Optical fiber annealing furnace

Abstract

The utility model discloses an optical fiber annealing furnace, which belongs to the technical field of optical fiber manufacturing, and comprises a furnace body and a temperature control system, the middle part of the furnace body is provided with a channel for optical fibers to pass through, the top of the furnace body is provided with a gas inlet, the bottom of the furnace body is provided with a gas outlet, and the gas inlet and the gas outlet are communicated with a gas protection system through pipelines; the temperature control system comprises a controller and a plurality of temperature sensors; the furnace body is sequentially provided with a plurality of heating areas from top to bottom, each heating area is internally provided with a heating device and a temperature sensor, and the heating devices and the temperature sensors are electrically connected with the controller; the temperature control system is arranged in the optical fiber annealing furnace, so that the temperature in the furnace can be monitored and accurately controlled in real time, segmented temperature control on a plurality of heating areas of the furnace body is realized by adjusting the heating device in real time, the temperature control precision is high, the energy consumption is reduced, and the strict requirement of high-precision optical fiber manufacturing on temperature control can be met; and the consistency and the stability of the optical fiber annealing quality are ensured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of optical fiber manufacturing technology, and in particular relates to an optical fiber annealing furnace. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of optical fiber manufacturing, annealing is a crucial process that effectively eliminates internal stress generated during fiber drawing, improving the fiber's mechanical and optical properties. However, conventional annealing furnace designs have many problems and cannot meet the requirements of high-precision optical fiber manufacturing.

[0003] Conventional annealing furnaces often have imprecise temperature control systems, resulting in significant temperature fluctuations. During fiber annealing, even minute temperature changes can significantly impact fiber performance. For example, excessively high temperatures can lead to uneven refractive index distribution, increasing signal transmission loss; conversely, excessively low temperatures may fail to completely eliminate internal stress, affecting the fiber's mechanical strength and lifespan. Due to their low temperature control precision, conventional annealing furnaces struggle to guarantee consistent and stable fiber annealing quality, thus limiting the manufacture of high-precision optical fibers.

[0004] Conventional annealing furnaces typically employ traditional heating methods and structural designs, resulting in low energy efficiency. During the heating process, a significant amount of heat is lost to the surrounding environment through the furnace surface, leading to energy waste. Furthermore, the heating elements and insulation materials in conventional annealing furnaces have limited performance, failing to effectively convert electrical energy into heat and maintain a stable furnace temperature, further increasing energy consumption. High energy consumption not only increases the cost of optical fiber manufacturing but also contradicts the development trend of energy conservation and emission reduction.

[0005] In summary, conventional annealing furnaces suffer from low temperature control accuracy and high energy consumption, making them unsuitable for high-precision optical fiber manufacturing. Utility Model Content

[0006] In view of the above-mentioned problems in the prior art, the present invention aims to provide an optical fiber annealing furnace that solves the problems of low temperature control accuracy and high energy consumption of conventional annealing furnaces.

[0007] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the technical solution adopted by this utility model is as follows:

[0008] An optical fiber annealing furnace is provided, which includes a furnace body and a temperature control system. A channel for optical fiber to pass through is provided in the middle of the furnace body, an air inlet is provided at the top of the furnace body, and an air outlet is provided at the bottom of the furnace body. Both the air inlet and the air outlet are connected to a gas protection system through pipes.

[0009] The temperature control system includes a controller and multiple temperature sensors;

[0010] The furnace body has multiple heating zones arranged from top to bottom. Each heating zone is equipped with a heating device and a temperature sensor, and both the heating device and the temperature sensor are electrically connected to the controller.

[0011] Furthermore, the furnace body comprises multiple interconnected furnace body segments, each corresponding to a heating zone, and each furnace body segment has a heating device installed inside its wall thickness. Each furnace body segment also has a temperature sensor installed on its inner sidewall. The topmost furnace body segment has an air inlet, and the bottommost furnace body segment has an air outlet.

[0012] Furthermore, each furnace body segment has a double-layer structure, with the outer layer made of high-temperature resistant material and the inner layer made of heat-insulating material.

[0013] Furthermore, each heating device includes four silicon molybdenum rods, each of which has a "U"-shaped structure. Both ends of each silicon molybdenum rod are electrically connected to an external power supply via a controller. The four silicon molybdenum rods are vertically arranged and evenly distributed circumferentially within the wall thickness of a single furnace segment.

[0014] Furthermore, the furnace body comprises three interconnected furnace body segments, each segment being 500mm in length.

[0015] Furthermore, the bottom end face of the top furnace body segment is provided with an installation groove, the top end face of the middle furnace body segment is provided with an installation protrusion, the bottom end face is provided with an installation groove, and the top end face of the bottom furnace body segment is provided with an installation protrusion. The installation groove and the installation protrusion cooperate with each other. Both the installation groove and the installation protrusion are annular closed structures, and the center lines of the installation groove and the installation protrusion coincide with the center line of the furnace body segment.

[0016] Furthermore, a limit block is provided on the protrusion inside the mounting groove, and a limit groove is provided on the mounting protrusion to cooperate with the limit block.

[0017] Furthermore, the furnace body is a hollow cylindrical structure, and multiple locking bolts are installed at the joints of the furnace body segments. All locking bolts are installed along the radial direction of the furnace body, and the locking bolts pass through the installation grooves and installation protrusions at the joints of the furnace body segments.

[0018] The beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows:

[0019] 1. The optical fiber annealing furnace of this utility model, by setting up a temperature control system, can monitor and control the temperature inside the furnace in real time and achieve segmented temperature control of multiple heating zones of the furnace body by adjusting the heating device in real time. The temperature control accuracy is high, which can meet the strict requirements of temperature control for high-precision optical fiber manufacturing and ensure the consistency and stability of optical fiber annealing quality.

[0020] 2. The optical fiber annealing furnace of this utility model can be controlled in segments according to the actual annealing requirements of the optical fiber, without having to keep the temperature of the entire furnace body at a high temperature, thus reducing energy consumption and making the optical fiber annealing furnace more energy efficient.

[0021] 3. The present invention provides an optical fiber annealing furnace, the furnace body comprising multiple interconnected furnace body segments, each furnace body segment having an inner and outer double-layer structure, the outer layer of each furnace body segment being made of high-temperature resistant material and the inner layer being made of heat-insulating material, which can reduce heat loss, maintain the stability of the furnace temperature, and further reduce energy consumption.

[0022] 4. The optical fiber annealing furnace of this utility model has a heating device consisting of 4 silicon molybdenum rods. The 4 silicon molybdenum rods are distributed inside the wall thickness of a single furnace segment to perform non-contact heating of the optical fiber, improve heating uniformity, avoid local overheating or underheating, and meet the requirements of high-precision optical fiber manufacturing.

[0023] 5. The fiber optic annealing furnace of this utility model is spliced ​​by the cooperation of the mounting groove and the mounting protrusion during the splicing of furnace body segments, which can speed up the on-site splicing efficiency; at the same time, the setting of the limiting block and the limiting groove can prevent the furnace body segments from rotating after splicing; the setting of multiple locking bolts can lock the furnace body segments after splicing, preventing the furnace body segments from moving in the vertical direction. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a front view schematic diagram of an optical fiber annealing furnace.

[0025] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal cross-sectional structure of an optical fiber annealing furnace.

[0026] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a single silicon molybdenum rod.

[0027] Figure 4 A top view of the structure in which four silicon molybdenum rods are installed in each furnace section.

[0028] Figure 5 A schematic diagram showing the structure for mounting grooves and mounting protrusions.

[0029] The components are as follows: 1. Furnace body; 2. Optical fiber; 3. Channel; 4. Air inlet; 5. Air outlet; 6. Furnace body segment; 7. Silicon molybdenum rod; 8. Mounting groove; 9. Mounting protrusion; 10. Limiting block; 11. Limiting groove; 12. Locking bolt. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The specific embodiments of this utility model are described below to enable those skilled in the art to understand this utility model. However, it should be understood that this utility model is not limited to the scope of the specific embodiments. For those skilled in the art, as long as various changes are within the spirit and scope of this utility model as defined and determined by the appended claims, these changes are obvious. All inventions utilizing the concept of this utility model are protected.

[0031] like Figures 1-2 As shown, this utility model provides an optical fiber annealing furnace, which includes a furnace body 1 and a temperature control system. A channel 3 for optical fiber 2 to pass through is provided in the middle of the furnace body 1. An air inlet 4 is provided at the top of the furnace body 1, and an air outlet 5 is provided at the bottom of the furnace body 1. Both the air inlet 4 and the air outlet 5 are connected to a gas protection system through pipes. The temperature control system includes a controller and multiple temperature sensors. Multiple heating zones are arranged sequentially from top to bottom in the furnace body 1. Each heating zone is equipped with a heating device and a temperature sensor. Both the heating device and the temperature sensor are electrically connected to the controller.

[0032] In this embodiment, a gas protection system is used to introduce protective gases, such as nitrogen, argon, and helium, into the furnace body 1 to prevent the optical fiber 2 from being oxidized during the annealing process. By setting up a temperature control system, the furnace temperature can be monitored and precisely controlled in real time, and the heating device can be adjusted in real time to achieve segmented temperature control of multiple heating zones in the furnace body 1. When the temperature sensor in each heating zone measures that the furnace temperature inside the furnace body 1 is lower than the set value, the heating device is powered on and starts heating; when the temperature sensor measures that the furnace temperature inside the furnace body 1 is higher than the set value, the heating device stops heating. When the furnace temperature is higher than the set temperature, the flow rate of the protective gas at the inlet 4 is increased to increase the heat exchange capacity inside the furnace body 1 and ensure the uniformity of the temperature inside the furnace body 1. When the furnace temperature is lower than the set temperature, the flow rate of the protective gas at the inlet 4 is reduced to maintain the protective atmosphere inside the furnace body 1.

[0033] The fiber optic annealing furnace boasts high temperature control precision, meeting the stringent temperature control requirements of high-precision fiber manufacturing and ensuring the consistency and stability of fiber optic annealing quality. It allows for segmented control based on the actual annealing needs of the fiber optic 2, eliminating the need to maintain the entire furnace body at a high temperature, thus reducing energy consumption and achieving higher energy efficiency.

[0034] Specifically, in order to facilitate the actual production of the furnace body 1 and the installation of heating devices and temperature sensors, the furnace body 1 includes multiple interconnected furnace body segments 6. Each furnace body segment 6 corresponds to a heating zone. A heating device is installed inside the wall of each furnace body segment 6. A temperature sensor is installed on the inner side wall of each furnace body segment 6. An air inlet 4 is provided on the topmost furnace body segment 6, and an air outlet 5 is provided on the bottommost furnace body segment 6.

[0035] Preferably, but not limited to, each furnace body segment 6 has a double-layer structure, with the outer layer of each furnace body segment 6 made of high-temperature resistant material, such as ceramic fiber material, and the inner layer made of heat-insulating material, such as loose quartz material, to reduce heat loss, maintain the stability of the furnace temperature, and further reduce energy consumption.

[0036] like Figures 3-4 As shown, each heating device includes four silicon molybdenum rods 7, each with a "U"-shaped structure. Both ends of each silicon molybdenum rod 7 are electrically connected to an external power supply via a controller. The four silicon molybdenum rods 7 are vertically arranged and evenly distributed circumferentially within the wall thickness of a single furnace segment 6. This non-contact heating of the optical fiber 2 improves heating uniformity, avoids excessively high or low temperatures in certain areas, and meets the requirements for high-precision optical fiber 2 manufacturing.

[0037] like Figure 5 As shown, the furnace body 1 consists of three interconnected furnace body segments 6, each segment 6 having a length of 500mm.

[0038] The bottom end face of the top furnace body segment 6 is provided with an installation groove 8, the top end face of the middle furnace body segment 6 is provided with an installation protrusion 9, and the top end face of the bottom furnace body segment 6 is provided with an installation groove 8. The installation groove 8 and the installation protrusion 9 cooperate with each other. Both the installation groove 8 and the installation protrusion 9 are annular closed structures, and the center lines of the installation groove 8 and the installation protrusion 9 coincide with the center line of the furnace body segment 6. The protrusion in the installation groove 8 is provided with a limit block 10, and the installation protrusion 9 is provided with a limit groove 11 that cooperates with the limit block 10. The furnace body 1 is a hollow cylindrical structure. Multiple locking bolts 12 are provided at the splicing points of the furnace body segments 6. The multiple locking bolts 12 are all arranged along the radial direction of the furnace body 1 and pass through the installation groove 8 and the installation protrusion 9 at the splicing points of the furnace body segments 6. The above technical solution serves the following purposes: the installation groove 8 and the installation protrusion 9 cooperate to accelerate the on-site splicing efficiency when splicing the furnace body segment 6; at the same time, the setting of the limiting block 10 and the limiting groove 11 can prevent the furnace body segment 6 from rotating after splicing; the setting of multiple locking bolts 12 can lock the furnace body segment 6 after splicing, preventing the furnace body segment 6 from moving in the vertical direction.

[0039] In summary, the fiber optic annealing furnace of this invention can monitor and precisely control the furnace temperature in real time, with high temperature control accuracy, which can meet the strict temperature control requirements of high-precision fiber optic manufacturing and ensure the consistency and stability of fiber optic annealing quality. The double-layer structure of the furnace body 1 can reduce heat loss, maintain the stability of the furnace temperature, further reduce energy consumption, and solve the problems of low temperature control accuracy and high energy consumption of conventional annealing furnaces.

Claims

1. An optical fiber annealing furnace, characterized in that, The furnace includes a furnace body and a temperature control system. The middle part of the furnace body is provided with a channel for optical fiber to pass through. The top of the furnace body is provided with an air inlet and the bottom of the furnace body is provided with an air outlet. Both the air inlet and the air outlet are connected to a gas protection system through pipes. The temperature control system includes a controller and multiple temperature sensors; The furnace body has multiple heating zones arranged sequentially from top to bottom. Each heating zone is equipped with a heating device and a temperature sensor, and both the heating device and the temperature sensor are electrically connected to the controller.

2. The optical fiber annealing furnace according to claim 1, characterized in that, The furnace body comprises multiple interconnected furnace body segments, each corresponding to a heating zone. Each furnace body segment has a heating device installed inside its wall, and each furnace body segment has a temperature sensor installed on its inner sidewall. The topmost furnace body segment has an air inlet, and the bottommost furnace body segment has an air outlet.

3. The optical fiber annealing furnace according to claim 2, characterized in that, Each furnace body segment has a double-layer structure, with the outer layer made of high-temperature resistant material and the inner layer made of heat-insulating material.

4. The optical fiber annealing furnace according to claim 3, characterized in that, Each of the heating devices includes four silicon molybdenum rods, each of which has a "U"-shaped structure. Both ends of each silicon molybdenum rod are electrically connected to an external power source through the controller. The four silicon molybdenum rods are vertically arranged and evenly distributed circumferentially within the wall thickness of a single furnace segment.

5. The optical fiber annealing furnace according to claim 2, characterized in that, The furnace body consists of three interconnected furnace body segments, each segment being 500mm in length.

6. The optical fiber annealing furnace according to claim 5, characterized in that, The bottom end face of the top furnace body segment is provided with an installation groove, the top end face of the middle furnace body segment is provided with an installation protrusion, the bottom end face is provided with an installation groove, and the top end face of the bottom furnace body segment is provided with an installation protrusion. The installation groove and the installation protrusion cooperate with each other. Both the installation groove and the installation protrusion are annular closed structures, and the center lines of the installation groove and the installation protrusion coincide with the center line of the furnace body segment.

7. The optical fiber annealing furnace according to claim 6, characterized in that, The mounting groove has a protrusion with a limiting block, and the mounting protrusion has a limiting groove that cooperates with the limiting block.

8. The optical fiber annealing furnace according to claim 7, characterized in that, The furnace body is a hollow cylindrical structure. Multiple locking bolts are provided at the joints of the furnace body segments. All locking bolts are arranged along the radial direction of the furnace body and pass through the mounting grooves and mounting protrusions at the joints of the furnace body segments.

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