Synchronized Vaporizer and Burner for Porous Glass Preform
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Solution Overview
Problem
The use of liquid organic silicon compounds like octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (OMCTS) in manufacturing optical fiber preforms leads to unstable SiO2 microparticle deposition due to irregular vaporization and combustion, causing pipe blockages and uneven heating, which complicates the manufacturing process and increases costs.
Innovation Solution
A manufacturing method and apparatus where the vaporizer and burner move synchronously to stabilize the supply of vaporized OMCTS, using a carrier gas like nitrogen or oxygen to prevent reliquefaction and polymerization, ensuring consistent SiO2 microparticle ejection and flame temperature, and a shorter, uniformly heated gas pipe is used to prevent blockages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If liquid organic silicon compound (OMCTS) is supplied to the burner, then the raw material can be used without complex heating systems, but the OMCTS vaporizes and combusts irregularly causing unstable SiO2 microparticle ejection and flame temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into two independent movable components: the vaporizer that supplies vaporized OMCTS and the burner that combusts the raw material. This segmentation allows the vaporizer to be positioned close to the burner, enabling stable vaporization and combustion while maintaining simple overall system design. The synchronized movement of both components ensures consistent raw material supply without requiring complex fixed heating systems throughout the apparatus.
Solution Approach 2:
The vaporizer and burner move synchronously together in a synchronized manner parallel to the starting member in the longitudinal direction. This dynamic configuration allows the vaporizer to remain close to the burner throughout the deposition process, ensuring stable vaporization and combustion of OMCTS while accommodating the changing position of the starting member. The dynamic positioning maintains optimal heating conditions without requiring extensive fixed heating infrastructure.
2Reliability
If the raw material gas pipe is heated to prevent reliquefaction, then reliquefaction is prevented, but heating unevenness occurs causing localized reliquefaction or polymer generation that blocks the pipe
Solution Approach 1:
The OMCTS is vaporized in advance in the vaporizer before being supplied to the burner. By performing the vaporization action preliminarily in a controlled environment close to the burner, the system ensures complete vaporization without requiring extensive heating of long gas pipes. The vaporized raw material is then supplied to the burner where combustion occurs, preventing reliquefaction and polymer generation issues that would occur in long, unevenly heated pipes.
Solution Approach 2:
The vaporization function is extracted from the gas pipe system and concentrated in the vaporizer component positioned close to the burner. This extraction eliminates the need to heat long gas pipes extensively, as the vaporization occurs in a localized area near the combustion zone. The shortened gas pipe configuration reduces heating requirements and prevents the heating unevenness problems that cause localized reliquefaction or polymer generation.
3Manufacturing precision
If the burner moves back and forth along the starting member, then complete coverage of the starting member is achieved, but the raw material gas pipe must be made longer causing heating unevenness and pipe blockage
Solution Approach 1:
The vaporizer and burner are merged into a closely integrated configuration that moves together synchronously along the starting member. This merging allows the vaporizer to remain close to the burner throughout the deposition process, enabling complete coverage of the starting member while maintaining a short raw material gas pipe length. The integrated movement of both components ensures consistent raw material supply without the pipe length issues that would arise from separate positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The vaporizer and burner move synchronously together in a coordinated manner parallel to the starting member in the longitudinal direction. This dynamic configuration allows the system to achieve complete deposition coverage while maintaining a short, manageable gas pipe length. The synchronized movement ensures the vaporizer remains close to the burner throughout the process, preventing the gas pipe from becoming excessively long and avoiding heating unevenness and blockage problems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach stabilizes the deposition of SiO2 microparticles, reduces the risk of pipe blockages, and lowers costs by eliminating the need for extensive heating and acid recovery systems, while maintaining high purity and reactivity.
Implementation Method 1
in the vaporizer, mixing together and vaporizing the organic silicon compound raw material in a liquid state and the carrier gas to convert the organic silicon compound raw material and the carrier gas into a raw material mixed gas
Implementation Method 2
combusting the raw material mixed gas and the combustible gas in the burner, and ejecting SiO2 microparticles generated by the combustion from the burner
Implementation Method 3
The SiO2 microparticles are generated due to the flame hydrolysis reaction of the OMCTS, based on Formula 2 shown below: [SiO(CH3)2]4+16O2→4SiO2+8CO2+12H2O
Implementation Method 4
depositing the SiO2 microparticles ejected from the burner by repeatedly moving the vaporizer and the burner together, in a synchronized manner, parallel to the starting member in a longitudinal direction thereof
Data Source
AI summary
A manufacturing method of a porous glass preform for optical fiber by depositing glass microparticles on a starting member, including supplying a vaporizer with organic silicon compound raw material in a liquid state and a carrier gas; in the vaporizer, mixing and vaporizing the organic silicon compound raw material in a liquid state and the carrier gas to convert the organic silicon compound raw material and the carrier gas into a raw material mixed gas; supplying a burner with the raw material mixed gas and a combustible gas, combusting the raw material mixed gas and the combustible gas in the burner, and ejecting SiO2 microparticles generated by the combustion from the burner; and depositing the SiO2 microparticles ejected from the burner on the starting member by repeatedly moving the vaporizer and the burner together, in a synchronized manner, parallel to the starting member in a longitudinal direction thereof.