公开(公告)号：US11554981B2

公开(公告)日：2023-01-17

申请号：US16890037

申请日：2020-06-02

Applicant: CORNING INCORPORATED

Inventor： Randy Allan Binko ,  Steven Bruce Dawes ,  Nikolay Anatolyevich Panin ,  Bradley Kent Shepard

IPC: C03B37/07 ,  C03B37/014

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for processing optical fiber preforms are disclosed. According to one aspect, an apparatus generally includes a furnace body and a muffle disposed within the furnace body. A space between the muffle and the furnace body defines a first interior volume. The muffle defines a second interior volume sealed from the first interior volume. An annulus gas is supplied to the first interior volume and a process gas is supplied to the second interior volume. A differential pressure gauge is coupled to the interior volumes. A flow controller is coupled to at least one of the gas sources and to the differential pressure gauge. The flow controller receives a differential pressure signal from the differential pressure gauge and adjusts a flow of a gas such that the pressure differential between the first interior volume and the second interior volume is minimized.