Abstract: In one embodiment, an optical fiber cooling system includes a first cooling tube oriented substantially in parallel with and spaced apart from a second cooling tube such that an optical fiber pathway is positioned between the first cooling tube and the second cooling tube. The first cooling tube includes a plurality of cooling fluid outlets positioned along an axial length of the first cooling tube which are oriented to direct a flow of cooling fluid across the optical fiber pathway towards the second cooling tube. The second cooling tube includes a plurality of cooling fluid outlets positioned along an axial length of the second cooling tube which are oriented to direct a flow of cooling fluid across the optical fiber pathway towards the first cooling tube.

Abstract: This invention involves apparatus and methods for making fibers by passing a molten material like glass, polymer, etc. through orifices or tips in a fiberizing bushing and then cooling the molten material coming from the tips and newly formed fibers using cooling tubes. The cooling tubes are made from precious metals and various alloys comprising precious metals, nickel and one or more of titanium, chromium, molybdenum, etc. The one or more fins attached to the top surface of a hollow tube to make the cooling tubes contain spaced apart gaps, notches and/or slots extending from the top edge of the fin to prevent warping of the fins and to make the cooling tube more bendable, adjustable during the operation of making fibers from molten material.

Abstract: An apparatus for adjusting the cooling members located beneath fiberizing bushings is disclosed having the capability of moving each cooling member, or one portion of each cooling member, in a generally vertical direction, and/or in a lateral and/or tilting direction. Also disclosed is a process of using the apparatus to make fibers from molten material including molten glass.

Abstract: This invention involves apparatus and methods for making fibers by passing a molten material like glass, polymer, etc. through orifices or tips in a fiberizing bushing and then cooling the molten material coming from the tips and newly formed fibers using cooling tubes. The cooling tubes are made from precious metals and various alloys comprising precious metals, nickel and one or more of titanium, chromium, molybdenum, etc. The one or more fins attached to the top surface of a hollow tube to make the cooling tubes contain spaced apart gaps, notches and/or slots extending from the top edge of the fin to prevent warping of the fins and to make the cooling tube more bendable, adjustable during the operation of making fibers from molten material.

Abstract: A cooling apparatus includes a manifold defining a fluid channel, and also includes a plurality of cooling fins connected to the manifold, wherein at least a portion of a surface of the fins includes porous material.

Abstract: A cooling apparatus includes a manifold defining a fluid channel, and also includes a plurality of cooling fins connected to the manifold, wherein at least a portion of a surface of the fins includes porous material.

Abstract: A method and device for reducing the temperature of an optical fiber wherein a housing body is provided a plurality of inner cooling chambers which are-, partitioned from each other by a plurality of partition walls. An axial through hole extends through each of the inner cooling chambers from an upper end of the housing body to a lower end of the housing body for the axial passage of an optical fiber therethough. A plurality of gas injection holes corresponding to the inner cooling chambers are provided in a side wall of the housing body for injecting gas into the inner cooling chambers. A plurality of coolant pipes through which a liquid coolant is circulated extend through each of the inner cooling chambers from the upper end to the lower end of the housing body. The coolant pipes are disposed between the gas injection holes and the axial through hole so that the gas which is injected into the inner cooling chambers via the gas injection holes is not blown directly against the fiber.

Abstract: In a known process for the manufacture of an elongated porous SiO2 preform, SiO2 particles are deposited on the mantle surface of a cylindrical carrier rotating about its longitudinal axis. The SiO2 particles are formed by means of a plurality of deposition burners which are arranged, at a distance from one another, in at least one burner row extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the carrier. The burners are moved in a repeated cycle back and forth along the forming preform and between turnaround points where the direction of their motion is reversed. Measures are taken in the process to prevent or reduce overheating of the preform in the turnaround point regions. These measures can lead to variations in the rate of deposition.

Abstract: A cooler of an optical fiber draw tower, situated below a melting furnace for melting a preform for an optical fiber, for cooling the optical fiber drawn from the preform melted in the melting furnace, includes at least one heat exchanger installed with a predetermined length surrounding the optical fiber drawn from the melting furnace, for cooling the drawn optical fiber. The heat exchanger is formed of a thermoelectric cooler (TEC) for taking electrical energy through one heat absorbing surface to emit heat to the other heat emitting surface and has a tubular shape in which the heat absorbing surface of the TEC surrounds the optical fiber drawn from the melting furnace along the drawing direction by a predetermined length, and the drawn optical fiber is cooled as it passes through the tubular TEC. Also, the cooler further includes an auxiliary cooler attached to the heat emitting surface of the TEC, for cooling the emitted heat.

Abstract: The invention relates to apparatus for manufacturing an optical fiber preform from a tube of vitreous material, the apparatus comprising:

Abstract: An advanced fin positioner for operatively mounting a finshield assembly having cantilevered therefrom a plurality of cooling fins and for facilitating selective positioning of the finshield assembly with respect to a bushing tip plate of a glass fiber forming apparatus. The advanced fin positioner including a body member, nut block and compound lead screw. The body member is releasably attached to a mounting bracket connected to a bushing frame of the glass fiber forming apparatus and has slidably attached thereto at least one slide arm including a vertically extending slot. The nut block is operatively attached to the finshield assembly and to the at least one slide arm and constrained for vertical movement by the slot along the body member. The compound lead screw is operatively connected to the body member and the nut block such that by rotating the compound lead screw, the body member and the nut block act against each other causing the nut block and the finshield assembly to move.

Abstract: A heat-absorbing finshield assembly, which is located adjacent the discharge area of a furnace for producing glass fibers, includes fins spaced along a fluid-cooled manifold such that the fins extend between, but not in contact with, the molten glass fibers emerging from the furnace. The fins may have microfins in their bases which are in contact with the cooling fluid. The fins also may be of variable thicknesses relative to each other along the manifold to absorb different quantities of heat from the emerging fibers.

Abstract: A refrigeration cycle that controls the deposit of foreign matter at inlet or outlet of a capillary tube, which forms an expansion device in the refrigeration, regardless of changeover from a cooling operation to a heating operation. In particular, in a refrigeration cycle using an alternative refrigerant, a junction is provided for joining an end of a capillary tube forming an expansion device to the piping through which the refrigerant flows. The junction has a slope defined by the inside diameter thereof, which gradually decreases from the side of the junction that joins the piping to the side of the junction that joined the capillary tube. An end portion of the capillary tube projects into the junction at the piping side. The projecting end of the capillary tube is opened obliquely to the axial line of the capillary tube. A hole is formed in the peripheral wall of the projecting end of the capillary tube.

Abstract: In a method of making fibers in which molten glass is extruded through orifices in a bushing and cooled with cooling apparatus mounted below the bushing to form the fibers, it has been discovered that using new alloys containing a major amount of palladium and a minor amount of either iridium or nickel to make the cooling members or apparatus offers many advantages. Using semi-automatic welding to attach separate parts of the cooling members or apparatus minimizes porosity in the weld and increases service life.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) is provided for producing continuous glass filaments (30). The apparatus (10) comprises a bushing (20) for supplying streams of molten glass and a drawing device (40) adapted to draw the streams into continuous glass filaments (30). A cooling device (50) is also provided and is located adjacent to the bushing (20) for drawing in heated air from a filament forming area beneath the bushing such that heat is convectively transferred away from the filament forming area.