Abstract: A method an apparatus for continuously producing optical waveguide fiber and preforms. A continuous supply of core cane is provided to a walled deposition chamber upon which glass soot is deposited to form a soot preform. The preform is passed through an aligned drying, consolidation and draw chambers from which an optical fiber may be drawn. In one embodiment, a plurality of burners are positioned at different radial distances from a longitudinal axis of the cane in the deposition chamber. One or more environmental seal(s) are provided to prevent process gasses or contaminants from flowing into or between the chambers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for rapidly forming a porous glass preform is provided in which an array of burners is oscillated along a path parallel to the longitudinal axis of the preform. Unlike existing soot deposition techniques, the oscillation amplitude is limited so that each burner deposits soot on only a portion of the preform, e.g., 20% of the preform. By controlling inter-burner variability and the air flow in the burner-array/preform region, preforms having substantially uniform axial properties are obtained notwithstanding the fact that different burners are used to laydown different parts of the preform.

Abstract: Apparatus for rapidly forming a porous glass preform is provided in which an array of burners is oscillated along a path parallel to the longitudinal axis of the preform. The oscillation amplitude is limited so that each burner deposits soot on only a portion of the preform, e.g., 20% of the preform. By controlling inter-burner variability and the air flow in the burner-array/preform region, preforms having substantially uniform diameter and axial properties are obtained.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the mixing of relatively small amounts of liquid or liquefied additive with relatively large amounts of solid granular material comprising: forming, in a conduit, a continuous pneumatic- or gravity-borne stream of solid granular material; passing an inert gas stream through a constricting orifice to maintain sonic velocity flow conditions therein; concurrently introducing a stream of said liquid or liquefied additive into said inert gas stream in said constricting orifice under conditions such that combined stream sonic velocity flow conditions are maintained; and introducing the resulting combined liquid or liquefied additive and inert gas streams into said conduit to effect addition of said liquid or liquefied additive to said solid granular material.