Abstract: A method of producing an optical fiber is provided that includes the steps of flowing a first gas into an optical fiber draw furnace. The first gas is passed through a heated section configured to contain and heat a glass source from which the optical fiber is drawn, passing the first gas through a muffle which defines a capture chamber. A portion of the first gas is removed through at least one reclaim port operatively coupled to the capture chamber. A second gas flows into a gas screen at a rate configured to substantially recover a pressure drop associated with removing the portion of the first gas.

Abstract: A fiber draw furnace includes a heated section configured to contain and heat a glass source from which an optical fiber is drawn. A lower extended muffle having a first end and a second end. A gas screen is coupled to the second end of the lower extended muffle configured to allow a gas to flow into the lower extended muffle. A reclaim cylinder is coupled to the lower extended muffle including an outer housing defining a reclaim chamber. A plurality of reclaim ports are tangentially coupled to the outer housing and an inner housing is positioned within the outer housing.

Abstract: A furnace system includes a muffle defining a furnace cavity. A lower heater is coupled to the muffle and is configured to create a hot zone within the furnace cavity having a temperature of about 1900° C. or greater. An upper muffle extension is positioned above the muffle and defines a handle cavity. A downfeed handle is positioned within the handle cavity such that a gap is defined between an outer surface of the downfeed handle and an inner surface of the upper muffle extension. An upper heater is thermally coupled to the upper muffle extension and configured to heat the gap. A gas screen is positioned in the upper muffle extension and is configured to inject a process gas into the handle cavity.

Abstract: A cooling device system for cooling optical fiber includes a plurality of bodies (202), each body having a top surface (210) and an opposing bottom surface (212); an opening (204) within each of the plurality of bodies extending from the top surface through the body to the bottom surface, wherein the opening is configured to pass an optical fiber (10) through the body; and one or more air outlets (208) within the body configured to direct air to contact the optical fiber as it passes through the opening, wherein the air flowing out of the one or more openings has an average velocity of about 20 m/s to about 350 m/s.

Abstract: A furnace system includes a muffle defining a furnace cavity. A lower heater is coupled to the muffle and is configured to create a hot zone within the furnace cavity having a temperature of about 1900° C. or greater. An upper muffle extension is positioned above the muffle and defines a handle cavity. A downfeed handle is positioned within the handle cavity such that a gap is defined between an outer surface of the downfeed handle and an inner surface of the upper muffle extension. An upper heater is thermally coupled to the upper muffle extension and configured to heat the gap. A gas screen is positioned in the upper muffle extension and is configured to inject a process gas into the handle cavity.

Abstract: An optical fiber forming apparatus comprises: a draw furnace comprising: (i) a muffle with an inner surface, (ii) an axial opening below the muffle, the inner surface of the muffle defining a passageway extending through the axial opening, and (iii) an upper inlet into the passageway; and a tube that extends into the passageway of the draw furnace above the axial opening, the tube having (i) an outer surface and the inner surface of the muffle surrounds the outer surface of the tube with a space separating the outer surface of the tube from the inner surface of the muffle, (ii) an inner surface that defines a second passageway extending through the tube, (iii) an inlet into the second passageway of the tube, (iii) an outlet out of the second passageway of the tube.

Abstract: A method of processing an optical fiber includes drawing the optical fiber from a heated glass source, reheating the optical fiber, and cooling the optical fiber under vacuum at a cooling rate less than the cooling rate of the optical fiber in air at 25° C. and 1 atm. Cooling the optical fiber under vacuum is conducted after reheating the optical fiber. Cooling the optical fiber under vacuum reduces the rate of heat transfer from the optical fiber, which may enable further relaxation of the glass and reduction in the fictive temperature of the optical fiber. A system for processing an optical fiber includes a furnace containing a fiber preform, a first positioner, a reheating device, and a treatment device downstream of the reheating device, the treatment device operable to cool the optical fiber under vacuum to reduce the rate of heat transfer from the optical fiber.

Abstract: A perfusion bioreactor and a method for using the perfusion bioreactor for performing a continuous cell culture are disclosed. The perfusion bioreactor includes an outer vessel having a housing with a gas permeable membrane, an opening and a cavity; an inner vessel within the cavity; and a lid to cover the opening. A porous membrane within the cavity divides the cavity into inner and outer compartments. A fresh media port extends through the outer vessel or the at least one lid to receive a fresh media tube that has an end located in the inner compartment. A spent media port extends through the outer vessel or the at least one lid to receive a spent media tube that has an end located in the outer compartment. A mixer is within the inner compartment, and the porous membrane is attached to an opening within the inner vessel.

Abstract: A method of processing an optical fiber includes drawing the optical fiber from a heated glass source, reheating the optical fiber, and cooling the optical fiber under vacuum at a cooling rate less than the cooling rate of the optical fiber in air at 25° C. and 1 atm. Cooling the optical fiber under vacuum is conducted after reheating the optical fiber. Cooling the optical fiber under vacuum reduces the rate of heat transfer from the optical fiber, which may enable further relaxation of the glass and reduction in the fictive temperature of the optical fiber. A system for processing an optical fiber includes a furnace containing a fiber preform, a first positioner, a reheating device, and a treatment device downstream of the reheating device, the treatment device operable to cool the optical fiber under vacuum to reduce the rate of heat transfer from the optical fiber.

Abstract: An optical fiber draw system and method of operating thereof. The method includes positioning a downfeed handle for supporting an optical fiber preform within a furnace such that the downfeed handle is movable within the furnace. The method further includes operating one or more heating elements to thermally heat at least a portion of an upper muffle extension disposed within the furnace, the one or more heating elements being moveable with the downfeed handle.

Abstract: A system for processing optical fiber includes a draw furnace, a fiber conveyance pathway extending between an upstream end positioned at the draw furnace and a downstream end positioned opposite the upstream end, where optical fiber is conveyed along the fiber conveyance pathway from the upstream end to the downstream end in a fiber conveyance direction, a muffle in communication with the draw furnace and positioned downstream of the draw furnace, a second cooling device annularly surrounding the fiber conveyance pathway downstream from the draw furnace, the second cooling device including one or more second cooling device heating elements and a first cooling device positioned between the draw furnace and the second cooling device, wherein the first cooling device directs a fluid to contact the optical fiber.

Abstract: A 5-liter bioreactor vessel enables a substantial increase in the volume of biological media that can be cultivated in the vessel compared to conventional designs. Moreover, when agitated at 1.5× the shaking frequency of a conventional 3-liter bioreactor (i.e., 90 rpm versus 60 rpm), the 5-liter vessel achieves a 19% increase in cell aeration without exceeding the maximum shear stress limit for cell viability. The 5-liter vessel optionally includes a plurality of internal baffles configured to disrupt the liquid vortex and reduce the maximum shear stress transferred to biomedia contained within the vessel.

Abstract: A system and method for processing an optical fiber includes a treatment device disposed downstream of a furnace and including a treating zone. The treating zone includes a fiber inlet and fiber outlet and is configured to cool the optical fiber at a reduced pressure below ambient pressure and at a slow cooling rate less than an ambient cooling rate. A nozzle assembly is disposed at one or more of the fiber inlet, the fiber outlet, upstream of the treating zone, and downstream of the treating zone. The nozzle assembly includes multiple baffle plates defining a number of nozzle chambers, each nozzle chamber having a nozzle chamber pressure, wherein each baffle plate includes an orifice having a predetermined effective orifice diameter through which the optical fiber passes. Each nozzle chamber is configured to sequentially change a nozzle chamber pressure between the reduced pressure and ambient pressure.

Abstract: Various embodiments disclosed relate to a method for bending a glass substrate. The method includes actuating at least one heat shield to a first position at least partially covering an edge portion of a first major surface of the glass substrate. The method further includes heating the glass substrate. The method further includes actuating the at least one heat shield to a second position at least partially uncovering the edge portion of the glass substrate.

Abstract: A process and system for forming a curved glass article from a sheet of glass material is provided. The process and system includes supporting a glass sheet on a shaping frame and then heating the sheet of glass material while supported by the shaping frame such that the central region of the sheet of glass material deforms into an open central cavity of the bending frame. The process and/or system are configured such that a steep, localized temperature differential is formed in the region adjacent the outer edge of the glass sheet during the heating stage of the shaping process.

Abstract: An optical fiber production system is provided which includes a slow-cooling device and a purge device positioned above the slow-cooling device. The purge device includes a tube defining an inlet. An optical fiber extends through the slow-cooling device and the purge device. The purge device is configured to inject a purge gas through the inlet and against the optical fiber.

Abstract: Vaporizers and systems for vaporizing liquid precursor for forming glass optical fiber preforms are provided. The vaporizer includes an expansion chamber at least partially enclosed by a side wall, the expansion chamber comprising an upper end and a lower end with the side wall disposed between the upper end and the lower end. The vaporizer further includes a closed-loop liquid delivery conduit positioned in the expansion chamber proximate to the upper end of the expansion chamber, wherein the closed-loop liquid delivery conduit comprises a plurality of nozzles oriented to direct a spray of liquid precursor onto an inner surface of the side wall. Further, the vaporizer includes at least one supply conduit positioned proximate the upper end of the expansion chamber and coupled to the closed-loop liquid delivery conduit, and a vapor delivery outlet coupled to the expansion chamber and configured to direct vaporized liquid precursor from the expansion chamber.

Abstract: A process and system for forming a curved glass article from a sheet of glass material is provided. The process and system includes supporting a glass sheet on a shaping frame and then heating the sheet of glass material while supported by the shaping frame such that the central region of the sheet of glass material deforms into an open central cavity of the bending frame. The process and/or system are configured such that an aspect of the heating experienced by an outer region of the sheet of glass material is less than an aspect of the heating experienced by the central region of the sheet of glass material. The aspect of heating may be the average temperature, the maximum temperature and/or the heating rate, which Applicant believes may reduce certain defects during the shaping operation.

Abstract: A method of processing an optical fiber includes drawing the optical fiber from a heated glass source, reheating the optical fiber, and cooling the optical fiber under vacuum at a cooling rate less than the cooling rate of the optical fiber in air at 25° C. and 1 atm. Cooling the optical fiber under vacuum is conducted after reheating the optical fiber. Cooling the optical fiber under vacuum reduces the rate of heat transfer from the optical fiber, which may enable further relaxation of the glass and reduction in the fictive temperature of the optical fiber. A system for processing an optical fiber includes a furnace containing a fiber preform, a first positioner, a reheating device, and a treatment device downstream of the reheating device, the treatment device operable to cool the optical fiber under vacuum to reduce the rate of heat transfer from the optical fiber.

Abstract: A furnace system includes a muffle defining a furnace cavity. A lower heater is coupled to the muffle and is configured to create a hot zone within the furnace cavity having a temperature of about 1900° C. or greater. An upper muffle extension is positioned above the muffle and defines a handle cavity. A downfeed handle is positioned within the handle cavity such that a gap is defined between an outer surface of the downfeed handle and an inner surface of the upper muffle extension. An upper heater is thermally coupled to the upper muffle extension and configured to heat the gap. A gas screen is positioned in the upper muffle extension and is configured to inject a process gas into the handle cavity.