Fiber spinning drafting system suitable for low-gravity environment and preparation method
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- DONGHUA UNIV
- Filing Date
- 2026-02-02
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-26
Smart Images

Figure CN122079474A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of inorganic fiber forming and drawing equipment technology, specifically to a fiber spinning and drawing system and its preparation method suitable for low-gravity environments. Background Technology
[0002] Existing fiber drawing equipment typically employs crucible melting and spinneret drawing, which is highly dependent on gravity conditions, melt volume, and container structure, making it difficult to adapt to extreme environments such as low gravity. Its main disadvantages include: high energy consumption; inorganic fiber forming often requires extremely high temperatures, and conventional heating methods are not only energy-intensive but also have low thermal efficiency; raw materials are easily contaminated by the walls of crucibles and other containers; the high melting and drawing temperatures of inorganic materials, coupled with the limited heat capacity of crucibles, lead to poor process stability; platinum crucibles are susceptible to thermal shock and oxidation, requiring frequent replacement, which increases production costs and operational complexity.
[0003] To avoid melt contamination and heterogeneous nucleation, existing studies have proposed using containerless melting to generate fibers. However, current containerless drawing technologies are mostly limited to laboratory scale and can often only produce short fibers or achieve instantaneous fiber generation. They have the following engineering defects: the drawing and traction process lacks stable support, resulting in frequent fiber breakage; the drawing path and traction speed lack coordinated control, making continuous fiber formation difficult; and there is a lack of systematic spinning and drawing schemes adapted to low-gravity environments.
[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a fiber spinning and drawing system and method that can overcome the above-mentioned defects and is particularly suitable for extreme environments of low gravity and high vacuum. Summary of the Invention
[0005] The purpose of this invention is to solve the problems existing in the prior art and to propose a fiber spinning and drawing system and preparation method suitable for low gravity environments.
[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:
[0007] A fiber spinning and drawing system suitable for low-gravity environments, characterized in that it comprises:
[0008] Air suspension unit, used to suspend and melt raw materials to form a melt under containerless conditions;
[0009] A laser heating unit is used to heat the suspended raw material;
[0010] A fiber drawing and stretching actuator is used to contact the melt and draw out the fiber;
[0011] Fiber support and guiding unit, used to provide intermediate support and guidance for fibers during the drafting process;
[0012] The traction and winding unit is used for continuous traction and winding of fibers;
[0013] The control system is signal-connected to the air suspension unit, laser heating unit, fiber drawing and stretching execution unit, fiber support and guiding unit, and traction winding unit, and is used to control their coordinated operation.
[0014] Optionally, the air suspension unit includes an air suspension nozzle, and the laser heating unit includes a CO2 laser and an optical thermometer; the control system adjusts the power of the CO2 laser and the gas flow rate into the air suspension nozzle in a coordinated manner according to the melt temperature signal monitored by the optical thermometer.
[0015] Optionally, the wire drawing and stretching execution unit includes a three-axis combined linear module, a wire drawing needle, and a wire drawing clamp for fixing the wire drawing needle; the wire drawing needle is mounted on the wire drawing clamp, and the wire drawing clamp is mounted on the three-axis combined linear module.
[0016] Optionally, the three-axis combined linear module includes a slide rail, a slide block that moves along the slide rail, a clamping connection part connected to the slide block, left and right folding covers fastened at the connection position between the slide block and the clamping connection part, a magnetic grating ruler for position feedback, a magnetic grating block, a sensing plate, and a sensing limiting device; the magnetic grating block is connected to the slide block, the sensing plate cooperates with the magnetic grating ruler for positioning, and the sensing limiting device is located at the end of the travel of the slide rail; the wire drawing clamp is slidably disposed on the clamping connection part.
[0017] Optionally, the wire drawing fixture includes a first fixture bracket and a second fixture bracket, which are connected by a hinge to form a clamping structure. One end of the clamping structure is provided with a chuck and is locked with an internal hex bolt to fix the wire drawing needle. The second fixture bracket is connected to the fixture connecting part.
[0018] Optionally, the fiber support and guide unit includes: a support roller, the support roller including a guide roller, a V-shaped mounting bracket for mounting the guide roller, a bearing rod for supporting the V-shaped mounting bracket, and a cylinder mounting plate for driving the bearing rod to rise and fall; the control system controls the cylinder mounting plate to drive the guide roller to rise to receive and support the fiber.
[0019] Optionally, the traction winding unit includes: a traction wheel, the traction wheel including an upper traction shaft, an upper traction wheel mounted on the upper traction shaft, a connecting plate, a motor driving the upper traction shaft, a motor mounting bracket for mounting the motor, and a slide and guide rail supporting the motor mounting bracket; a sensing device is provided at the traction wheel, and when the fiber is guided to a predetermined position on the upper traction wheel, the sensing device triggers a signal to start the motor.
[0020] Optionally, an automatic feeding unit is also included, which includes a conveyor belt for conveying raw materials and a spiral feeding disc connected to the discharge end of the conveyor belt; the discharge port of the spiral feeding disc is connected to the inlet of the air suspension nozzle.
[0021] Secondly, this application provides a method for preparing fibers using the above-mentioned fiber spinning and drawing system, comprising the following steps:
[0022] The raw material is conveyed to the spiral feeding disc via the conveyor belt and then fed into the air suspension nozzle, where it is suspended in the gas flow field.
[0023] The CO2 laser is activated to heat and melt the suspended raw material to form a melt, and the temperature of the melt is monitored in real time by the optical thermometer.
[0024] The three-axis combined linear module is controlled to drive the drawing needle to contact the melt and move along a predetermined trajectory to draw out the fiber;
[0025] In the fiber drawing path, the support rollers are controlled to rise, and the fiber is supported and guided by the guide rollers;
[0026] The fiber is guided onto the upper traction wheel of the traction wheel, triggering the sensing device and starting the motor for continuous winding.
[0027] Thirdly, this application provides an application of the above-mentioned fiber spinning and drawing system in the preparation of inorganic glass fibers, optical fibers or lunar soil fibers.
[0028] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:
[0029] 1. This system significantly reduces the amount of raw materials required for fiber formation through the synergistic design of air suspension melting and precise stretching control. It can achieve fiber extraction and continuous stretching under milligram-level sample conditions, making it suitable for application scenarios where sample sources are limited.
[0030] 2. The wire drawing device, combined with an air suspension system, uses gas buoyancy to counteract the weight of the molten wire on the ground, making it suitable for low-gravity extreme environment applications and avoiding contamination of the wire by the container wall.
[0031] 3. Using a CO2 laser to heat the drawn material is suitable for extreme environments with high vacuum and no heat conduction. It also has concentrated power, fast heating, and improved work efficiency.
[0032] 4. By utilizing a containerless air suspension system, deep supercooling can be achieved through rapid cooling, avoiding heterogeneous nucleation, and continuous fibers can also be prepared from easily crystallized materials.
[0033] 5. By setting up a microwave sensor, the wire drawing mechanism can process a variety of wire drawing materials with only computer adjustments. The structure is simple and highly automated. By setting up a piezoelectric sensor, the fixture platform is protected from damage to the wire drawing materials and fixtures due to excessive displacement. Attached Figure Description
[0034] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a fiber drawing device according to the present invention.
[0035] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the air suspension system of the present invention.
[0036] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the automatic feeding device of the present invention.
[0037] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the supporting roller of the present invention.
[0038] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the traction wheel of the present invention.
[0039] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the three-axis combined linear module of the present invention.
[0040] Among them, 1. Air suspension nozzle, 2. Conveyor belt, 3. Spiral feeding disc, 4. CO2 laser, 5. Optical thermometer, 6. Support roller, 6-1. Guide wheel, 6-2. Bearing rod, 6-3. V-type mounting bracket, 6-4. Cylinder mounting plate, 7. Wire drawing needle, 8. Wire drawing clamp, 8-1. Chuck, 8-2. Socket head bolt, 8-3. Hinge, 8-4. First clamp bracket, 8-5. Second clamp bracket, 9. Traction wheel, 9-1. Upper traction shaft, 9-2. Upper traction wheel, 9-3. Connecting plate, 9-4. Motor, 9-5. Motor mounting bracket, 9-6. Slide, 9-7. Guide rail, 10. Slide rail, 11. Left and right folding covers, 12. Slide, 13. Magnetic grating ruler, 14. Inductive limit device, 15. Magnetic grating block, 16. Inductive plate, 17. Clamp connecting part. Detailed Implementation
[0041] To enable those skilled in the art to clearly and completely understand the technical solution of the present invention, the fiber spinning and drawing system of the present invention and its working process are further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that the following embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical principles and implementation methods of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.
[0042] Provided that no technical contradictions arise, the various embodiments disclosed in this invention and the technical features described in the embodiments can be combined or substituted with each other, and the equivalent technical solutions formed therefrom should all be considered to fall within the protection scope of this invention.
[0043] In the description of this invention, terms such as "upper," "lower," "inner," "outer," "front," "rear," "top," and "bottom" that indicate orientation or positional relationship are used to describe the relative positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only used to facilitate understanding of the structure of this invention and to simplify the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or component referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed in a specific orientation, or operate in a specific manner. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting this invention.
[0044] Furthermore, in the description of this invention, unless otherwise expressly defined, the terms "installation," "setting," "connection," "fixing," and "assembly," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "connection" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection achieved through intermediate components. Those skilled in the art can reasonably interpret the above terms according to specific technical solutions and actual application scenarios.
[0045] A fiber spinning drawing system suitable for low-gravity environments, comprising:
[0046] Air suspension unit, used to suspend and melt raw materials to form a melt under containerless conditions;
[0047] Specifically: Powdered or granular raw materials are conveyed by conveyor belt 2 to a spiral feeding disc 3 for temporary storage and buffering, and then slowly and steadily fed into the air suspension nozzle 1. The airflow in the nozzle is adjusted to make the raw material particles form a stable suspension at the nozzle outlet.
[0048] A laser heating unit is used to heat the raw material that has been suspended by the air suspension unit.
[0049] Specifically: CO2 laser 4 is activated, and the laser beam is focused on the suspended raw material, causing it to melt rapidly. The raw material forms spherical droplets under its own surface tension. Optical thermometer 5 monitors the droplet temperature in real time and feeds the signal back to the control system. The control system dynamically adjusts the laser power and the flow rate of the suspended gas to maintain the droplets at a preset stable temperature and suspension position.
[0050] A fiber drawing and stretching execution unit is used to contact the melt formed by the laser heating unit and to draw fibers out of the melt.
[0051] Specifically: The control system commands the three-axis combined linear module to move. The slide 12 moves precisely on the slide rail 10, and its position is fed back in real time by a measurement system consisting of a magnetic scale 13, a magnetic block 15, and a sensing plate 16. The wire drawing clamp 8, fixed on the slide, drives the wire drawing needle 7 to move precisely to the surface of the suspended molten droplet and make gentle contact.
[0052] The fiber support and guide unit is used to provide intermediate support and path guidance for the fibers drawn out by the drawing and stretching execution unit during the stretching process.
[0053] Specifically: After the fiber induction begins, the control system plans the fiber drawing path. In the first stage, the three-axis module drives the drawing needle 7 to move obliquely upward along the conical axis of the air-suspended nozzle 1, drawing out the nascent fiber. When the fiber reaches the predetermined length, the control system sends a signal, and the cylinder mounting plate 6-4 of the fiber support and guide unit actuates, driving the guide wheel 6-1 to rise, accurately receiving and supporting the high-temperature fiber. Then, in the second stage, the movement direction of the three-axis module changes to horizontal translation, smoothly guiding the fiber to the traction winding unit.
[0054] The traction and winding unit is used to continuously traction and wind the fibers after they have been guided by the fiber support and guiding unit.
[0055] Specifically: when the fiber tip is guided to the surface of the upper traction wheel 9-2 of the traction wheel 9, a preset sensing device is triggered, and a signal is transmitted to the control system. The control system then starts the motor 9-4, driving the upper traction wheel 9-2 to rotate, initiating stable traction and winding of the fiber. By adjusting the motor speed, fibers of different diameters can be obtained.
[0056] The control system is connected to the air suspension unit, the laser heating unit, the fiber drawing and stretching execution unit, the fiber support and guiding unit, and the traction winding unit, respectively, and is used to control the coordinated operation of each unit.
[0057] In this embodiment, by adopting the above-mentioned technical solution, the drawn material is melted into a high-temperature melt by CO2 laser in the air suspension and laser heating unit, and then forms a sphere by air suspension due to its own surface tension. A computer control system moves a three-axis combined linear module, allowing the drawing needle 7 to precisely position the drawn material within the containerless cavity. After adhering to the drawn material, the module begins to move. When it reaches the predetermined position, the support roller begins to receive a signal, and the cylinder rises to support the fiber. The drawing process is divided into two stages. In the initial stage, before passing the roller, the module moves obliquely upward along the conical angle of the containerless nozzle. After passing the support roller and receiving support, the module's movement direction changes to translation. At the position of the traction wheel, the fiber is placed on the traction wheel. Upon reaching the predetermined position, it is sensed by the sensing device, the traction wheel receives a signal, and the traction wheel motor starts, beginning rapid winding to form continuous fiber.
[0058] In one specific embodiment, the air suspension unit includes an air suspension nozzle, and the laser heating unit includes a CO2 laser and an optical thermometer; the control system adjusts the power of the CO2 laser and the gas flow rate into the air suspension nozzle in a coordinated manner according to the melt temperature signal monitored by the optical thermometer.
[0059] In one specific embodiment, the wire drawing and stretching execution unit includes a three-axis combined linear module, a wire drawing needle 7, and a wire drawing clamp 8 for fixing the wire drawing needle 7; the wire drawing needle 7 is mounted on the wire drawing clamp 8, and the wire drawing clamp 8 is mounted on the three-axis combined linear module.
[0060] In one specific embodiment, the three-axis combined linear module includes a slide rail 10, a slide block 12 that moves along the slide rail 10, a clamping connection part 17 connected to the slide block 12, left and right folding covers 11 fastened at the connection position between the slide block 12 and the clamping connection part 17, a magnetic grid ruler 13 for position feedback, a magnetic grid block 15, a sensing plate 16, and a sensing limiting device 14; the magnetic grid block 15 is connected to the slide block 12, the sensing plate 16 cooperates with the magnetic grid ruler 13 for positioning, and the sensing limiting device 14 is located at the end of the stroke of the slide rail 10; the wire drawing clamp 8 is slidably disposed on the clamping connection part 17.
[0061] By adopting the above technical solution, when the fixture module moves to the side of the sensing limit device, the sensing limit device receives the signal and sends a positioning signal to the fixture module, causing the fixture module to stop moving. This prevents the fixture module from hitting the groove wall due to lack of restraint, thus preventing damage to the module and protecting the operator's life safety.
[0062] In one specific embodiment, the wire drawing clamp 8 includes a first clamp bracket 8-4 and a second clamp bracket 8-5. The first clamp bracket 8-4 and the second clamp bracket 8-5 are connected by a hinge 8-3 to form a clamping structure. One end of the clamping structure is provided with a chuck 8-1, which is locked by an internal hex bolt 8-2 to fix the wire drawing needle 7. The second clamp bracket 8-5 is connected to the clamp connecting part 17.
[0063] Preferably, the wire drawing needle is fixed to the fixture by bolts. By adopting the above technical solution, the wire drawing die is fixed to the workbench base by bolts, which facilitates timely replacement of damaged wire drawing needles. When it is necessary to draw wires of different diameters, different wire drawing dies can also be replaced. Through bolt connection, the wire drawing needle can be more stably fixed to the fixture, and will not be pulled out or tilted due to excessive adhesion during the wire drawing process.
[0064] In one specific embodiment, the fiber support and guiding unit includes: a support roller 6, the support roller 6 including a guide roller 6-1, a V-shaped mounting bracket 6-3 for mounting the guide roller 6-1, a bearing rod 6-2 supporting the V-shaped mounting bracket 6-3, and a cylinder mounting plate 6-4 for driving the bearing rod 6-2 to rise and fall; the control system controls the cylinder mounting plate 6-4 to drive the guide roller 6-1 to rise to receive and support the fiber.
[0065] In this embodiment, the support roller, sensing device, sensing limit device, and control system are connected. The support roller can be modified by the control system to adjust its height. The sensing device and sensing limit device can be modified by the control system to adjust their reaction time and reaction speed to adapt to the toughness of different wire drawing materials. This prevents the clamp module from moving and breaking the wire drawing material due to the low toughness of the wire drawing material and the overly sensitive sensing device.
[0066] Preferably, the sensing device includes a microwave sensor, and the sensing limiting device includes a piezoelectric sensor. By adopting the above technical solution, the microwave sensor mainly consists of a microwave oscillator and a microwave antenna. A microwave oscillator is a device that generates microwaves. Components constituting a microwave oscillator include klystrons, magnetrons, or certain solid-state components. The oscillation signal generated by the microwave oscillator needs to be transmitted via a waveguide and then emitted through an antenna. To ensure that the emitted microwaves have a consistent directionality, the antenna should have a special structure and shape. Microwaves emitted by the transmitting antenna will be absorbed or reflected when they encounter the object being measured, causing a change in power. If a receiving antenna is used to receive the microwaves passing through or reflected from the object being measured, and converts them into electrical signals, which are then processed by the measuring circuit, microwave detection is achieved. Piezoelectric sensors utilize the piezoelectric principle. When certain dielectric materials are deformed by external force along a certain direction, polarization occurs inside, and opposite charges appear on their two opposite surfaces. Sensors developed based on the piezoelectric effect of dielectric materials are called piezoelectric sensors.
[0067] In one specific embodiment, the traction winding unit includes: a traction wheel 9, the traction wheel 9 including an upper traction shaft 9-1, an upper traction wheel 9-2 mounted on the upper traction shaft 9-1, a connecting plate 9-3, a motor 9-4 driving the upper traction shaft 9-1, a motor mounting bracket 9-5 mounting the motor 9-4, and a slide 9-6 and a guide rail 9-7 supporting the motor mounting bracket 9-5; a sensing device is provided at the traction wheel 9, and when the fiber is guided to a predetermined position on the upper traction wheel 9-2, the sensing device triggers a signal to start the motor 9-4.
[0068] In one specific embodiment, an automatic feeding unit is also included, which includes a conveyor belt 2 for conveying raw materials and a spiral feeding disc 3 connected to the discharge end of the conveyor belt 2; the discharge port of the spiral feeding disc 3 is connected to the inlet of the air suspension nozzle 1.
[0069] By adopting the above technical solution, the wire material falls from the discharge port onto the conveyor belt, and is then conveyed by the conveyor belt to the storage area behind the disc. The internal structure of the disc is designed as a spiral to prevent the wire material from falling directly and causing damage or wire breakage. The V-belt drive transmits power by generating friction between the two sides of the V-belt and the sides of the pulley groove. Compared with the flat belt drive, the V-belt drive has greater friction, which can prevent the conveyor belt from deviating, thus making the V-belt convey the wire material smoothly and without slippage.
[0070] Secondly, this application provides a method for preparing fibers using the above-mentioned fiber spinning and drawing system, comprising the following steps:
[0071] The raw material is conveyed to the spiral feeding disc via the conveyor belt and then fed into the air suspension nozzle 1, where it is suspended in the gas flow field.
[0072] The CO2 laser is activated to heat and melt the suspended raw material to form a melt, and the temperature of the melt is monitored in real time by the optical thermometer.
[0073] The three-axis combined linear module is controlled to drive the drawing needle to contact the melt and move along a predetermined trajectory to draw out the fiber;
[0074] In the fiber drawing path, the support rollers are controlled to rise, and the fiber is supported and guided by the guide rollers;
[0075] The fiber is guided onto the upper traction wheel of the traction wheel, triggering the sensing device and starting the motor for continuous winding.
[0076] Thirdly, this application provides an application of the above-mentioned fiber spinning and drawing system in the preparation of inorganic glass fibers, optical fibers or lunar soil fibers.
[0077] Example 1
[0078] An air-suspended laser melting fiber spinning and drawing system suitable for low-gravity environments, such as Figure 2 As shown, its core components include a containerless air suspension system, a laser heating system, a fiber drawing and stretching execution system, a fiber support and guiding system, a traction and winding system, and a control system.
[0079] The air suspension system consists of an air suspension nozzle 1, a V-shaped conveyor belt 2, and a spiral feeding disc 3; the laser heating system includes a CO2 laser 4 and an optical thermometer 5. The raw material is conveyed by the V-shaped conveyor belt 2 to the spiral feeding disc 3 for temporary storage, and then enters the air suspension nozzle 1 through the funnel-shaped feeding channel, where it is stably suspended in the nozzle outlet area under the action of the gas flow field.
[0080] After the CO2 laser 4 is activated, the laser beam rapidly heats the suspended raw material locally, causing it to melt and form a suspended molten sphere with the help of surface tension. The optical thermometer 5 monitors the temperature of the melt in real time, and the control system coordinates the laser power and gas flow rate according to the temperature measurement signal to ensure that the melt is always in a stable suspended state.
[0081] like Figure 6 As shown, the drawing and stretching execution system adopts a three-axis combined linear module to achieve three-dimensional precise positioning of the drawing needle 7 in the containerless cavity. The module includes a slide rail 10, a slide block 12 that moves along the slide rail, a magnetic grating ruler 13 for position feedback, a magnetic grating block 15 fixedly connected to the slide block 12, and a sensing and limiting device 14; the control system drives the three-axis linear module to make the drawing needle 7 contact the suspended molten sphere and draw out the nascent fiber.
[0082] like Figure 4 As shown, the fiber support and guiding system includes a support roller 6, which consists of a guide roller 6-1, a bearing rod 6-2, a V-shaped mounting bracket 6-3, and a cylinder mounting plate 6-4. During the fiber drawing process, the fiber drawing path is divided into two stages: In the first stage, when the nascent fiber has not yet contacted the support roller, the drawing module moves obliquely along the conical axis of the air suspension nozzle; in the second stage, after the fiber reaches the support roller 6 and is received by the guide roller 6-1, the cylinder drives the support roller to rise, providing intermediate support for the high-temperature fiber. Subsequently, the drawing module switches to a translational movement direction, guiding the fiber into the traction wheel 9.
[0083] Once the fiber is attached to the traction wheel 9, the sensing device sends a signal to the control system, and the traction wheel motor 9-4 starts to continuously pull and wind the fiber, ultimately achieving stable and continuous fiber formation.
[0084] Example 2
[0085] A spinning and drawing system for preparing inorganic glass fibers, using the apparatus of Example 1, is disclosed. The specific steps are as follows: Glass raw materials are conveyed via a V-shaped conveyor belt 2 above an air-suspended material container to a spiral feeding disc 3 for storage, and then enter the air-suspended nozzle 1 through a spiral funnel-shaped feeding pipe. After activating the CO2 laser 4, two laser beams synchronously irradiate the material to be drawn, heating it. The material melts into a spherical shape due to its own surface tension. The gas flow rate and laser power are adjusted by a computer control system to maintain its air-suspended state. An optical thermometer 5 can measure the temperature of the glass melt in real time. At this time, the molten material is positioned at the air-suspended nozzle opening 1 in the containerless cavity. Its position is significantly affected by factors such as the shape and weight of the sphere and the flow rate and pressure of the purging gas. Only after the stable molten sphere is accurately positioned can the drawing operation of the moving drawing needle be successfully performed. This system employs a three-axis combined linear module to achieve arbitrary coordinate positioning of the drawing needle within the containerless cavity. The computer control system manipulates the three-axis combined linear module, enabling the drawing needle 7 to precisely position the material to be drawn within the containerless cavity. Upon contact with the material, the module begins to move. Upon reaching the predetermined position, the support roller 6 receives a signal. This roller consists of a guide roller 6-1, a bearing rod 6-2, a cylinder, and matching air pipes below the cylinder mounting plate 6-4. It primarily supports the high-temperature fiber via the roller, after which the cylinder rises to support the fiber. The drawing process is divided into two stages: initially, before passing the guide roller 6-1, the module moves obliquely upwards along the conical angle of the containerless nozzle 1; after passing the support roller 6 and receiving support for the fiber, the module switches to a translational movement direction until it reaches the position of the traction wheel 9 and attaches the fiber to it; upon reaching the predetermined position, it is detected by a sensor, and the traction wheel 9 receives a signal and starts the traction wheel motor 9-4, initiating rapid winding to ultimately form E-glass continuous fiber.
[0086] Example 3
[0087] A fiber spinning and drawing method for optical fiber fabrication is implemented using the fiber spinning and drawing system described in Example 1.
[0088] Compared to Example 2, this example addresses the requirements for fiber composition uniformity and drawing stability in optical fiber fabrication by implementing refined control of drawing and stretching parameters. The glass raw material is melted by containerless air-suspended laser to form a suspended molten sphere; the control system, based on the temperature signal fed back from the optical pyrometer, stably controls the melt temperature within a temperature window suitable for optical fiber drawing.
[0089] During the fiber drawing stage, a three-axis combined linear module is used to achieve slow contact and controlled traction between the drawing needle and the melt, effectively avoiding interference from melt disturbances on the fiber diameter. After the fiber enters the support rollers, the control system coordinates the rotation speed of the traction rollers and the movement speed of the drawing module to ensure that the fiber maintains a constant tensile tension during the drawing process, thereby obtaining optical fibers with a continuous and uniform diameter.
[0090] The optical fiber prepared in this embodiment has high purity and uniform composition, and can be used as a pre-fiber for subsequent cladding deposition, secondary drawing or functionalization treatment, which fully verifies the applicability of this system in the field of optical fiber preparation.
[0091] Example 4
[0092] A containerless spinning and drawing system for preparing trace amounts of lunar soil fibers, based on the chemical composition of lunar soil (as shown in Table 1), uses the apparatus of Example 1 to carry out the fiber drawing operation, and the steps are as follows:
[0093] Table 1. Composition content of some lunar soil samples from lunar exploration
[0094]
[0095] 1. Using analytically pure oxide powders such as SiO2, TiO2, Al2O3, FeO, MnO2, CaCO3, Mg2(OH)2CO3, Na2CO3, K2CO3, Cr2O3, and P2O5, a multi-component oxide mixed powder is prepared; after being pressed into sheets by an isostatic press, a green body with a certain strength is obtained by pre-sintering in a muffle furnace.
[0096] 2. A wire drawing experiment was conducted using the apparatus of Example 1, with the wire drawing steps identical to those of Example 2: After crushing the billet, a suitable sample was taken and conveyed via a V-shaped conveyor belt 2 above the air suspension container to a spiral feeding disc 3 for storage, and then entered the air suspension nozzle 1 through a spiral funnel-shaped feeding pipe; the CO2 laser 4 was turned on, and the billet was heated by synchronous irradiation of two laser beams. The imitation lunar regolith billet melted into microspheres with a diameter of 1-5 mm (each microsphere weighs only 50-200 mg) by its own surface tension; the gas flow rate and laser power were adjusted by a computer control system to achieve an air suspension state for the microspheres, and the temperature of the imitation lunar regolith glass melt was monitored in real time using an optical thermometer (wavelength 3.25 μm, maximum temperature measurement 2200℃). At this time, the wire drawing melt was located at the air suspension nozzle 1 in the containerless cavity, and was significantly affected by factors such as the shape and mass of the spheres, the flow rate and pressure of the purging gas, etc. Only after the steady-state molten spheres were accurately positioned could the wire drawing operation of moving the wire drawing needle be successfully carried out.
[0097] 3. Achieving arbitrary coordinate positioning of the drawing needle within the containerless cavity using a three-axis linear module: The computer control system of the three-axis linear module controls the movement of the module, allowing the drawing needle 7 to precisely position the material to be drawn within the cavity. After picking up the material, the module begins to move, and upon reaching the predetermined position, the support roller 6 receives a signal. This support roller consists of a guide roller 6-1, a bearing rod 6-2, a cylinder, and matching air pipes below the cylinder mounting plate 6-4. It primarily supports the high-temperature fiber via the roller, and the cylinder then lifts and supports the fiber. The drawing process is divided into two stages: initially, before passing the guide roller 6-1, the module moves obliquely upwards along the conical angle of the containerless nozzle 1; after passing the support roller 6 and receiving support for the fiber, the module changes to a translational direction until it reaches the position of the traction wheel 9, where the fiber is placed on the traction wheel; upon reaching the predetermined position, the sensor triggers a signal, the traction wheel 9 receives the command and starts the traction wheel motor 9-4, beginning rapid winding, ultimately forming a simulated lunar soil fiber.
[0098] This embodiment verifies that the system of the present invention can still achieve stable fiber drawing and continuous stretching even when the total sample mass is only in the milligram range, making it suitable for extreme application scenarios where sample sources are limited.
[0099] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. All technical solutions falling within the scope of the present invention's concept are within the scope of protection of the present invention. Furthermore, it should be understood that after reading the teachings of this invention, those skilled in the art can make various modifications or alterations to the present invention, and these equivalent forms also fall within the scope defined by the appended claims.
Claims
1. A fiber spinning and drawing system suitable for low-gravity environments, characterized in that, include: Air suspension unit, used to suspend and melt raw materials to form a melt under containerless conditions; A laser heating unit is used to heat the suspended raw material; A fiber drawing and stretching actuator is used to contact the melt and draw out the fiber; Fiber support and guiding unit, used to provide intermediate support and guidance for fibers during the drafting process; The traction and winding unit is used for continuous traction and winding of fibers; The control system is signal-connected to the air suspension unit, laser heating unit, fiber drawing and stretching execution unit, fiber support and guiding unit, and traction winding unit, and is used to control their coordinated operation.
2. The fiber spinning and drawing system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air suspension unit includes an air suspension nozzle (1), and the laser heating unit includes a CO2 laser (4) and an optical thermometer (5). The control system adjusts the power of the CO2 laser (4) and the gas flow rate into the air suspension nozzle (1) in coordination with the melt temperature signal monitored by the optical thermometer (5).
3. The fiber spinning and drawing system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wire drawing and stretching execution unit includes a three-axis combined linear module, a wire drawing needle (7), and a wire drawing clamp (8) for fixing the wire drawing needle (7); the wire drawing needle (7) is mounted on the wire drawing clamp (8), and the wire drawing clamp (8) is mounted on the three-axis combined linear module.
4. The fiber spinning and drawing system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The three-axis combined linear module includes a slide rail (10), a slide block (12) that moves along the slide rail (10), a clamp connection part (17) connected to the slide block (12), left and right folding covers (11) fastened at the connection position between the slide block (12) and the clamp connection part (17), a magnetic grid ruler (13), a magnetic grid block (15), a sensing plate (16), and a sensing limit device (14) for position feedback; the magnetic grid block (15) is connected to the slide block (12), the sensing plate (16) cooperates with the magnetic grid ruler (13) for positioning, and the sensing limit device (14) is located at the end of the stroke of the slide rail (10); The wire drawing clamp (8) is slidably disposed on the clamp connecting part (17).
5. The fiber spinning and drawing system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The wire drawing clamp (8) includes a first clamp bracket (8-4) and a second clamp bracket (8-5). The first clamp bracket (8-4) and the second clamp bracket (8-5) are connected by a hinge (8-3) to form a clamping structure. One end of the clamping structure is provided with a chuck (8-1) and is locked by an internal hex bolt (8-2) to fix the wire drawing needle (7). The second clamp bracket (8-5) is connected to the clamp connecting part (17).
6. The fiber spinning and drawing system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fiber support and guide unit includes: a support roller (6), the support roller (6) including a guide roller (6-1), a V-shaped mounting bracket (6-3) for mounting the guide roller (6-1), a bearing rod (6-2) for supporting the V-shaped mounting bracket (6-3), and a cylinder mounting plate (6-4) for driving the bearing rod (6-2) to rise and fall; the control system controls the cylinder mounting plate (6-4) to drive the guide roller (6-1) to rise to receive and support the fiber.
7. The fiber spinning and drawing system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The traction winding unit includes: a traction wheel (9), the traction wheel (9) including an upper traction shaft (9-1), an upper traction wheel (9-2) mounted on the upper traction shaft (9-1), a connecting plate (9-3), a motor (9-4) driving the upper traction shaft (9-1), a motor mounting bracket (9-5) mounting the motor (9-4), and a slide (9-6) and a guide rail (9-7) supporting the motor mounting bracket (9-5); a sensing device is provided at the traction wheel (9), and when the fiber is guided to a predetermined position on the upper traction wheel (9-2), the sensing device triggers a signal to start the motor (9-4).
8. The fiber spinning and drawing system according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes an automatic feeding unit, which includes a conveyor belt (2) for conveying raw materials and a spiral feeding disc (3) connected to the discharge end of the conveyor belt (2); the discharge port of the spiral feeding disc (3) is connected to the inlet of the air suspension nozzle (1).
9. A method for preparing fibers using the fiber spinning and drawing system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: The raw material is conveyed to the spiral feeding disc (3) via the conveyor belt (2) and fed into the air suspension nozzle (1) to be suspended in the gas flow field; The CO2 laser (4) is activated to heat and melt the suspended raw material to form a melt, and the temperature of the melt is monitored in real time by the optical thermometer (5). The three-axis combined linear module is controlled to drive the drawing needle (7) to contact the melt and move along a predetermined trajectory to draw out the fiber; In the fiber drawing path, the support roller (6) is controlled to rise, and the fiber is supported and guided by the guide roller (6-1); The fiber is guided to the upper traction wheel (9-2) of the traction wheel (9), triggering the sensing device and starting the motor (9-4) for continuous winding.
10. The use of the fiber spinning drawing system of any one of claims 1 to 8 or the method of claim 9 in the preparation of inorganic glass fibers, optical fibers or lunar soil fibers.