with an excess.

Inventors

Gonghui Zhang
Jianjiang Wang
Zhongkai ZHOU
Yongtong LI
Qiaoqiao Shen
Wei Sun
Lin Wang
Yaling Wang
Zewu Han
Changping Hao
Qiushi HUANG
Quan TAO
Weitao SHEN

Assignees

HengTong Optic-Electric Co., Ltd.
JIANGSU ALPHA OPTIC-ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260513
Application Date: 20201019

Claims (10)

Device for producing a glass fiber preform, comprising a reaction cavity (1), a clamping mechanism (2), and a drive mechanism (3), wherein the clamping mechanism (2) is arranged in the reaction cavity (1) and is designed for attaching a target rod (4), and the drive mechanism (3) is designed to drive the clamping mechanism (2) so that it rotates about a vertical axis and moves up and down along a vertical direction, wherein several partitions (5) are arranged in the reaction cavity (1), and the several partitions (5) divide the reaction cavity (1) into a first chamber (11), a second chamber (12), and a third chamber (13); wherein each of the multiple partitions (5) has a through-hole configured to be coaxial with the target rod (4), such that the target rod (4) can be located in the first chamber (11), the second chamber (12), or the third chamber (13) after being moved along the vertical direction; wherein the first chamber (11) is configured to deposit a loose body onto the target rod (4) using an axial vapor deposition (VAD) process; wherein the second chamber (12) is configured to perform a dehydration and sintering treatment on the loose body to obtain a glass fiber preform (10); and the third chamber (13) is configured to perform an annealing treatment on the glass fiber preform (10); wherein the multiple partitions (5) are made of flexible material and an opening diameter of the through-hole located on each of the multiple partitions (5) is less than a diameter of the loose body or a diameter of the glass fiber preform (10), such that the multiple partitions (5) engage with the loose body or the glass fiber preform (10) with an interference fit.
Manufacturing device according to Claim 1 , wherein the multiple partitions (5) are arranged in the second chamber (12), the multiple partitions (5) divide the second chamber (12) into a sintering chamber (121) and a dehydration chamber (122) which are connected in an upward-downward direction, and the sintering chamber (121) is designed to carry out the sintering treatment on the loose body and the dehydration chamber (122) is designed to carry out the dehydration treatment on the loose body.
Manufacturing device according to Claim 2 , wherein the height of the sintering chamber (121) and/or the dehydration chamber (122) is less than the total length of the loose body, so that the sintering chamber (121) and the dehydration chamber (122) can perform the sintering treatment and the dehydration treatment simultaneously.
Manufacturing device according to Claim 3 , wherein the height of the second chamber (12) is less than the total length of the loose body, so that the first chamber (11), the dehydration chamber (122) and the sintering chamber (121) can simultaneously perform a deposition treatment, the dehydration treatment and the sintering treatment.
Manufacturing device according to Claim 2 , wherein both the height of the sintering chamber (121) and the height of the dehydration chamber (122) are greater than the total length of the loose body, so that the loose body can be completely dehydrated in the dehydration chamber (122) or completely sintered in the sintering chamber (121).
Manufacturing device according to Claim 1 , wherein the height of the third chamber (13) is greater than the total length of the glass fiber preform (10), so that the glass fiber preform (10) can be completely annealed in the third chamber (13).
Manufacturing device according to one of the Claims 1 until 6 , wherein the multiple partitions (5) consist of a ceramic fiber.
Manufacturing device according to Claim 1 , wherein the drive mechanism (3) comprises a first power assembly (31) and a second power assembly (32); wherein the first power assembly (31) comprises a leadscrew (311) extending from an upper region of the reaction cavity (1) along the vertical direction into the third chamber (13), a lower end of the leadscrew (311) rotatably connected to a holder (312) which is fixedly connected to a cavity wall of the reaction cavity (1) corresponding to the third chamber (13), and an upper end of the leadscrew (311) is in transmission connection with a synchronous pulley mechanism (313) which is driven by a first electric motor (314); and wherein the second power assembly (32) comprises a lifting base (321) which is screwed to the lead screw (311) and a second electric motor (322) attached to the lifting base (321).
Manufacturing device according to Claim 1 , further comprising a control system (7), wherein the control system (7) is a control module and comprises an information acquisition module, wherein the control module comprises a programmable logic controller (PLC) and an operator console, and the information acquisition module comprises a position sensor and an online monitoring device arranged in the first chamber (11) and/or in the second chamber (12) and/or in the third chamber (13); wherein the information acquisition module is designed to provide at least one of the following pieces of information to the control module: a position of one end of the loose body, a working speed, a working distance, a diameter of the glass fiber preform (10), a transmittance of the glass fiber preform (10), a deposition feed rate, and a gas flow rate of an oxyhydrogen flame of the burner (6); and wherein the control module is designed to set start/stop and operating states of the adjustable heating device, a feed system, a gas distribution system of the burner (6) and the drive mechanism (3) in the device for producing the glass fiber preform according to the information, so that a deposition quantity of the loose body and a temperature of a sintering chamber are controlled.
Method for producing a glass fiber preform using the device for producing the glass fiber preform according to one of the Claims 1 until 9 , comprising the following: arranging the target rod (4) in the first chamber (11) and depositing a loose body onto the target rod (4) in the first chamber (11) using an axial vapor deposition (VAD) process; lifting the target rod (4) and performing a dehydration treatment and a sintering treatment on the loose body in the second chamber (12) to obtain a glass fiber preform (10); and further lifting the glass fiber preform (10) and performing an annealing treatment on the glass fiber preform (10) in the third chamber (13).

Description

TECHNICAL AREA The present invention relates to the technical field of glass fiber production, for example a device and a method for producing a glass fiber preform. BACKGROUND With increasing competition in the optical fiber market, ever higher demands are being placed on the quality of the fibers. In an optical fiber manufacturing process, the quality of the fiber preform directly influences the performance and a parameter index of the optical fiber product. Fiberglass preform manufacturing generally comprises two manufacturing processes. One manufacturing process involves producing a mandrel and an outer sheath separately and then fitting the corresponding outer sheath or mandrel to a parameter of the mandrel or outer sheath using standard processes and methods, such as the RIC (Rod in Cylinder) process. This type of manufacturing process has the advantage of allowing the production of a large-diameter fiberglass preform. However, the following problems can arise when joining the mandrel and the outer sheath: parameter mismatch, the introduction of contaminants into the joining process, and defects such as susceptibility to scratches during transport or joining. In a further manufacturing process, a loose body (also known as a flimsy body or carbon black body) of the glass fiber preform is produced, and this loose body is then sintered into a glass fiber preform in a sintering process. Common methods such as modified chemical vapor deposition (MCVD), axial vapor deposition (VAD), and outside vapor deposition (OVD) are used. This manufacturing process avoids the problem of the glass fiber preform being susceptible to scratches and other defects during transport. However, this manufacturing process requires the glass fiber preform to be transported between different fixtures during various processes such as deposition and sintering. Since the glass fiber preform is in contact with the outside air during the transport process and the ambient temperature changes abruptly, the glass fiber preform can be affected by the fact that impurities adhere to it or cracks form on the rod due to stress fluctuations during temperature changes, which severely impairs the quality of a later glass fiber product and does not contribute to reducing glass fiber attenuation and improving the strength of the glass fiber. Devices and methods for the production of glass fiber preforms are from the US 2002 / 0 078 714 A1 , the JP H04 - 321 533 A as well as the CN 1 11 116 037 A known. SUMMARY The object of the invention is to provide an improved device for the production of glass fiber preforms and an improved method for the production of glass fiber preforms. The problem is solved by a device according to claim 1 and a method according to claim 10. The present invention provides a device and a method for manufacturing a glass fiber preform. The device enables the production of a glass fiber preform based on a VAD (Variable Output Deposition) process. In this manufacturing process, the glass fiber preform does not need to be moved between different devices, which improves the quality of the glass fiber preform and also significantly increases production efficiency. The present invention provides a device for producing a glass fiber preform. The manufacturing device comprises a reaction cavity, a clamping mechanism, and a drive mechanism, wherein the clamping mechanism is arranged in the reaction cavity and is designed for attaching a target rod, and the drive mechanism is designed to drive the clamping mechanism so that it rotates about a vertical axis and moves up and down along a vertical direction. Several partitions are arranged in the reaction cavity, and these partitions divide the reaction cavity into a first chamber, a second chamber and a third chamber, arranged sequentially from bottom to top. Each of the multiple partition walls has a through-hole that is arranged coaxially to the target rod, so that the target rod can be located in the first chamber, the second chamber or the third chamber after it has been moved along the vertical direction. The first chamber is designed to deposit a loose body onto the target rod using a VAD process. The second chamber is designed to perform a dehydration treatment and a sintering treatment on the loose body, so that a glass fiber preform is obtained. The third chamber is designed to perform an annealing treatment on the glass fiber preform. Furthermore, the multiple partitions are made of flexible material and the opening diameter of the through-hole located on each of the multiple partitions is less than the diameter of the loose body or the diameter of the glass fiber preform, so that the multiple partitions engage with the loose body or the glass fiber preform with an interference fit. Furthermore, a method for manufacturing a glass fiber preform using the above-mentioned apparatus for manufacturing a glass fiber preform is provided. The method comprises the steps described below.