Reverse gas injection for reactor systems

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices for implementing reverse gas injection for a furnace system are described. The furnace system may be configured to heat and stretch a light-transmitting material to form an optical fiber. For example, the furnace system may include an insulated muffle coupled with a heater, the muffle defining a diametrically consistent cavity through which the light-transmitting material is heated and stretched. The light-transmitting material may be stretched through the cavity in a direction associated with gravity. The furnace system may inject one or more inert gases into the cavity via an inlet port in the lower part of the muffle, and release one or more inert gases from the cavity via an outlet port in the upper part of the muffle, such that one or more inert gases flow in a direction opposite to the stretching of the light-transmitting material.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 120 of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 529,027 filed on July 26, 2023, the content of which is relied upon in this specification and is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to optical fiber manufacturing, and more specifically to reverse gas injection for furnace systems.

BACKGROUND ART

[0003] Optical fibers are critical components for transmitting signals between various electronic devices and components having a wide range of industrial, academic, and commercial applications (e.g., media electronic devices such as computers, wireless communication networks, televisions and stereos). In some cases, optical fibers may enable data transmission over a given distance at a relatively high data transmission rate (e.g., compared to other signal carriers). For example, one or more optical fibers may be implemented in optical fiber cables that span relatively long distances, and may carry signals associated with various services such as media, internet, and telephone services, among others.

[0004] Optical fibers may be manufactured by first heating a light-transmissive material (e.g., an optical preform) until the light-transmissive material reaches a relatively flexible (e.g., stretchable, drawable) state. For example, the light-transmissive material may be heated by a furnace component to a temperature associated with the glass softening point, such that the light-transmissive material can be drawn. After heating the light-transmissive material to a relatively flexible state, the light-transmissive material may be drawn (e.g., extruded, elongated) to form one or more optical fibers. In some cases, drawing the light-transmissive material may include increasing the length of the light-transmissive material and reducing the diameter (e.g., cladding diameter) (e.g., the light-transmissive material forms a cylindrical fiber-like shape associated with one or more optical fibers).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The techniques described relate to improved methods, systems, devices, and apparatus for reverse gas injection for furnace systems. Generally, the techniques described provide for injecting one or more inert gases (e.g., one or more inert purge gases) into a cavity in a furnace system, which is associated with heating and stretching a light-transmitting material to form an optical fiber. In some cases, the light-transmitting material may be stretched through the cavity in the stretching direction (e.g., downward, in the direction associated with gravity), and one or more inert gases may be injected into the lower part of the cavity and released from the upper part of the cavity so that the one or more inert gases flow in the opposite direction (e.g., upward, in the opposite direction to the first direction) against the stretching of the light-transmitting material. The use of one or more inert gases in the cavity (e.g., when stretching an optical fiber) can minimize or prohibit the presence of one or more external gases in the cavity when stretching the light-transmitting material, thereby minimizing or eliminating undesirable reactions between the external gases and one or more materials in the furnace. Furthermore, directing one or more inert gases through the furnace cavity in the opposite direction to the flow of the light-transmitting material can provide a relatively stable convection environment within the cavity and allow for relatively reduced spatial and temporal variations in the purge gas temperature.

[0006] The method is described below. The method may include injecting one or more inert gases into a cavity defined by a muffle, the muffle comprising an upper muffle extension and a lower muffle extension. In some examples, one or more inert gases are injected through an inlet port in the lower portion of the lower muffle extension of the muffle, such that one or more inert gases flow through the cavity in a first direction. The method further includes extending an optical fiber preform into the cavity in a second direction to form an optical fiber, the first direction being opposite to the second direction. The method includes releasing one or more inert gases from the cavity through an outlet port in the upper portion of the upper muffle extension of the muffle.

[0007] A furnace system is described. The furnace system comprises a muffle defining a cavity, which is configured to receive an optical fiber preform. The furnace system comprises an inlet port located in the upper part of the muffle and an outlet port located in the lower part of the muffle. The furnace system comprises a heater configured to heat the cavity defined by the muffle. A controller may be coupled to the furnace system so that one or more inert gases flow through the cavity in the direction opposite to the direction of extension of the optical fiber preform, and so that the furnace system injects one or more inert gases into the cavity through the inlet port. The controller may be configured to cause the furnace system to release one or more inert gases from the cavity through the outlet port.

[0008] A furnace system is described. The furnace system comprises a muffle that defines a cavity and is provided with insulating material for the cavity. In some examples, the furnace system may include a heater coupled to the muffle and configured to heat the cavity. In some examples, the furnace system may include a downward feeding component positioned within the muffle and configured to support the optical fiber preform as the optical fiber preform is extruded from the cavity in the stretching direction. In some examples, the furnace system may include an inlet port positioned below the lower muffle extension of the muffle and configured to inject one or more inert gases into the cavity in the direction opposite to the stretching direction. In some examples, the furnace system may include an outlet port positioned in the upper muffle extension and configured to release one or more inert gases from the cavity. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] An embodiment of a furnace system supporting a reverse gas flow according to an aspect of this disclosure is shown. [Figure 2A] An embodiment of a gas injection system supporting a reverse gas flow for a reactor system according to aspects of this disclosure is shown. [Figure 2B]An embodiment of a gas exhaust system supporting a reverse gas flow for a furnace system according to an aspect of this disclosure is shown. [Figure 3A] An example of an inlet port supporting a reverse gas flow for a reactor system, according to aspects of this disclosure, is shown. [Figure 3B] An example of an inlet port supporting a reverse gas flow for a reactor system, according to aspects of this disclosure, is shown. [Figure 4A] The graph shows diameter control during the stretching of light-transmitting materials using a furnace system, regardless of the presence or absence of reverse gas flow. [Figure 4B] The graph shows diameter control during the stretching of light-transmitting materials using a furnace system, regardless of the presence or absence of reverse gas flow. [Figure 4C] The graph shows diameter control during the stretching of light-transmitting materials using a furnace system, regardless of the presence or absence of reverse gas flow. [Figure 5] A block diagram of a reactor system supporting a reverse gas flow according to an aspect of this disclosure is shown. [Figure 6] A flowchart illustrating a method for reverse flow in a reactor system according to aspects of this disclosure is shown. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Optical fibers can be manufactured by heating an optically transparent material (e.g., a fiber preform material) until the optically transparent material reaches a relatively flexible state (e.g., stretchable, extensible). For example, the optically transparent material may be heated by a furnace system to a temperature associated with its softening point so that it can be stretched. The heated optically transparent material can then be stretched (e.g., by its components) to form one or more optical fibers. Stretching the optically transparent material (e.g., extruding, elongating) may involve increasing the length of the optically transparent material and decreasing its diameter (e.g., cladding diameter) (e.g., the optically transparent material forms a cylindrical fibrous structure associated with one or more optical fibers). The optically transparent material may be cooled during the manufacturing process so that it leaves a relatively flexible state and becomes relatively hardened (e.g., still flexible).

[0011] Therefore, an optical fiber manufacturing system can transport light-transmitting material through one or more components of the optical fiber manufacturing system. For example, an optical fiber manufacturing system may include at least one heating component (e.g., a furnace system including at least one stretching furnace) capable of operating to heat the light-transmitting material, and one or more stretching components (e.g., an extruder component) capable of stretching (e.g., extruding) the light-transmitting material into one or more optical fibers. Thus, the light-transmitting material may be heated, stretched to a desired diameter, and cooled to a temperature associated with moving the light-transmitting material away from a relatively flexible state and transitioning to a relatively hardened state (e.g., associated with a fiber-glass transition region). In some such examples, the light-transmitting material may be heated and stretched in a first direction (e.g., a stretching direction corresponding to the extrusion of the light-transmitting material) through a cavity defined by the muffle of the furnace system. For example, a light-transmitting material can be stretched in a downward direction (for example, while in a relatively flexible state associated with heating the light-transmitting material), and therefore, while the light-transmitting material is at an increased temperature, gravity on the light-transmitting material can help to elongate it.

[0012] In some cases, gases may be injected into the cavity to prevent damage to components of the furnace system caused by the presence of other undesirable gases (e.g., oxygen) in the cavity. For example, one or more components of the furnace system may contain materials (e.g., graphite materials) that are susceptible to reactions (e.g., oxidation) that can cause damage to the components. As an example, the muffle of the furnace system may contain one or more graphite materials that, when exposed to oxygen from the air, can be oxidized, leading to corrosion and other damage. Therefore, minimizing the presence of such external gases in the cavity can prevent damage to the furnace system and its associated components. In some cases, helium may be injected into the cavity due to its relatively high kinematic viscosity and relatively high thermal conductivity, which reduces convective mixing and associated thermal gradients in the purge gas. However, helium can be relatively expensive (e.g., helium costs are relatively higher than other non-reactive gases, which may be associated with supply constraints and other problems). Furthermore, since helium is a non-renewable resource, its use can be problematic for long-term implementations in optical fiber manufacturing.

[0013] Helium can be replaced by one or more other inert gases (e.g., argon, among others), but the properties of such other inert gases may be associated with design challenges and lead to other problems in optical fiber manufacturing. For example, helium can be injected into the cavity of a furnace system in the same direction as the stretching of the optically transparent material (e.g., top-down direction) due to the properties of helium, which can provide a relatively stable convective environment within the cavity. However, injecting some other inert gases into the cavity in a similar manner (e.g., top-down) may result in a relatively unstable convective environment within the cavity. This relatively unstable convective environment may result in the cooling of the optically transparent material at an undesirable high variable rate, and among other drawbacks, properties associated with increased Rayleigh scattering, signal attenuation, and transmission loss may be present in one or more optical fibers exposed to an unstable convective environment during manufacturing. Therefore, one or more other inert gases may not be implemented in the same manner as helium (e.g., without substantially changing the design of the furnace system) due to differences in properties between helium and one or more other inert gases. As a result, implementing one or more other inert gases using the same techniques as helium may not support efficient control of the diameter of one or more optical fibers due to convective instability associated with the properties of one or more other inert gases.

[0014] As described herein, a furnace system may implement one or more inert gases (e.g., associated with low thermal conductivity and low momentum) for stretching a light-transmitting material such that one or more inert gases form a relatively stable convective environment within the cavity of the furnace system. Here, the cavity of the furnace system may be defined by a muffle, which may be an insulated hollow chamber region that at least partially accommodates a downward supply component and is coupled with a heater. For example, one or more inert gases may be injected in a direction opposite to the direction in which the light-transmitting material is stretched through the cavity (e.g., a second direction). In particular, the light-transmitting material may be stretched through the cavity in a downward direction (e.g., from the top of the cavity to the bottom of the cavity), and one or more inert gases may be injected into the cavity via an inlet port at the bottom of the cavity and released from the cavity via an outlet port at the top of the cavity so that one or more inert gases can flow in the opposite direction to the stretching direction that stretches the light-transmitting material (e.g., upward). In some implementations, the inlet and / or outlet ports may be coupled with a controller (e.g., a mass flow controller) configured to maintain a relatively consistent flow of one or more inert gases through the cavity. In some embodiments, to support an upward flow of one or more inert gases within the cavity, the muffle of the furnace system may include an insulated lower muffle, and an inlet port located below the lower muffle may be used to inject one or more inert (purge) gases and to allow an upward flow of such gases. Furthermore, the furnace system may include multiple irises (e.g., located below the lower muffle) which may be used to separate one or more inert (purge) gases from one or more screen gases.

[0015] In some cases, injecting one or more other inert gases against the direction of stretching the light-transmitting material can create a relatively stable convection environment within the cavity, thereby cooling the light-transmitting material at a relatively slow rate, enabling the production of optical fibers with properties associated with low Rayleigh scattering, signal attenuation, and transmission loss, among other things. Furthermore, in some such cases, injecting one or more other inert gases against the direction of stretching the light-transmitting material can support the formation length of one or more optical fibers, thereby allowing more space for heating, stretching, or cooling the light-transmitting material within the cavity. Moreover, implementing a counter for one or more inert gases flowing through the light-transmitting material can benefit from the gas properties of the one or more inert gases. For example, one or more inert gases may naturally possess buoyancy and therefore may naturally flow against gravity within the chamber, thereby supporting the removal of one or more flow components from the system, which may otherwise be associated with discharging a flow of helium (e.g., or one or more other inert gases) through the cavity in the same direction as the light-transmitting material. As a result of one or more inert gases flowing against the fiber stretching flow, the amount of mixed convection drivers may also be reduced, thereby reducing the spatial and temporal variations in the temperature of the one or more inert gases. In some cases, reducing the variability in the convection environment of the optically transparent material may support improved diameter control of one or more optical fibers (compared to, for example, other implementations).

[0016] Injecting one or more inert gases using a reverse flow against the stretching of the light-transmitting material can prevent external air from entering the cavity. It should be noted that external air entering the cavity can cause damage to the muffle and the furnace system. Furthermore, injecting one or more inert gases in a reverse flow into the light-transmitting material may support replacing helium flowing through the cavity, which may be advantageous. For example, one or more inert gases may be cheaper than helium, and therefore replacing helium with one or more inert gases may result in cost reductions during the optical fiber manufacturing process. In some implementations, replacing helium with one or more inert gases in the manner described herein may reduce the manufacturing cost of optical fibers by up to 5% or more. Furthermore, replacing helium with one or more inert gases may, among other things, eliminate the risk of helium supply constraints and support longer-term sustainability for optical fiber manufacturing.

[0017] Aspects of this disclosure are first described in the context of a reactor system, inlet ports, outlet ports, and graphs supporting reverse gas injection for the reactor system. Aspects of this disclosure are further illustrated and described with reference to block diagrams and flowcharts relating to reverse gas injection for the reactor system.

[0018] This description provides examples and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the principles described herein. Rather, this description will provide a practical description for implementing various aspects of the principles described herein. Various modifications can be made to the function and arrangement of the elements without departing from this application, as can be understood by those skilled in the art.

[0019] It should be understood by those skilled in the art that one or more aspects of the present disclosure may, in addition to or in lieu thereof, be implemented within the furnace system 100 to solve other problems than those described herein. Furthermore, aspects of the present disclosure may provide technical improvements over "conventional" systems or processes as described herein. However, the present description and the accompanying drawings include only exemplary technical improvements resulting from implementing aspects of the present disclosure, and therefore do not represent all the technical improvements that are provided within the scope of the claims.

[0020] Figure 1 illustrates an example of a furnace system 100 that supports reverse gas injection for a furnace system, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The furnace system 100 may include various optical fiber manufacturing components operable to modify a light-transmissive material 105. For example, the furnace system 100 may include one or more heating components (e.g., heater 125) configured to modify the light-transmissive material 105, a lower feed component 130 (e.g., a lower feed handle), and one or more port components (e.g., inlet port 135, outlet port 140). In some cases, one or more inert gases may be injected into and discharged from the furnace system 100 when drawing the light-transmissive material 105, such that the one or more inert gases flow in a direction opposite to the direction associated with drawing the light-transmissive material 105 (e.g., the drawing direction). In some such cases, implementing one or more inert gases using the techniques described herein may, among other things, facilitate a relatively stable convective environment with respect to the light-transmissive material 105, prevent damage to the furnace system 100 by air outside the furnace system 100 entering the furnace system 100, and otherwise save costs associated with the implementation of other inert gases (e.g., helium).

[0021] For illustrative purposes, aspects of the furnace system 100 may be described with reference to the x-direction, y-direction, and z-direction of an illustrated coordinate system. For example, FIG. 1 may illustrate a cross-sectional view of the furnace system 100 in the xy plane, and each of the components may extend a certain distance along the z-direction (e.g., into the page, out of the page). In some examples, the y-direction may be referred to as the upward direction, and may illustrate the direction opposite to gravity. Although the furnace system 100 illustrates examples of relative sizes and quantities of various features, aspects of the furnace system 100 may be implemented with other relative sizes or quantities of such features according to the examples disclosed herein.

[0022] In some cases, the furnace system 100 may include a controller (e.g., not shown) configured to control the operation of one or more components of the furnace system 100. The controller may include one or more processors operable to perform operations according to configurations, algorithms, or programs stored in the controller or an external memory system. For example, the controller may include a non-transitory computer-readable medium configured to store instructions including code operable to cause the controller to perform operations on the furnace system 100.

[0023] The optically transparent material 105 may be an optical fiber preform, and therefore the optically transparent material 105 may be manufactured to produce one or more optical fibers. An optical fiber may be a transparent fibrous material configured to transport light or information over a given distance (e.g., the length of the optical fiber). For example, an optical fiber may be configured to carry a signal containing a relatively high amount of information (e.g., data) at a relatively high information transmission rate (e.g., compared to other signaling media). In addition to or instead of this, an optical fiber may be configured to carry light or an image (e.g., due to internal light reflection). In some cases, one or more optical fibers may be implemented as the core portion of an optical fiber cable and may be surrounded by an insulating material configured to prevent light or information from escaping the optical fiber cable. Each optical fiber may include a core region surrounded by a transparent cladding material (e.g., a transparent coating). In some examples, the core region may be doped with germanium (e.g., germanium dioxide), alkali-doped silica, chlorine-doped silica, or fluorine-doped silica, or any combination thereof. For example, the core region may contain alkali-doped silica containing a relatively small amount of fluorine. In some examples, the light-transmitting material 105 may include a silica glass material, which may further include other materials or dopants. In some examples, a preform used for the manufacture of optical fibers (e.g., including the light-transmitting material 105) may include bonded silica glass having one or more concentric regions of silica glass.

[0024] The furnace system 100 may include a muffle 112 which can form a structure for the furnace system 100. The muffle 112 may include a hollow cylindrical structure, and one or more portions of the muffle 112 may include a graphite material and / or an insulating material 110-a. In some examples, the insulating material 110-a may include a graphite material. In some examples, the muffle 112 may be configured to maintain a high temperature within the cavity 111. The muffle 112 may define the cavity 111 such that an internal region of the muffle 112 forms the cavity 111, and the insulating material 110-a may be positioned along the muffle 112 (e.g., in contact) (e.g., to insulate the cavity 111). The muffle 112 may include an upper muffle extension 115 and a lower muffle extension 120 below it, such that the upper muffle extension 115 is above the lower muffle extension 112 (along the y-direction), and the upper muffle extension 115 and the lower muffle extension 120 are elongated hollow cylindrical structures that further define and form the cavity 111. In some cases, thermal insulation material may be implemented along the cavity 111 in both the upper muffle extension 115 and the lower muffle extension 120, so that the graphite material of the upper muffle extension 115 and the lower muffle extension 120 can be insulated by thermal insulation material 110-b and thermal insulation material 110-c, respectively. For example, thermal insulation material 110-b may be positioned along the upper muffle extension 115, and thermal insulation material 110-c may be positioned along the lower muffle extension 120. The insulating materials 110-b and 110-c may include graphite material. In some examples, the cavity 111 may have a consistent inner diameter throughout the length of the muffle 112, particularly through the length of the upper muffle extension 115 and the lower muffle extension 120, so that the cavity 111 may have the same diameter throughout the entire muffle 112.

[0025] The muffle 112 may be coupled with one or more heaters 125 such that at least one of the heaters 125 is configured to heat the cavity 111. For example, a heater 125 may be thermally coupled to the muffle 112 and configured to form one or more zones within the cavity 111 with increased heat (e.g., having a temperature of about 1800°C to about 2100°C). One or more zones within the cavity 111 may provide the cavity 111 with enough heat to reduce the viscosity of the light-transmitting material 105 (e.g., to stretch the light-transmitting material 105 from a preform into an optical fiber). In some examples, the heaters 125 may be configured differently from those shown or positioned in different locations than those shown, and various amounts of heaters 125 or heating elements may be possible.

[0026] The furnace system 100 may further include a downward feeding component 130 (e.g., a downward feeding handle) within the cavity 111. For example, the downward feeding component 130 may be positioned in the upper portion of the cavity 111 associated with the upper muffle extension 115. The downward feeding component 130 may be configured to support the stretching (e.g., extrusion) of the light-transmitting material 105 from the cavity 111, and stretching the light-transmitting material 105 may include reducing the width of the light-transmitting material 105 and increasing its length.

[0027] In some examples, the light-transmitting material 105 can be stretched based on heating the light-transmitting material 105 within the cavity 111 using a heater 125. For example, the heater 125 may heat the light-transmitting material 105 to a temperature above the temperature associated with the light-transmitting material 105 entering a relatively flexible state, at which point the light-transmitting material 105 can be stretched out of the cavity 111. In some such examples, the heater 125 and / or the downward-feeding component 130 can at least partially control the rate or amount at which the light-transmitting material 105 is stretched (for example, based on the operation of the heater 125 and / or the downward-feeding component 130). In some cases, the downward supply component 130 may be configured to support (e.g., hold) the light-transmitting material 105 (e.g., hold a preform containing the light-transmitting material 105) as it is heated to extrude the light-transmitting material 105 through the cavity 111 and in a downward direction (along the y-axis), so that gravity acting on the light-transmitting material 105 can stretch the light-transmitting material 105 downward (e.g., gravity can pull on the light-transmitting material 105, thereby lengthening the light-transmitting material 105 and reducing its width). In some such cases, the light-transmitting material 105 can be stretched through the cavity 111 in the same direction as gravity.

[0028] The furnace system 100 may include an inlet port 135 (e.g., a process gas inlet (PGI)) and an outlet port 140 to facilitate a stable convection environment for stretching the light-transmitting material 105. The inlet port 135 may be located in the lower portion of the lower muffle extension 120, and the outlet port 140 may be located in the upper portion of the upper muffle extension 115. The inlet port 135 and the outlet port 140 may each include one or more channels associated with gas transfer into and out of the furnace system 100. In some examples, the inlet port 135 may include an annular ring having either a porous metal element or one or more diameter-controlled ports (e.g., holes, irises) configured to transfer gas into a cavity 111. The outlet port 140 may include a channel coupled to, for example, a venturi device, a pump, a mass flow controller, or another gas flow discharge device configured to transfer gas from the cavity 111.

[0029] The inlet port 135 may be configured to inject one or more inert gases (e.g., gases associated with relatively low thermal conductivity, relatively high buoyancy, low momentum, or any combination thereof) into the cavity 111, and the outlet port 140 may be configured to release one or more inert gases from the cavity 111. Due to the inlet port 135 being located in the lower part of the muffle 12 (e.g., the lower part of the lower muffle extension 120) and the outlet port 140 being located in the upper part of the muffle 12 (the upper part of the upper muffle extension 115), one or more inert gases may flow through the cavity 111 in a direction against gravity (e.g., along the y-direction). For example, one or more inert gases may flow through the cavity 111 in a direction against the stretching direction of the light-transmitting material 105. Furthermore, one or more inert gases may have relatively high buoyancy so that one or more inert gases may naturally rise through the cavity 111 from the inlet port 135 to the outlet port 140. One or more inert gases flowing through the cavity 111 can form a relatively stable convective environment within the cavity 111, which can at least partially cool the fibers extended from the light-transmitting material 105. For example, a flow of one or more inert gases can transition the light-transmitting material 105 from a relatively flexible state to a relatively hardened state, thereby forming one or more optical fibers from the light-transmitting material 105. In some cases, the inlet port 135 and outlet port 140 can be controlled so that the same or similar flow rates of one or more inert gases are injected into and discharged from the furnace system 100, thereby maintaining a consistent flow through the cavity 111.

[0030] The furnace system 100 may include a screen region 145 configured to prevent one or more external gases from entering the cavity 111. The screen region 145 may be positioned below the lower muffle extension 120 and may form a second cavity 146 such that the second cavity 146 is downstream of the cavity 111 in the extension direction. In some cases, a light-transmitting material 105 and / or fibers produced therefrom may be configured to flow through the screen region 145. In some examples, the screen region 145 may include one or more controllable apertures defining the boundary of the screen region 145. For example, the screen region may include two or more apertures (e.g., irises). The two or more apertures may include a first aperture 150-a that can be positioned in the upper part of the screen region 145, and a second aperture 150-b that can be positioned in the lower part of the screen region 145. In some examples, each of apertures 150-a and 150-b may have a thickness along the y-direction of less than about 1 mm, or less than about 0.75 mm, or less than about 0.50 mm, or less than about 0.25 mm. Apertures 150-a and 150-b may be configured to selectively open and close, such that when the light-transmitting material 105 is not stretched, apertures 150-a and 150-b may be closed, but when the light-transmitting material 105 is stretched, apertures 150-a and 150-b may be at least partially open to allow extrusion of the light-transmitting material 105 (and / or optical fibers formed therefrom) for forming optical fibers. For example, as will be considered below, apertures 150-a and 150-b may each include expandable or foldable manifolds (e.g., circular ports with variable diameters) configured to open to several diameters (e.g., 2 inches) and to approach a partially closed diameter (e.g., in the range of 0.125 inches to 0.25 inches) or a completely closed position (e.g., sealed, fully closed).In some cases, the aperture may be configured to either close or open to a degree defined by the resulting optical fiber diameter, preventing one or more external gases from entering the cavity 111 while stretching the light-transmitting material 105.

[0031] In some cases, the screen gas may be injected into the second cavity 146 via a port 151 that can be positioned near aperture 150-a or aperture 150-b to prevent one or more external gases from entering the second cavity 146 (for example, to prevent external gases from entering the second cavity 146 through the gap between the light-transmitting material 105 and aperture 150-b) or to prevent them from entering the cavity 111 (for example, to prevent external gases from entering the cavity 111 through the gap between the light-transmitting material 105 and aperture 150-a). The screen gas in the second cavity 146 may also prevent one or more inert gases in the cavity 111 from leaving the cavity 111 (for example, leaving the cavity 111 through the gap between the light-transmitting material 105 and aperture 150-a). In some such examples, apertures 150-a and 150-b may be configured to close so that when apertures 150-a and 150-b are closed, the screen area 145 is sealed (e.g., airtightly sealed) so that one or more external gases cannot enter the screen area 145. In some examples, apertures 150-a and 150-b may be configured to close so that the screen gas in the second cavity 146 forms a pressure difference between the second cavity 146 and one or more external gases, and thus prevents one or more external gases from entering the screen area 145.

[0032] As illustrated herein, implementing one or more inert gases flowing in the direction opposite to the stretching direction for extruding the light-transmitting material 105 can support improved diameter control of one or more resulting optical fibers. In addition, one or more inert gases flowing through the cavity 111 can prevent external air from entering the cavity 111, which would otherwise damage the muffle 112 and / or the insulating materials (e.g., insulating materials 110-a, 110-b, and / or 110-c) due to oxidation of the graphite material (especially at increasing temperatures) through exposure to external air. Furthermore, one or more inert gases may be associated with cost-effectiveness compared to previous implementations (e.g., using helium in a top-down flow). In some cases, implementing one or more inert gases may not involve substantially modifying the furnace system 100, so that existing furnace systems can implement the techniques described herein.

[0033] Figures 2A and 2B show, respectively, examples of a gas injection system 200-a and a gas exhaust system 200-b supporting reverse gas injection for a furnace system according to aspects of the present disclosure. The gas injection system 200-a and the gas exhaust system 200-b may be examples of aspects or operations of the furnace system 100, as described with reference to Figure 1. For example, the gas injection system 200-a and the gas exhaust system 200-b may be implemented in the furnace system 100 and may include, among other components of the furnace system 100, an inlet port 135 and an outlet port 140, respectively.

[0034] For illustrative purposes, embodiments of the gas injection system 200-a and the gas exhaust system 200-b may be described with reference to the x, y, and z directions of the illustrated coordinate system. For example, Figures 2A and 2B may illustrate cross-sectional views of the gas injection system 200-a and the gas exhaust system 200-b in the xy plane, respectively, where each component may extend a certain distance along the z direction (e.g., within the page). In some examples, the y direction may be the direction opposite to gravity. While the gas injection system 200-a and the gas exhaust system 200-b illustrate examples of the relative sizes and quantities of various features, embodiments of the gas injection system 200-a and the gas exhaust system 200-b may be implemented with other relative sizes or quantities of such features by the examples disclosed herein.

[0035] The gas injection system 200-a may include an inlet port 135 (e.g., a process gas inlet (PGI)) which can be configured to inject one or more inert gases (e.g., associated with relatively low thermal conductivity, relatively high buoyancy, low momentum, or any combination thereof) into the cavity 111 (e.g., to facilitate cooling of the light-transmitting material 105). The inlet port 135 may be located in the lower portion of the lower muffle extension 120 that defines the cavity 111. In some cases, the inlet port 135 may at least partially surround the cavity 111 or be at least partially surrounded by the cavity 111. In some such cases, the inlet port 135 may be one of one or more inlet ports 135. The inlet port 135 may include one or more channels 205 associated with gas transfer to the cavity 111. In some examples, the inlet port 135 may include an annular ring having either a porous element configured to transfer an inert gas into the cavity 111 or one or more ports (e.g., holes, irises). The inlet port 135 may form a plenum within the cavity 111 and / or a second cavity 146. In some implementations, the inlet port 135 may be configured to transfer one or more inert gases into the cavity 111 at a flow rate ranging from about 10 to about 20 liters per minute.

[0036] The gas injection system 200-a may include a screen region 145 configured to prevent one or more external gases from entering the cavity 111, as discussed above. The screen region 145 may be positioned below the lower muffle extension 120 (e.g., below the inlet port 135 along the y-direction). The screen region 145 may form a second cavity 146 through which the light-transmitting material 105 and / or fibers generated therefrom can flow, as discussed above. In some cases, screen gases may be injected into the second cavity 146 through one or more ports 151. In addition, the gas injection system 200-a may include apertures 150-a and 150-b, as discussed above.

[0037] The gas discharge system 200-b may include an outlet port 140, as discussed above, configured to discharge one or more inert gases from the cavity 111, as shown in Figure 2B. The outlet port 140 may be located in the upper portion of the upper muffle extension 115. In some cases, the outlet port 140 may at least partially surround the cavity 111. In some cases, the outlet port 140 may comprise one of more than one outlet port 140. The outlet port 140 may include one or more channels 215 associated with the transfer of gas from the cavity 111. In some examples, the outlet port 140 may include an aperture 220 (e.g., an iris) coupled to each channel 215 and configured to transfer gas from the cavity 111 through the channels 215. In some examples, the aperture 220 may be coupled to a discharge device configured to control the gas pressure inside the cavity 111 and to control the transfer of gas from the cavity 111. For example, the discharge device 225 could be an example of a pump, mass flow controller, or another gas flow discharge device configured to transfer gas from the cavity 111. In some embodiments, the discharge device 225 is a Venturi device configured to discharge gas from the cavity 111. In some implementations, the outlet port 140 may be configured to transfer one or more inert gases from the cavity 111 at a flow rate in the range of about 10 to about 20 liters per minute. In some such implementations, the flow rate of the inlet port 135 may be approximately equal to the flow rate of the outlet port 140 to facilitate a relatively consistent flow of one or more inert gases in the cavity 111. In some examples, the flow rates of both the inlet port 135 and the outlet port 140 are about 10 to about 20 liters per minute. In some embodiments, the flow rates of the inlet port 135 or the outlet port 140, or both, may be controlled by controllers coupled to the gas injection system 200-a and the gas discharge system 200-b.

[0038] In some cases, one or more ports 151 may be configured to transfer screen gas to the second cavity 146 at a flow rate approximately equal to that of the inlet port 135 and / or outlet port 140. In some embodiments, one or more ports 151 transfer screen gas to the second cavity 136 at a flow rate of about 10 to about 20 liters per minute, or less than 20 liters per minute, or less than about 15 liters per minute. The screen gas may flow downward through the opening between the light-transmitting material 105 (or optical fiber produced therefrom) and the aperture 150-b so as to prevent external gas from entering the cavity 111 or to minimize any external gas entering the cavity 111.

[0039] As illustrated herein, implementing a gas injection system 200-a and a gas exhaust system 200-b to facilitate the transfer of one or more inert gases through the cavity 111 can create a relatively stable convective environment within the cavity 111, thereby supporting improved stretching (e.g., and cooling) of the light-transmitting material 105. In some cases, ensuring the reverse flow of one or more inert gases can support improved diameter control of one or more resulting optical fibers. In addition, the one or more inert gases flowing through the cavity 111 can prevent external air from entering the cavity 111, which could otherwise damage the furnace system 100. Furthermore, the one or more inert gases may be associated with cost-effectiveness compared to previous implementations (e.g., using helium in a top-down flow). In some cases, implementing one or more inert gases does not involve substantially modifying the furnace system 100, so that existing furnace systems can implement the techniques described herein.

[0040] Figures 3A and 3B show examples of inlet ports 300-a and 300-b supporting reverse gas injection for a reactor system according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Inlet ports 300-a and 300-b are distinct examples implementing embodiments or operations of inlet port 135, as discussed above with reference to Figures 1 and 2A. While inlet ports 300-a and 300-b each illustrate examples of relative sizes and quantities of various features, embodiments of inlet ports 300-a and 300-b may be implemented with other relative sizes or quantities of such features, as illustrated in the examples disclosed herein. Figure 3A further shows an inlet port 300-a associated with and coupled to the first aperture 150-a, and Figure 3B similarly shows an inlet port 300-b associated with and coupled to the first aperture 150-a.

[0041] The inlet port 300-a may be configured to provide a port through which one or more inert gases can be injected into the cavity 111, which may extend in the y-direction from the upper surface of the inlet port 300-a. For example, the inlet port 300-a may at least partially surround the cavity 111. In some cases, the inlet port 300-a may be concentric with the cavity 111. In some examples, the inlet port 300-a may be mounted below the cavity 111. The inlet port 300-a may include a porous ring 310 (which may function as a manifold for transferring gas into the cavity 111), which may include a certain number of relatively small channels through which one or more inert gases can be injected into the cavity 111. In some embodiments, the porous ring 310 is made of metal. The porous ring 310 may be configured to provide a pressure drop such that the flow velocity coming through the porous ring 310 is substantially uniform in the circumferential direction. For example, one or more inert gases can be transported into the cavity 111 through small channels in the porous ring 310. The porous ring 310 can control the flow rate of the one or more inert gases injected into the cavity 111. In some examples, one or more inert gases can be injected upward into the cavity 111 through the porous ring 310 (for example, so that the inlet port 300-a is mounted below the cavity 111) to facilitate the upward flow of one or more inert gases within the cavity 111. The inlet port 300-a may also include an annular ring 305, which may be an annular plenum ring and may be made of graphite or a metallic material. The annular ring 305 may be concentric with the cavity 111 and the porous ring 310 and may radially surround the porous ring 310 at least partially. In some examples, the annular ring 305 and / or the porous ring 310 may be coupled with a controller (e.g., a mass flow controller) which is configured to control the rate at which the one or more inert gases are injected through the porous ring 310.

[0042] Similarly, the inlet port 300-b may be configured to provide a port through which one or more inert gases can be injected into the cavity 111. For example, the inlet port 300-b may at least partially surround the cavity 111. In some cases, the inlet port 300-b may be concentric with the cavity 111. The inlet port 300-b may include a predetermined number of ports 315 (e.g., holes that function as a manifold for transferring gases into the cavity), each of which may contain a relatively small channel through which one or more inert gases can be injected into the cavity 111. In some embodiments, the ports 315 have a circular cross-section. In some embodiments, the volume and / or velocity of one or more inert gases flowing through each of the ports 315 may be approximately the same. For example, one or more inert gases can be transferred into the cavity 111 through the channels of the ports 315. The ports 315 can control the flow rate of one or more inert gases injected into the cavity 111. For example, each port 315 may have a controllable variable opening (e.g., an iris, an expandable and foldable opening) configured to open and close, which may have a controllable diameter, so that the flow rate of one or more inert gases can be controlled based on a modification of the diameter size. In some examples, one or more inert gases may be injected upward into the cavity 111 through the ports 315 to facilitate the upward flow of one or more inert gases within the cavity. In some implementations, the ports 315 may be positioned along a circle and equidistant from the center of the cavity 111. The inlet ports 300-b may also include an annular plenum ring and an annular ring 305 which may be made of graphite or a metallic material. The annular ring 305 may be concentric with the cavity 111 and a predetermined number of ports 315 and may at least partially surround a predetermined number of ports 315 in the radial direction. In some examples, the annular ring 305 and / or port 315 may be coupled to a controller (e.g., a mass flow controller) which is configured to control the rate at which one or more inert gases are injected through port 315.

[0043] Inlet ports 300-a and 300-b may be understood as non-limiting examples of inlet port 135. However, inlet port 135 may comprise other alternatives not described herein. For example, inlet port 135 may include, among other possibilities, a single relatively large circular port surrounding cavity 111. That is, the porous ring 310 and a predetermined number of ports 315 may not be the only components for injecting one or more inert gases into cavity 111. In some cases, inlet ports 300-a and 300-b may offer similar advantages in providing a stable convection environment for stretching a light-transmitting material, such that the variation in performance between the porous ring 310 and ports 315 for injecting one or more inert gases into cavity may be negligible.

[0044] In addition, Figures 3A and 3B depict the first aperture 150-a associated with the inlet ports 300-a and 300-b, respectively. As discussed above, the first aperture 150-a may be configured to prevent one or more external gases from entering the cavity 111. In some cases, the first aperture 150-a may be configured to form a seal when the light-transmitting material 105 is not being stretched. Furthermore, the aperture 150-a may be configured to open to a degree defined by the diameter of the light-transmitting material 105 during stretching. In addition, the first aperture 150-a may be configured to prevent screen gases from entering the cavity 111. In some cases, as shown in Figures 3A and 3B, the first aperture 150-a may include a circular manifold having a selective diameter so that the circular manifold opens and closes to modify the size of the opening formed by the aperture 150-a, and thus changes the diameter of the opening. Thus, the first aperture 150-a may include an opening with a variable diameter. In some embodiments, the first aperture 150-a is configured to open to a fully open diameter of about 2 inches, to partially close to a partially closed diameter in the range of about 0.125 inches to about 0.25 inches, and to fully close to a fully closed position that forms a seal. Note that the partially closed position may be open to a width sufficient to allow a light-transmitting material (or a fiber extended therefrom) to pass through the opening of the first aperture 150-a.

[0045] However, the first aperture 150-a may be implemented in a different shape other than those shown in Figures 3A and 3B, configured to perform the same function. The first aperture 150-a may be positioned radially inward of the annular ring 305 and the porous ring 310 or port 315. In some examples, the first aperture 150-a may be coplanar and flat with the upper surface 306 of the annular ring 305 and positioned along the same plane. However, in other examples, the first aperture 150-a may be at least partially below the upper surface 306 of the annular ring 305 (for example, it may be fitted so that the upper surface 306 is closer to the upper muffle extension 115 than the aperture 150-a).

[0046] It should also be noted that the second aperture 150-b may include the same design and function as the first aperture 150-a depicted in Figures 3A and 3B. Thus, the second aperture 150-b may also include a circular manifold having a selective diameter such that the circular manifold opens and closes to modify the size of the opening formed by the second aperture 150-b, and therefore changes the diameter of the opening. Similar to the first aperture 150-a, the second aperture 150-b may also be configured to form a seal when the light-transmitting material 105 is not stretched, and the second aperture 150-b may be configured to open to a range defined by the diameter of the light-transmitting material 105 (or the fiber formed therefrom) during stretching.

[0047] Figures 4A, 4B, and 4C show graphs 400-a, 400-b, and 400-c of the reverse and co-directional gas flows for the furnace system. Graphs 400-a, 400-b, and 400-c each depict the outer diameter (e.g., outer cladding diameter) of the light-transmitting material 105 as it is stretched over time through the cavities of the furnace system. Graphs 400-a, 400-b, and 400-c illustrate the differences in diameter control during the stretching of the light-transmitting material 105.

[0048] More specifically, Graph 400-a illustrates the outer diameter of the light-transmitting material 105 while it is being stretched into the cavity 111 using the furnace system 100, but the lower muffle extension 120 is not insulated (therefore the furnace system 100 does not include the insulating material 110-c surrounding the cavity 111), and the inert gas flows through the cavity 111 in the direction opposite to the stretching direction of the light-transmitting material 105. Graph 400-b illustrates the outer diameter of the light-transmitting material 105 while it is being stretched into the cavity 111 using the furnace system 100, but the lower muffle extension 120 is insulated (therefore the furnace system 100 includes the insulating material 110-c), and the inert gas flows through the cavity 111 in the direction opposite to the stretching direction of the light-transmitting material 105. Graph 400-c illustrates the outer diameter of the light-transmitting material 105 during its stretching using a furnace system with codirectional gas flow. More specifically, in the furnace of Graph 400-c, the inert gas flows through the furnace cavity in the same direction as the stretching direction of the light-transmitting material 105. Thus, the inert gas is injected into the cavity in the upper part of the cavity and released from the cavity in the lower part of the cavity. Furthermore, the furnace of Graph 400-c includes an insulating material 110-c.

[0049] A comparison of graphs 400-a and 400-b shows that the insulating material within the lower muffle extension 120 generates relatively greater diameter control of the light-transmitting material 105. That is, graph 400-a, which does not have insulating material within the lower muffle extension 120, has more variability in the diameter of the light-transmitting material 105 during stretching than graph 400-b, which has insulating material within the lower muffle extension 120. Insulating the lower muffle extension 120 (and other components of the muffle 112) can form sidewalls of a monotonic temperature gradient along the cavity 111, thereby creating a stable convective environment within the cavity 111, and thus increasing the diameter control of the light-transmitting material 105 within the cavity 111. Conversely, the lack of insulation along the lower muffle extension 120 can create a relatively unstable convection environment mixed within the cavity 111, which can reduce the control of the diameter of the light-transmitting material 105 within the cavity 111. In some cases, insulating the lower muffle extension 120 can shorten the length of optical fiber formation, thereby allowing for a relatively faster formation of optical fiber within the same volume or vertical space of the cavity 111.

[0050] A comparison of graphs 400-a and 400-b with graph 400-c shows that implementing reverse gas flow generates greater diameter control of the light-transmitting material 105. Specifically, injecting one or more gases into the upper muffle extension 115 and releasing one or more gases from the lower muffle extension 120 (graph 400-c) generates greater variation in the diameter of the light-transmitting material 105 during its stretching compared to injecting one or more inert gases into the lower muffle extension and releasing one or more gases from the upper muffle extension (graphs 400-a and 400-b). Furthermore, the codirectional gas flow in graph 400-c, as illustrated with reference to Figure 4C, can create a relatively unstable convective environment mixed within the cavity 111, which can reduce the diameter control of the light-transmitting material 105 within the cavity 111. In some cases, a gas flow in the reverse direction can create a stable convective environment within the cavity 111, and thus increase the control over the diameter of the light-transmitting material 105 within the cavity 111.

[0051] Figure 5 shows a block diagram 500 of a furnace system 520 supporting reverse gas injection for a furnace system according to an aspect of the present disclosure. The furnace system 520 may be an embodiment of an aspect of the furnace system 100 as described with reference to Figure 1. The furnace system 520, or various components thereof, may be examples of means for performing various aspects of reverse gas injection for the furnace system 100 as described herein. For example, the furnace system 520 may include an injection component 525, an discharge component 530, a control component 535, a heating component 540, an iris operating component 545, a controller 550, or any combination thereof. Each of these components may communicate with one another directly or indirectly (e.g., via one or more buses).

[0052] The injection component 525 is configured as a means for injecting one or more inert gases into a cavity defined by the muffle, or may be configured to support the means, the one or more inert gases being injected through an inlet port located in the lower part of the lower muffle extension of the muffle, causing the one or more inert gases to flow in a first direction within the cavity, the first direction being opposite to a second direction associated with the extrusion of the optical fiber material. The discharge component 530 is configured as a means for discharging one or more inert gases from the cavity through an outlet port located in the upper part of the upper muffle extension of the muffle, or may be configured to support the means.

[0053] In some examples, the injection component 525 may be configured as a means for injecting one or more screen gases into the screen area of ​​the furnace system, or otherwise configured to support the means, in order to prevent one or more external gases from entering the outlet port associated with the extrusion of the optical fiber material.

[0054] In some examples, the screen area comprises two or more irises (apertures), and the iris operating component 545 may be configured as a means for operating a first iris (first aperture) of the two or more irises to separate one or more screen gases in the screen area from one or more inert gases in a cavity, or otherwise configured to support a means. In some examples, the screen area comprises two or more irises, and the iris operating component 545 may be configured as a means for operating a second iris (second aperture) of the two or more irises to separate the screen area from one or more external gases, or otherwise configured to support a means.

[0055] In some examples, the control component 535 may be configured as a means for controlling the flow rate of one or more inert gases injected into the cavity by regulating the flow of one or more inert gases through the sintered metal component of the annular plenum ring at the inlet port, or otherwise configured to support the means.

[0056] In some examples, the control component 535 may be configured as a means for controlling the flow rate of one or more inert gases injected into the cavity by regulating the flow of one or more inert gases through a plurality of circular ports of an annular plenum ring at the inlet port, or otherwise configured to support such means.

[0057] In some examples, the control component 535 may be configured as a means for controlling the flow rate of one or more inert gases discharged from the cavity, or otherwise configured to support a means, at least in part, based on a venturi system coupled to an outlet port, a flow controller coupled to an outlet port, a pump coupled to an outlet port, or any combination thereof.

[0058] In some examples, the flow rate of one or more inert gases is controlled by maintaining the same flow rate of one or more inert gases injected into and released from the cavity.

[0059] In some examples, the heating component 540 may be configured as a means for heating the cavity via a heater coupled to the muffle, or otherwise configured to support the means.

[0060] In some examples, the controller 550 may be coupled to a furnace system, and the controller 550 may be configured or operable to perform one or more techniques supporting reverse gas injection for the furnace system. For example, the controller 550 may be configured to cause the device to inject one or more inert gases into a cavity, the one or more inert gases being injected through an inlet port located in the lower part of the lower muffle extension of the muffle, causing the one or more inert gases to flow in a first direction within the cavity, the first direction being opposite to a second direction associated with the extrusion of the optical fiber material. In some examples, the controller 550 may be configured to cause the device to release one or more inert gases from the cavity through an outlet port located in the upper part of the upper muffle extension of the muffle.

[0061] In some examples, the controller 550 may be configured to inject one or more screen gases into the screen area of ​​the reactor system to prevent one or more external gases from entering the cavity.

[0062] Figure 6 shows a flowchart illustrating a method 600 supporting reverse gas injection for a reactor system according to an aspect of the present disclosure. The operation of method 600 may be implemented by a reactor system or its components as described herein. For example, the operation of method 600 may be performed by a reactor system as described with reference to Figures 1 and 5. In some examples, the reactor system may implement a set of instructions for controlling functional elements of the reactor system to perform the described functions. In addition to or instead of this, the reactor system may perform aspects of the described functions using dedicated hardware.

[0063] In 605, the method may include injecting one or more inert gases into a cavity defined by the muffle, the one or more inert gases being injected through an inlet port located in the lower part of the lower muffle extension of the muffle, causing the one or more inert gases to flow into the cavity in the direction opposite to the stretching direction, thereby extruding the optical fiber material in the stretching direction. The operation of 605 may be performed by the examples disclosed herein. In some examples, the operation of 605 may be performed by an injection component 525, as described with reference to Figure 5.

[0064] In 610, the method may include releasing one or more inert gases from the cavity through an outlet port located in the upper portion of the upper muffle extension of the muffle. The operation of 610 can be performed by the examples disclosed herein. In some examples, the operation of 610 can be performed by an outlet component 530, as described with reference to Figure 5.

[0065] In some examples, the apparatus described herein may perform one or more methods, such as method 600. The apparatus may include features, circuits, logic, means, or instructions (e.g., a non-temporary computer-readable medium storing instructions that can be performed by a processor) for injecting one or more inert gases into a cavity defined by a muffle, wherein one or more inert gases are injected through an inlet port located in the lower part of the lower muffle extension of the muffle, causing one or more inert gases to flow into the cavity in a direction opposite to the extension direction, thereby extruding the optical fiber material in the extension direction, and releasing one or more inert gases from the cavity through an outlet port located in the upper part of the upper muffle extension of the muffle.

[0066] Some examples of the methods 600 and apparatus described herein may further include operations, features, means, or instructions for injecting one or more screen gases into the screen area of ​​a furnace system to prevent one or more external gases from entering the outlet port associated with the extrusion of optical fiber material.

[0067] In some examples of the methods 600 and apparatus described herein, the screen area comprises two or more irises, and the methods, apparatus, and non-temporary computer-readable media may include further operations, features, circuits, logic, means, or instructions for operating a first iris of the two or more irises to separate one or more screen gases in the screen area from one or more inert gases in the cavity, and for operating a second iris of the two or more irises to separate the screen area from one or more external gases.

[0068] Some examples of the methods 600 and apparatus described herein may further include operations, features, means, or instructions for controlling the flow rate of one or more inert gases injected into a cavity by controlling (e.g., adjusting, modulating, or correcting) the flow of one or more inert gases through the sintered metal components of an annular plenum ring at the inlet port.

[0069] Some examples of the methods 600 and apparatus described herein may further include operations, features, means, or instructions for controlling the flow rate of one or more inert gases injected into a cavity by controlling the flow of one or more inert gases through a plurality of circular ports of an annular plenum ring at an inlet port.

[0070] Some examples of the methods 600 and apparatus described herein may further include operations, features, means, or instructions for controlling the flow rate of one or more inert gases discharged from a cavity, based at least in part on a venturi system coupled to an outlet port, a flow controller coupled to an outlet port, a pump coupled to an outlet port, or any combination thereof.

[0071] In some examples of the methods 600 and apparatus described herein, the flow rate of one or more inert gases can be controlled by maintaining the same flow rate of one or more inert gases injected into and released from the cavity.

[0072] Some examples of the methods 600 and apparatus described herein may further include operations, features, means, or instructions for heating a cavity via a heater coupled with a muffle.

[0073] A first aspect of the present disclosure discloses a method for operating a furnace system, the method comprising injecting one or more inert gases into a cavity defined by a muffle, which comprises an upper muffle extension and a lower muffle extension, the one or more inert gases being injected through an inlet port in the lower portion of the lower muffle extension such that the one or more inert gases flow in the cavity in a first direction; the method further comprises stretching an optical fiber preform in the cavity in a second direction such that the first direction is opposite to the second direction; and releasing the one or more inert gases from the cavity through an outlet port in the upper portion of the upper muffle extension of the muffle.

[0074] A first embodiment according to a second aspect of the present disclosure, wherein one or more inert gases flow through the cavity in the first direction from the inlet port to the outlet port.

[0075] A first embodiment according to a third aspect of the present disclosure, wherein the first direction and the second direction are parallel.

[0076] A fourth aspect of the present disclosure further comprises injecting one or more screen gases into the screen area of ​​the furnace system to prevent one or more external gases from entering the cavity, the first aspect.

[0077] A fourth aspect of the present disclosure, wherein the screen area comprises an aperture, and the method further includes opening the aperture when the preform is being stretched in the furnace system, and closing the aperture when the preform is not being stretched.

[0078] A fifth aspect of the sixth aspect of the present disclosure, wherein the aperture forms a seal when closed.

[0079] A first aspect of the seventh aspect of the present disclosure, wherein the inlet port includes a porous element, and the method further includes controlling the flow rate of the one or more inert gases injected into the cavity by controlling the flow of the one or more inert gases through the porous element.

[0080] A first aspect of the eighth aspect of the present disclosure, wherein the inlet port comprises a plurality of ports each having a controllable opening configured to be opened and closed, and the method further comprises controlling the flow rate of the one or more inert gases injected into the cavity by controlling the flow of the one or more inert gases through the plurality of ports.

[0081] A first aspect of the disclosure, further comprising controlling the flow rate of the one or more inert gases discharged from the cavity through the outlet port using a venturi system coupled to the outlet port, a flow controller coupled to the outlet port, a pump coupled to the outlet port, or any combination thereof.

[0082] A first embodiment according to a tenth aspect of the present disclosure, wherein the flow rate of the one or more inert gases injected into the cavity through the inlet port is substantially the same as the flow rate of the one or more inert gases discharged from the cavity through the outlet port.

[0083] A tenth aspect of the eleventh aspect of the present disclosure, wherein both the flow rate of the one or more inert gases injected into the cavity through the inlet port and the flow rate of the one or more inert gases discharged from the cavity through the outlet port are about 10 to about 20 liters per minute.

[0084] A first embodiment, further comprising heating the cavity via a heater coupled to the muffle, according to a twelfth aspect of the present disclosure.

[0085] A furnace system comprising: a muffle defining a cavity, configured to receive an optical fiber preform; an inlet port disposed in the upper part of the muffle; an outlet port disposed in the lower part of the muffle; and a heater configured to heat the cavity defined by the muffle. The furnace system further comprising a controller coupled to the furnace system and configured to cause the furnace system to inject one or more inert gases into the cavity through the inlet port and to release the one or more inert gases from the cavity through the outlet port such that the one or more inert gases flow in the cavity in a direction opposite to the direction of extension of the optical fiber preform.

[0086] A thirteenth aspect of the present disclosure, wherein the muffle comprises a thermal insulation material that at least partially surrounds the cavity.

[0087] A thirteenth embodiment of the present disclosure, further comprising a screen region disposed below the cavity, wherein the screen region includes a second cavity, and the controller is further configured to cause the furnace system to inject one or more screen gases into the second cavity to prevent one or more external gases from entering the cavity.

[0088] A 15th aspect of the sixteenth aspect of the present disclosure, wherein the furnace system comprises a first aperture and a second aperture, the first aperture configured to separate the one or more screen gases in the second cavity from the one or more inert gases in the cavity, and the second aperture configured to separate the one or more screen gases in the second cavity from the one or more external gases outside the furnace system.

[0089] A thirteenth aspect of the present disclosure, wherein the inlet port comprises an annular ring and a porous component configured to control the flow rate of the one or more inert gases injected into the cavity.

[0090] A thirteenth aspect of the eighteenth aspect of the present disclosure, wherein the inlet port comprises an annular ring and a plurality of ports configured to control the flow rate of the one or more inert gases injected into the cavity.

[0091] A thirteenth aspect of the present disclosure, wherein the outlet port comprises a venturi system configured to control the flow rate of the one or more inert gases released from the cavity.

[0092] A 13th aspect according to a 20th aspect of the present disclosure, wherein the outlet port comprises a pump configured to control the flow rate of the one or more inert gases discharged from the cavity.

[0093] A 13th aspect according to a 21st aspect of the present disclosure, wherein the cavity has an inner diameter consistent along the length of the muffle.

[0094] A furnace system comprising: a muffle defining a cavity and comprising an insulating material for the cavity; a heater coupled to the muffle and configured to heat the cavity; and a downward supply component positioned within the upper muffle extension of the muffle and configured to support the optical fiber preform as the optical fiber preform is extruded from the cavity in the stretching direction. The furnace system further comprising: an inlet port positioned below the lower muffle extension of the muffle and configured to inject one or more inert gases into the cavity in a direction opposite to the stretching direction; and an outlet port positioned above the upper muffle extension and configured to release the one or more inert gases from the cavity.

[0095] A 22nd embodiment according to a 23rd aspect of the present disclosure, further comprising a screen region positioned below the lower muffle extension and configured to prevent one or more external gases from entering the cavity, wherein the screen region comprises two or more apertures.

[0096] A 22nd aspect of the present disclosure, further comprising: one or more introduction components coupled to the inlet port, comprising an annular ring and a porous ring, or a plurality of circular ports; and one or more discharge components coupled to the outlet port, comprising a venturi discharge, a pump, a mass flow controller, or any combination thereof.

[0097] In some examples of the furnace system, the muffle comprises insulating material that at least partially surrounds the cavity and extends to both the lower muffle extension and the upper muffle extension.

[0098] In some examples of reactor systems, the controller may be further configured to cause the device to inject one or more screen gases into the screen area of ​​the reactor system in order to prevent one or more external gases from entering the cavity.

[0099] In some examples of the reactor system, the screen area comprises two or more irises, at least one of which may be operable to separate one or more screen gases within the screen area from one or more inert gases within the cavity, and another of which may be operable to separate one or more screen gases within the screen area from one or more external gases outside the reactor system.

[0100] In some examples of furnace systems, the inlet port comprises an annular plenum ring and a sintered metal component configured to control the flow rate of one or more inert gases injected into the cavity.

[0101] In some examples of reactor systems, the inlet port comprises an annular plenum ring and a plurality of circular ports configured to control the flow rate of one or more inert gases injected into the cavity.

[0102] Some examples of furnace systems may further include a venturi system coupled with an outlet port that can be configured to control the flow rate of one or more inert gases released from a cavity.

[0103] Some examples of reactor systems may further include a pump coupled to an outlet port, which can be configured to control the flow rate of one or more inert gases released from a cavity.

[0104] In some examples of reactor systems, the cavities contain a nearly consistent inner diameter.

[0105] These methods illustrate examples of implementations, and it should be noted that the operations and steps may be reconfigured or otherwise modified to allow for other implementations. In some examples, two or more aspects of the methods may be combined. For example, each aspect of the method may include steps or aspects of other methods, or other steps or techniques described herein. Thus, aspects of this disclosure may provide consumer preference and maintenance interfaces.

[0106] The descriptions herein, in relation to the accompanying drawings, describe exemplary configurations and do not represent all examples that may be implemented or that fall within the claims. The term “exemplary” as used herein means “serving as an example, case, or illustration,” and not “preferred” or “advantageous over other examples.” Detailed descriptions include specific details for the purpose of providing an understanding of the techniques described. However, these techniques may be implemented without these specific details. In some examples, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form to avoid obscuring the concepts of the embodiments described.

[0107] The information and signals described herein may be represented using a variety of different technologies and techniques. For example, the data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, and symbols that may be referenced throughout the above description may be represented by voltage, current, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or particles, optical fields or particles, or any combination thereof.

[0108] The various exemplary blocks and modules described in connection with the disclosure herein may be implemented or run using general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), ASICs, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gates or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but instead, a processor may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices (e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors combined with a DSP core, or any other similar configuration). The functions of each unit may also be implemented, in whole or in part, with instructions embodied in memory, formatted to be executed by one or more general-purpose or application-specific processors. Furthermore, any function or operation described herein as being possible to be performed by a processor may be performed individually or collectively by multiple processors capable of performing the described function or operation.

[0109] The functions described herein may be implemented in hardware, software executed by a processor, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented in software executed by a processor, the functions may be stored or transmitted as one or more instructions or codes on a computer-readable medium. Other examples and implementations are within the scope of this disclosure and the accompanying claims. For example, by the nature of the software, the functions described herein may be implemented using software executed by a processor, hardware, firmware, hardwiring, or any combination thereof. Features implementing the functions may also include being distributed so that parts of the functions are implemented in different physical locations, and may be physically arranged in a variety of locations.

[0110] Where used herein, including in claims, "or" used in a list of items (e.g., a list of items beginning with a phrase such as "at least one" or "one or more") indicates an inclusive list, for example, a list of at least one of A, B, or C means A or B or C or AB or AC or BC or ABC (i.e., A and B and C). Also where used herein, the phrase "based on" should not be construed as referring to a limited set of conditions. For example, an exemplary step described as "based on condition A" may be based on both condition A and condition B without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In other words, where used herein, the phrase "based on" shall be construed as the phrase "at least partially based on". Where used herein, including in claims, the article "a" preceding a noun is open-ended and understood to refer to "one or more" of those nouns. Thus, the terms "a," "at least one," "one or more," and "at least one of one or more" may be interchangeable. For example, if a claim lists “components” that perform one or more functions, each of the individual functions may be performed by a single component or by any combination of multiple components. Therefore, the term “component” having a characteristic or performing a function may refer to “at least one of one or more components” that has a particular characteristic or performs a particular function. Subsequent references to a component introduced with the article “a” using the terms “the” or “said” refer to any or all of one or more components. For example, a component introduced with the article “a” is understood to mean “one or more components,” and subsequent references to “components” in the claims should be understood to be equivalent to referencing “at least one of one or more components.”

[0111] In the attached diagram, similar components or features may have the same reference label. Furthermore, various components of the same type may be distinguished by adding a dash and a second label that distinguishes similar components after the reference label. Where only the first reference label is used herein, this description is applicable to any one of the similar components having the same first reference label, regardless of the second reference label.

[0112] The descriptions herein are provided to enable those skilled in the art to construct or use the disclosure. Various modifications to the disclosure will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles set forth herein may be applied to other modifications without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Therefore, the disclosure should be given the broadest scope that corresponds to the principles and novel features disclosed herein, and is not limited to the examples and designs described herein.

Claims

1. A method for operating a reactor system, wherein the method is A muffle comprising an upper muffle extension and a lower muffle extension, wherein one or more inert gases are injected into a cavity defined by the muffle, wherein the one or more inert gases are injected through an inlet port in the lower portion of the lower muffle extension such that the one or more inert gases flow within the cavity in a first direction. Forming an optical fiber by extending an optical fiber preform in the cavity in a second direction, wherein the first direction is opposite to the second direction. A method comprising releasing one or more of the aforementioned inert gases from the cavity through an outlet port in the upper portion of the upper muffle extension of the muffle.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein one or more inert gases flow through the cavity in a first direction from the inlet port to the outlet port.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first direction and the second direction are parallel.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising injecting one or more screen gases into the screen area of ​​the furnace system to prevent one or more external gases from entering the cavity.

5. The screen area comprises an aperture, and the method The method according to claim 4, further comprising opening the aperture when the preform is being stretched in the furnace system, and closing the aperture when the preform is not being stretched.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the aperture forms a seal when closed.

7. The inlet port includes a porous element, and the method The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising controlling the flow rate of the one or more inert gases injected into the cavity by controlling the flow of the one or more inert gases through the porous element.

8. The inlet port comprises a plurality of ports, each having a controllable opening configured to be opened and closed, and the method, The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising controlling the flow rate of the one or more inert gases injected into the cavity by controlling the flow of the one or more inert gases through the plurality of ports.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising controlling the flow rate of the one or more inert gases discharged from the cavity through the outlet port using a venturi system coupled to the outlet port, a flow controller coupled to the outlet port, a pump coupled to the outlet port, or any combination thereof.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the flow rate of the one or more inert gases injected into the cavity through the inlet port is substantially the same as the flow rate of the one or more inert gases discharged from the cavity through the outlet port.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein both the flow rate of the one or more inert gases injected into the cavity through the inlet port and the flow rate of the one or more inert gases discharged from the cavity through the outlet port are approximately 10 to approximately 20 liters per minute.

12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, further comprising heating the cavity via a heater coupled to the muffle.

13. It is a reactor system, A muffle defining a cavity, wherein the cavity is configured to receive an optical fiber preform, An inlet port is located in the upper part of the muffle, and an outlet port is located in the lower part of the muffle. A heater configured to heat the cavity defined by the muffle, A controller which is coupled to the furnace system and which is connected to the furnace system One or more inert gases are injected into the cavity through the inlet port such that they flow through the cavity in a direction opposite to the stretching direction of the optical fiber preform, and A furnace system comprising: a controller configured to release one or more inert gases from the cavity through the outlet port.

14. The furnace system according to claim 13, wherein the muffle comprises an insulating material that at least partially surrounds the cavity.

15. The furnace system according to claim 13 or 14, further comprising a screen region disposed below the cavity, wherein the screen region includes a second cavity, and the controller is further configured to cause the furnace system to inject one or more screen gases into the second cavity to prevent one or more external gases from entering the cavity.

16. The furnace system according to claim 15, wherein the furnace system comprises a first aperture and a second aperture, the first aperture being configured to separate the one or more screen gases in the second cavity from the one or more inert gases in the cavity, and the second aperture being configured to separate the one or more screen gases in the second cavity from the one or more external gases outside the furnace system.

17. The furnace system according to any one of claims 13 to 16, wherein the inlet port comprises an annular ring and a porous component configured to control the flow rate of the one or more inert gases injected into the cavity.

18. The furnace system according to any one of claims 13 to 17, wherein the inlet port comprises an annular ring and a plurality of ports configured to control the flow rate of the one or more inert gases injected into the cavity.

19. The aforementioned outlet port, The furnace system according to any one of claims 13 to 18, further comprising a venturi system configured to control the flow rate of one or more inert gases released from the cavity.

20. The aforementioned outlet port, The furnace system according to any one of claims 13 to 19, further comprising a pump configured to control the flow rate of one or more inert gases released from the cavity.

21. The furnace system according to any one of claims 13 to 20, wherein the cavity has an inner diameter consistent along the length of the muffle.

22. It is a reactor system, A muffle that defines a cavity and is provided with insulating material for the cavity, A heater coupled to the muffle and configured to heat the cavity, A downward feeding component positioned within the muffle and configured to support the optical fiber preform as it is extruded from the cavity in the stretching direction, An inlet port is positioned in the lower part of the lower muffle extension of the muffle and is configured to inject one or more inert gases into the cavity in a direction opposite to the extension direction, A furnace system comprising: an outlet port positioned in the upper portion of the upper muffle extension and configured to release one or more inert gases from the cavity.

23. The furnace system according to claim 22, further comprising a screen region positioned below the lower muffle extension and configured to prevent one or more external gases from entering the cavity, wherein the screen region comprises two or more apertures.

24. One or more introduction components coupled to the inlet port, comprising an annular ring and a porous ring, or a plurality of circular ports, The furnace system according to claim 22 or 23, further comprising one or more discharge components coupled to the outlet port, the discharge components including a venturi discharge, a pump, a mass flow controller, or any combination thereof.

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