Anti-overflow control system and control method in optical fiber drawing and coating process
By introducing a pressure sensor and a pneumatic control valve group to prevent overflow in the fiber drawing and coating process, the problem of coating material overflow was solved, achieving zero overflow and high-quality products under high-speed production.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- JIANGSU NANFANG OPTIC ELECTRIC TECH CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-12-30
- Publication Date
- 2026-04-14
AI Technical Summary
During the fiber drawing process, coating materials are prone to overflow, leading to material waste, equipment contamination, and impact on product quality. Existing anti-overflow methods are slow to respond and have low control precision, making them unsuitable for high-speed production.
Pressure sensors, pneumatic control valve groups, and pipeline storage tanks are introduced to form a pressure closed loop. The flow of coating material is actively regulated by the PLC control system to prevent overflow.
It enables precise control of coating materials, prevents overflow, improves production stability and product quality, has a fast response speed, adapts to high-speed production, and reduces material waste.
Smart Images
Figure CN121850405A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of optical fiber manufacturing technology, and in particular to a control system and method for preventing material spillage during the optical fiber drawing and coating process. Background Technology
[0002] During optical fiber drawing, the bare fiber needs to undergo inner and outer coating and curing within a very short time to obtain the required mechanical protection and optical properties. With increasing drawing speeds, factors such as the instantaneous flow rate and viscosity fluctuations of the coating material, as well as the structural design of the delivery pipeline, make it prone to overflow during the fiber coating process. Overflow not only wastes material but also contaminates equipment, affects coating quality, and can even lead to surface defects in the fiber, impacting product performance. Traditional methods for preventing overflow rely heavily on manual monitoring or simple mechanical baffles, resulting in slow response and low control precision, which cannot meet the needs of high-speed continuous production. Summary of the Invention
[0003] Therefore, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a control system and method for preventing overflow in the optical fiber drawing and coating process. By introducing pressure sensors, pneumatic control valve groups and pipeline storage tanks, the flow of coating materials can be actively regulated, effectively preventing overflow and improving production stability and product quality.
[0004] In a first aspect, to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides a control system for preventing spillage during the optical fiber drawing and coating process, comprising: Coating container, used to store coating materials; A delivery pipeline is connected to the coating material tank and leads to the coating station inside the coating mold; A pipeline storage tank is installed between the material tank and the conveying pipeline, with compressed gas introduced at the top and the pressure inside the tank used as a feedback quantity. A pneumatic control valve assembly is used to control the opening and closing of the delivery pipeline and the pressure balance of the pipeline storage tank, and outputs an execution signal; A pressure sensor is used to detect the pressure inside the pipeline storage tank and / or delivery pipeline and output a feedback signal; The PLC control system receives the feedback signal and controls the pneumatic control valve group to form a pressure closed loop, actively regulating the flow of coating material and preventing overflow.
[0005] In one embodiment of the present invention, the pneumatic control valve assembly includes: Pressure relief pneumatic valve, installed on the conveying pipeline, is used to cut off the material flow in an emergency; The booster pneumatic valve is connected to the top of the pipeline storage tank and is used to stabilize the pressure and replenish the gas to suppress pressure surges.
[0006] In one embodiment of the present invention, the conveying pipeline includes a primary conveying pipeline and a secondary conveying pipeline, and the slope of the primary conveying pipeline is greater than that of the secondary conveying pipeline to form a flow velocity buffer.
[0007] In one embodiment of the present invention, the coating tank includes a primary coating tank and a secondary coating tank, which are respectively connected to the primary conveying pipeline and the secondary conveying pipeline.
[0008] In one embodiment of the present invention, the pressure sensor is simultaneously located on the primary delivery pipeline, the secondary delivery pipeline, and the pipeline storage tank, for simultaneously detecting the pressure at the three levels and outputting corresponding feedback signals.
[0009] In one embodiment of the present invention, a gas replenishment system is further included, the gas replenishment system comprising: Gas source, providing clean compressed gas; A pressure regulating valve, connected to the gas source, is used to precisely regulate the gas pressure; A flow controller, connected to the pressure regulating valve, is used to control the gas flow rate; A one-way valve is connected between the flow controller and the pipeline storage tank to prevent backflow of the coating material.
[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, compressed air is introduced into the top of the coating tank, and the coating is extruded using the air pressure inside the tank and sent to the primary conveying pipeline and the secondary conveying pipeline.
[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, the PLC control system includes: The data acquisition module is used to receive the pressure signal from the pressure sensor; The logic judgment module determines the pressure anomaly level based on the pressure difference and rate of change of the pressure sensor. The execution control module is used to output corresponding control commands to the pressure relief pneumatic valve, the pressure boosting pneumatic valve and the air replenishment system according to the pressure anomaly level.
[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, a material characteristic detection unit is further included, which is used to detect the viscosity of the coating material in real time and transmit the detection data to the PLC control system. The PLC control system automatically adjusts the air volume of the air supply system according to the material characteristic parameters to achieve adaptive control. The material characteristic detection unit realizes online identification of material characteristics by detecting the temperature of the coating in the pipeline and outputs a temperature signal.
[0013] Secondly, in order to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides a method for preventing overflow during the optical fiber drawing and coating process, which adopts the overflow prevention control system described in the first aspect, and includes the following steps: Real-time monitoring of air pressure changes within the delivery pipeline using pressure sensors; When the pressure sensor detects that the pressure value exceeds the preset threshold or the pressure change rate exceeds the preset range, it sends the pressure signal to the PLC control system, which determines that there is a potential risk of overflow. The PLC control system determines whether to activate the pressure relief pneumatic valve and the pressure boosting pneumatic valve based on preset logic. By controlling the pressure relief pneumatic valve to cut off or adjusting the opening of the pressure boosting pneumatic valve, pressure can be quickly relieved or replenished. The PLC control system can also automatically adjust the gas supply in the pipe according to the material viscosity parameters to achieve adaptive control.
[0014] Compared with the prior art, the above-described technical solution of the present invention has the following advantages: (1) The fiber drawing and coating process anti-overflow control system described in this invention introduces a pressure sensor, a pneumatic control valve group and a pipeline storage tank to achieve precise control of the flow of coating material, effectively prevent overflow, improve production stability and product quality, and the air pressure in the pipeline storage tank can be used as a feedback quantity. The PLC control system can simultaneously control the pressure relief control valve to cut off and the pressure boosting control valve to replenish pressure, which greatly shortens the response time compared with traditional mechanical valves, achieves zero overflow under high-speed drawing, reduces material waste, improves product quality and production line cleanliness, can be seamlessly integrated with the existing fiber production system, has low upgrade cost and is easy to implement.
[0015] (2) The fiber drawing and coating process anti-overflow control method described in this invention has a fast response speed, can achieve millisecond-level intervention, adapt to high-speed production rhythm, and can be adaptively adjusted according to material characteristics, with strong compatibility. Attached Figure Description
[0016] To make the content of this invention easier to understand, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments and accompanying drawings.
[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the anti-overflow control system for the optical fiber drawing and coating process in a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the primary conveying pipeline of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the secondary conveying pipeline of the present invention; Explanation of reference numerals in the accompanying drawings: 1. Primary coating tank; 2. Secondary coating tank; 3. Primary conveying pipeline; 4. Secondary conveying pipeline; 5. Pipeline storage tank; 6. Pressure relief pneumatic valve; 7. Pressure sensor; 8. Pressure boosting pneumatic valve; 9. Air replenishment system; 100. Coating mold; 101. Mold inlet; 110. First coating station; 111. Second coating station. Detailed Implementation
[0018] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments, so that those skilled in the art can better understand and implement the present invention. However, the embodiments described are not intended to limit the present invention. Example 1
[0019] Reference Figure 1-3 As shown, the present invention provides a fiber optic drawing and coating process anti-overflow control system, comprising: The coating tank includes a primary coating tank 1 and a secondary coating tank 2, which are used for storing different coating materials, respectively. The conveying pipelines, including a primary conveying pipeline 3 and a secondary conveying pipeline 4, are respectively arranged on both sides of the coating mold 100; and respectively connect the primary coating material tank 1 and the secondary coating material tank 2 to the first coating station 110 and the second coating station 111; the slope of the primary conveying pipeline 3 is greater than the slope of the secondary conveying pipeline 4; preferably, the slope of the primary conveying pipeline 3 is 60° and the slope of the secondary conveying pipeline 4 is 45°. The primary conveying pipeline 3 and the secondary conveying pipeline 4 are used to convey coating materials of different viscosities. The slope design of the primary conveying pipeline 3 is for conveying coating materials with high viscosity, which can quickly establish gravity flow in a very short distance and avoid coating stagnation; the slope design of the secondary conveying pipeline 4 is for the stable conveying of coating materials with slightly lower viscosity, ensuring the uniformity of the secondary coating thickness.
[0020] Pipeline storage tank 5 is disposed between the primary coating tank 1 and the primary conveying pipeline 3, and between the secondary coating tank 2 and the secondary conveying pipeline 4. Compressed gas is introduced into the top of the pipeline storage tank 5 and the internal pressure of the tank is used as the feedback quantity. A pressure boosting pneumatic valve 8 is provided on the top of the pipeline storage tank 5 for stabilizing pressure and replenishing gas to suppress pressure surges. A pressure relief pneumatic valve 6 is installed on the primary conveying pipeline 3 and the secondary conveying pipeline 4 to cut off the material flow when abnormal pressure is detected. Pressure sensor 7, the pressure tapping points of the pressure sensor 7 are respectively set on the primary delivery pipeline 3, the secondary delivery pipeline 4 and the pipeline storage tank 5, and are used to simultaneously detect the pressure in the primary delivery pipeline 3, the secondary delivery pipeline 4 and the pressure in the pipeline storage tank 5, and output corresponding feedback signals. The PLC control system is communicatively connected to the pressure sensor 7, the pressure relief pneumatic valve 6, and the pressure boosting pneumatic valve 8. When the pressure sensor 7 detects an abnormal pressure in the pipeline, it sends a pressure signal to the PLC control system. The PLC control system controls the opening and closing of the pressure relief pneumatic valve 6 and the pressure boosting pneumatic valve 8 according to preset logic to achieve active regulation of the flow of the coating material.
[0021] Preferably, the pressure relief pneumatic valve 6 is a normally open pneumatic shut-off valve, used to quickly cut off the material flow when the pressure is abnormal; the pressure boosting pneumatic valve 8 is a normally closed pneumatic regulating valve, used to generate negative pressure to guide the material to flow smoothly when replenishing air.
[0022] Furthermore, the pipeline storage tank 5 is equipped with a gas replenishment system 9, the gas replenishment system 9 comprising: Gas source, providing clean compressed gas; A pressure regulating valve, connected to the gas source, is used to precisely regulate the gas pressure; A flow controller, connected to the pressure regulating valve, is used to control the gas flow rate; A one-way valve is connected between the flow controller and the pipeline storage tank 5 to prevent the coating material from flowing back.
[0023] In addition, compressed air is introduced into the top of the coating tank, and the air pressure inside the tank is used to force the coating out and send it to the primary conveying pipe 3 and the secondary conveying pipe 4.
[0024] The PLC control system described in this embodiment includes: The data acquisition module is used to receive the pressure signal from the pressure sensor 7; The logic judgment module determines the pressure abnormality level based on the pressure difference and rate of change of the pressure sensor 7; The execution control module is used to output corresponding control commands to the pressure relief pneumatic valve 6, the pressure boosting pneumatic valve 8 and the air replenishment system 9 according to the pressure anomaly level.
[0025] The PLC control system also includes a material property detection unit, which is used to detect the viscosity of the coating material in real time and transmit the detection data to the PLC control system. The PLC control system automatically adjusts the air volume of the air supply system 9 according to the material property parameters to achieve adaptive control. The material property detection unit detects the temperature of the coating in the pipeline to achieve online identification of material properties and outputs a temperature signal.
[0026] The bare optical fiber 200 enters the coating mold 100 at high speed through the mold inlet 101. The primary coating tank 1 and the secondary coating tank 2 deliver coating material to the coating mold 100 through the primary conveying pipe 3 and the secondary conveying pipe 4, respectively. The bare optical fiber 200 passes through the mold inlet 101 into the coating mold 100 and passes through the first coating station 110 and the second coating station 111 in sequence for coating to obtain coated optical fiber 300.
[0027] Because there are front overflow point 102 and rear overflow point 103 on the coating mold 100, the front overflow point 102 is located at the mold inlet 101. When the pressure in front of the mold suddenly increases, the coating flows out in the opposite direction along the bare optical fiber 200, forming a ring-shaped splash. The rear overflow point 103 is located at the edge of the mold outlet. If the liquid seal pressure inside the mold is higher than the sealing limit, the coating drips laterally and is carried downstream with the optical fiber. During the coating process, the pressure sensor 7 monitors the pressure in the primary conveying pipe 3 and the secondary conveying pipe 4 in real time. Once a pressure change is detected, the PLC control system simultaneously closes the pressure relief pneumatic valve 6 to release pressure instantly, preventing the coating from flowing back and overflowing, thus avoiding overflow at the front overflow point 102 and the rear overflow point 103. After the anomaly is resolved, the PLC control system increases the pressure in the pipeline storage tank 5, allowing clean compressed air to quickly enter the pipeline storage tank 5. The pressure in the pipeline storage tank 5 rises accordingly, thereby pressing the coating back onto the coating mold 100 at a stable flow rate. The entire process of restoring the material supply after the anomaly is resolved does not require machine shutdown for cleaning, achieving zero overflow under high-speed drawing. Example 2
[0028] This invention provides a method for preventing material spillage during the optical fiber drawing and coating process, employing the material spillage control system described in Embodiment 1, and includes the following steps: The pressure sensor 7 monitors the air pressure changes in the delivery pipeline in real time. When pressure sensor 7 detects that the pressure value exceeds the preset threshold or the pressure change rate exceeds the preset range, it sends a pressure signal to the PLC control system, which determines that there is a potential risk of overflow. The PLC control system determines whether to activate the pressure relief pneumatic valve 6 and the pressure boosting pneumatic valve 8 based on preset logic. By controlling the pressure relief pneumatic valve 6 to cut off or adjust the opening of the pressure boosting pneumatic valve 8, pressure can be quickly relieved or replenished. The PLC control system can also automatically adjust the gas supply in the pipe according to the material viscosity parameters, achieving adaptive control. Obviously, the above embodiments are merely examples for clear illustration and are not intended to limit the implementation. Those skilled in the art can make other variations or modifications based on the above description. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively list all possible implementations here. However, obvious variations or modifications derived therefrom are still within the scope of protection of this invention.
Claims
1. A control system for preventing spillage during the optical fiber drawing and coating process, characterized in that, include: Coating container, used to store coating materials; A delivery pipeline is connected to the coating material tank and leads to the coating station inside the coating mold; A pipeline storage tank is installed between the material tank and the conveying pipeline, with compressed gas introduced at the top and the pressure inside the tank used as a feedback quantity. A pneumatic control valve assembly is used to control the opening and closing of the delivery pipeline and the pressure balance of the pipeline storage tank, and outputs an execution signal; A pressure sensor is used to detect the pressure inside the pipeline storage tank and / or delivery pipeline and output a feedback signal; The PLC control system receives the feedback signal and controls the pneumatic control valve group to form a pressure closed loop, actively regulating the flow of coating material and preventing overflow.
2. The anti-overflow control system for the optical fiber drawing and coating process according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pneumatic control valve assembly includes: Pressure relief pneumatic valve, installed on the conveying pipeline, is used to cut off the material flow in an emergency; The booster pneumatic valve is connected to the top of the pipeline storage tank and is used to stabilize the pressure and replenish the gas to suppress pressure surges.
3. The anti-overflow control system for the optical fiber drawing and coating process according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The conveying pipeline includes a primary conveying pipeline and a secondary conveying pipeline, with the slope of the primary conveying pipeline being greater than that of the secondary conveying pipeline to create a flow velocity buffer.
4. The anti-overflow control system for the optical fiber drawing and coating process according to claim 3, characterized in that: The coating tank includes a primary coating tank and a secondary coating tank, which are respectively connected to the primary conveying pipeline and the secondary conveying pipeline.
5. The anti-overflow control system for the optical fiber drawing and coating process according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The pressure sensor's pressure tapping points are simultaneously located on the primary delivery pipeline, the secondary delivery pipeline, and the pipeline storage tank, enabling it to simultaneously detect the pressure at three levels and output corresponding feedback signals.
6. The anti-overflow control system for the optical fiber drawing and coating process according to claim 1, characterized in that... It also includes a gas replenishment system, which comprises: Gas source, providing clean compressed gas; A pressure regulating valve, connected to the gas source, is used to precisely regulate the gas pressure; A flow controller, connected to the pressure regulating valve, is used to control the gas flow rate; A one-way valve is connected between the flow controller and the pipeline storage tank to prevent backflow of the coating material.
7. The anti-overflow control system for the optical fiber drawing and coating process according to claim 1, characterized in that, Compressed air is introduced into the top of the coating tank, and the air pressure inside the tank is used to force the coating out and send it to the primary and secondary conveying pipelines.
8. The anti-overflow control system for the optical fiber drawing and coating process according to claim 2, characterized in that, The PLC control system includes: The data acquisition module is used to receive the pressure signal from the pressure sensor; The logic judgment module determines the pressure anomaly level based on the pressure difference and rate of change of the pressure sensor. The execution control module is used to output corresponding control commands to the pressure relief pneumatic valve, the pressure boosting pneumatic valve and the air replenishment system according to the pressure anomaly level.
9. The fiber optic drawing and coating process anti-overflow control system according to claim 6, characterized in that, It also includes a material property detection unit for real-time detection of the viscosity of the coating material and transmitting the detection data to the PLC control system. The PLC control system automatically adjusts the air volume of the air supply system according to the material property parameters to achieve adaptive control. The material property detection unit detects the temperature of the coating in the pipeline to achieve online identification of material properties and outputs a temperature signal.
10. A method for preventing material spillage during the optical fiber drawing and coating process, employing the anti-overflow control system described in any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Real-time monitoring of air pressure changes within the delivery pipeline using pressure sensors; When the pressure sensor detects that the pressure value exceeds the preset threshold or the pressure change rate exceeds the preset range, it sends the pressure signal to the PLC control system, which determines that there is a potential risk of overflow. The PLC control system determines whether to activate the pressure relief pneumatic valve and the pressure boosting pneumatic valve based on preset logic. By controlling the pressure relief pneumatic valve to cut off or adjusting the opening of the pressure boosting pneumatic valve, pressure can be quickly relieved or replenished. The PLC control system can also automatically adjust the gas supply in the pipe according to the material viscosity parameters to achieve adaptive control.