The present invention relates to a flexible sealing assembly (100) for an optical fiber draw furnace (500) comprising a first plurality of curved ring sections (110) arranged in a circular arrangement and a plurality of tension loaders (114) exerting continuous radially inward force on at least one curved ring section. Each curved ring section of the first plurality of curved ring sections (110) is separated from each other and defined by the same radius of curvature. Further, the first plurality of curved ring sections (110) is radially movable such that the first plurality of curved ring sections (110) creates a seal between a glass preform (504) and a vertical hollow body (506) in the optical fiber draw furnace (500). The diameter of the glass preform (504) varies.

The present invention relates to a flexible sealing assembly (100) for an optical fiber draw furnace (500) comprising a first plurality of curved ring sections (110) arranged in a circular arrangement and a plurality of tension loaders (114) exerting continuous radially inward force on at least one curved ring section. Each curved ring section of the first plurality of curved ring sections (110) is separated from each other and defined by the same radius of curvature. Further, the first plurality of curved ring sections (110) is radially movable such that the first plurality of curved ring sections (110) creates a seal between a glass preform (504) and a vertical hollow body (506) in the optical fiber draw furnace (500). The diameter of the glass preform (504) varies.

This raw material supply device supplies a raw material for producing glass fine particle deposits, to a burner and includes a raw material tank; a liquid raw material pipe having one end thereof connected to the raw material tank; a liquid raw material pressure feed pump that pumps siloxane, being a liquid raw material, from the raw material tank via the liquid raw material pipe; a pressure adjustment valve provided on a secondary side of the liquid raw material pressure feed pump in the liquid raw material pipe; an MFC for liquid, connected to the other end of the liquid raw material pipe; and an aeration device that is connected to the secondary side of the MFC for liquid and aerates the liquid raw material. The pipe on the secondary side of the pressure adjustment valve is connected to a location having lower pressure than the primary side pressure.

This raw material supply device supplies a raw material for producing glass fine particle deposits, to a burner and includes a raw material tank; a liquid raw material pipe having one end thereof connected to the raw material tank; a liquid raw material pressure feed pump that pumps siloxane, being a liquid raw material, from the raw material tank via the liquid raw material pipe; a pressure adjustment valve provided on a secondary side of the liquid raw material pressure feed pump in the liquid raw material pipe; an MFC for liquid, connected to the other end of the liquid raw material pipe; and an aeration device that is connected to the secondary side of the MFC for liquid and aerates the liquid raw material. The pipe on the secondary side of the pressure adjustment valve is connected to a location having lower pressure than the primary side pressure.

A burner for synthesization to synthesize glass particles that form a porous glass base material is provided, the burner for synthesization including a raw material gas injection portion to inject raw material gas toward a target, a combustion assisting gas injection portion to inject combustion assisting gas in a direction in which the combustion assisting gas is merged with the raw material gas at a first merging point, and a combustible gas injection portion to inject combustible gas in a direction in which the combustible gas is merged with the combustion assisting gas at a second merging point that is positioned closer to the combustion assisting gas injection portion than the first merging point. In the above-described burner for synthesization, the combustion assisting gas injection portion may also include a plurality of injection ports arranged along one straight line.

A burner for synthesization to synthesize glass particles that form a porous glass base material is provided, the burner for synthesization including a raw material gas injection portion to inject raw material gas toward a target, a combustion assisting gas injection portion to inject combustion assisting gas in a direction in which the combustion assisting gas is merged with the raw material gas at a first merging point, and a combustible gas injection portion to inject combustible gas in a direction in which the combustible gas is merged with the combustion assisting gas at a second merging point that is positioned closer to the combustion assisting gas injection portion than the first merging point. In the above-described burner for synthesization, the combustion assisting gas injection portion may also include a plurality of injection ports arranged along one straight line.

This raw material supply device supplies a raw material for producing glass fine particle deposits, to a burner and includes a raw material tank; a liquid raw material pipe having one end thereof connected to the raw material tank; a liquid raw material pressure feed pump that pumps siloxane, being a liquid raw material, from the raw material tank via the liquid raw material pipe; a pressure adjustment valve provided on a secondary side of the liquid raw material pressure feed pump in the liquid raw material pipe; an MFC for liquid, connected to the other end of the liquid raw material pipe; and an aeration device that is connected to the secondary side of the MFC for liquid and aerates the liquid raw material. The pipe on the secondary side of the pressure adjustment valve is connected to a location having lower pressure than the primary side pressure.

A burner for synthesization to synthesize glass particles that form a porous glass base material is provided, the burner for synthesization including a raw material gas injection portion to inject raw material gas toward a target, a combustion assisting gas injection portion to inject combustion assisting gas in a direction in which the combustion assisting gas is merged with the raw material gas at a first merging point, and a combustible gas injection portion to inject combustible gas in a direction in which the combustible gas is merged with the combustion assisting gas at a second merging point that is positioned closer to the combustion assisting gas injection portion than the first merging point. In the above-described burner for synthesization, the combustion assisting gas injection portion may also include a plurality of injection ports arranged along one straight line.

A burner for synthesization to synthesize glass particles that form a porous glass base material is provided, the burner for synthesization including a raw material gas injection portion to inject raw material gas toward a target, a combustion assisting gas injection portion to inject combustion assisting gas in a direction in which the combustion assisting gas is merged with the raw material gas at a first merging point, and a combustible gas injection portion to inject combustible gas in a direction in which the combustible gas is merged with the combustion assisting gas at a second merging point that is positioned closer to the combustion assisting gas injection portion than the first merging point. In the above-described burner for synthesization, the combustion assisting gas injection portion may also include a plurality of injection ports arranged along one straight line.

Method and apparatus for removing bubbles from a molten substrate. The molten substrate from a furnace passes through a downtube to reach additional manufacturing tools, such as an extrusion bushing. One or more ultrasonic sensors are arranged along the downtube. The ultrasonic sensor(s) transmit ultrasonic energy into the molten substrate and measure a characteristic of the ultrasonic energy, such as a propagation time for the ultrasonic energy to be reflected back to the ultrasonic sensor(s). A bubble is detected when a change in the characteristic of the ultrasonic energy is detected. When a bubble is detected, flow through the downtube is diverted to a duct to remove a slug of molten substrate that includes the bubble.