Numerical Analysis of Pulling Speed Impact on Optical Fiber Coating in a Pressurized Applicator

Abstract

Optical fibers manufacturing has become one of the most important and promising processes in different industrial, medical and telecommunications fields. The optical fiber coating is essential to preserve the fiber from various mechanical damages and environmental conditions. This study develops a (2-D) numerical model to investigate the effects of pulling speed and applicator pressure on the fiber coating thickness and uniformity. The model considers the temperature-dependent fluid viscosity and viscous heating effect on the optical fiber quality. The results show that increasing the applicator pressure from 0.5 MPa to 2.5 MPa when the fiber pulling speed is 10 m/s can enhance the coating thickness () from 4.873 μm to 4.935 μm respectively. However, increasing the fiber pulling speed to 40 m/s causing the coating thickness to set back to 4.616 μm and 4.718 μm for the same ascending values of the applicator pressures respectively. Thus, the coating thickness is directly proportional to the applicator pressure, but inversely to the fiber pulling speed. On the other hand, it is desirable to decrease the non-uniformity factor (Un) value throughout the fiber coated film. At for example 10 m/s and 1.5 MPa, fiber pulling speed and applicator pressure respectively, the non-uniformity factor has a value of 0.5 x. Increasing the pulling speed to 40 m/s with same pressure increases the non-uniformity factor to 3 x. Thus, the non-uniformity factor is directly proportional to the fiber pulling speed.