Patent ID: 7849714

Claim:
A dehydration-sintering furnace comprising: a core tube configured to dehydrate and sinter a porous base material in fabrication of an optical fiber and having an outlet configured to discharge a vapor; a pressure-variation damper connected to the outlet of the core tube; and a trap between the core tube and the pressure-variation damper for collecting the vapor, wherein the trap comprises a trap tank configured to liquefy and collect the vapor; and a drain pipe connected to the trap tank for drainage; wherein the trap tank has first and second fluid port openings, the first fluid port opening communicating with the outlet of the core tube through a first conduit, and the second fluid port opening communicating with the pressure-variation damper through a second conduit; wherein the pressure-variation damper is selected from the group consisting of a balloon-type pressure buffer, a gas flow buffering chamber, and a solenoid valve-controlled pressure-variation absorbing container.