Differences between air-blown fiber optic systems and traditional fiber optic cabling

What are the differences between air-blown fiber optic systems and traditional fiber optic cabling? Let's go to find out together!

Air Blown Fiber System

What are the differences between the air-blown fiber optic system and traditional fiber optic wiring

The principle of traditional fiber optic installation is that the fiber optic cable is placed in a conduit or trunking; then it is dragged from one point to another. Even a large fiber optic cable with 288 fibers is no more than 1 inch in diameter, much smaller than the multi-pipe structures used in air-blown fiber optic systems. After the optical cable is pulled, the optical fiber is laid and terminated to the hardware device.

The link loss can be determined and the fiber can be put into service. Because no hardware is required except at both ends of the cable, the material cost of this system is lower than that of an air-blown fiber optic system. The design is fixed to facilitate long-term maintenance, and the system can be moved or changed without having the installer come back for a new upgrade. And single-mode fiber can be installed, providing a future upgrade path.

Air-blown fiber optic systems in LAN environments claim lower cost advantages that traditional fiber optic cabling systems cannot match. Air-blown fiber systems are said to save space and time; while also improving system design and flexibility. However, other issues also need to be considered, such as compliance with standards, cost, open vendor support, quality and robustness, scale and ease of use. Whether choosing an air-blown fiber optic system or a traditional system to install fiber optic cables, unforeseen needs may arise in the future.

The flexibility in both traditional and air-blown fiber systems directly affects the cost of the overall system. With an air-blown fiber optic system, the fiber cannot be installed without providing conduit between the two points. As with traditional fiber optic systems, new fibers are installed without fiber. However, as described in the design chapter, if redundant links are installed as part of a traditional cabling design; then the various routing, loop topologies and additional required can be easily addressed using patching or network switches of fiber.

With the air-blown optical fiber system, the installation situation depends on the diameter of the optical fiber product, the diameter of the conduit, the friction index of the material used, the air flow, the air pressure, the number of vertical rises, the obstruction of the conduit, the discontinuity of the conduit and other parameters. These factors can lead to uncertainty in installation distance and height. Also, if changes are made in the future, fiber optic needs to be installed where there are no conduits or pipes, and the laying of conduit systems within the building will be a significant impediment.

After a period of time, the conduit or piping system may be subjected to severe handling. Common building applications involve the installation of additional fiber optic cables, the installation of routine services on utilities (power, alarms, sprinklers, HVAC, speakers, compressed air, indoor plumbing, etc.), and installations that may be hazardous to existing facilities Operation.

If a pipe looks durable, it has to be. Maintenance workers may think that the air-blown fiber optic duct may be more durable than it actually is, and treat it with that feeling. It is worth noting that the air blowing program is sensitive to humidity and temperature, and the air blowing performance will vary in different environments; however, the traditional wiring system is extremely stable and strong; it can adapt to a wide range of temperature changes and various environmental conditions.

If the duct is blocked, ruptured or the airflow is incomplete, any cost or time advantage will quickly disappear. Also, it will always happen that no plumbing is installed where future additions to the system are required. Although; the cost of installing empty ducts may be lower, but both fiber and air blowing costs are high, so the final installation cost is higher than traditional fiber optic systems (up to 50% difference).

In voice, data or video communication, reliability is one of the most important aspects that a communication system provides. To ensure reliability, it is safer to use tested, industry-standard fiber optic cable products. These standards include not only fiber optic standards, but also mechanical ones. and environmental indices such as fire and smoke requirements.

Optical cable and conduit products must be able to withstand rough handling during installation; and non-general in-building use. Routine building maintenance, overcrowding in access areas, and moving or relocating utilities create potential difficulties for future installation teams to remove or connect fiber optic cables to blow in more fiber. Using a product that does not meet industry standards or has not been tested carries a certain level of risk, sacrificing system reliability, and may create a single-source situation.

Air-blown fiber is an alternative product that has not been widely accepted by the LAN application market. It is a proprietary technology and existing versions use different or incompatible components and technologies. This limits options now and in the future.

System integrity will eventually become an important reality requirement. A system that is considered cost-effective with due consideration to future conditions creates warranty and liability challenges. Who is responsible for unrealized expectations that are discovered years after the initial work is done? What is the level of reliability? What is its impact on development? How do you determine the real cause of the problem, and who pays for it? With traditional cabling infrastructure, These problems can be designed in advance.

Traditional fiber optic cable designs and patch rack hardware allow entry from mid-sections and allow fiber to "flow" through mid-points. Splices and connectors are only used when fiber exit points are required or for convenience. It seems impractical to splicing out intermediate segments from non-standard, plastic-coated fiber optic products.

In fact, breaking in the middle can destroy the aerodynamic integrity of the air-blown fiber optic conduit. To benefit from the simplicity of air-blown fiber installation, it is necessary to create a homing line from the computer room to each termination point; otherwise, air-blown equipment must be installed in multiple locations. From a bonding and interconnection perspective, there are no clear advantages to air-blown fiber optic systems.

Termination of air-blown cables is no different from conventional cables; however, more attention to the bend radius is required to allow the bundle of tubes to have a good air-blown environment (bending too tightly will shorten the air-blown core distance).

Fiber optic protection in ducts is limited and, moreover, there are no internal strength members, etc. It does not have the same level of tensile strength, or compressive strength, as traditional fiber optic cables.

Once the wiring is complete and commissioned, traditional wiring systems require little maintenance. Ports or equipment can be added as needed and operations will not be affected too much; however, air-blown fiber optic systems require an installer to be on-site during operation. Maintenance of air-blown fiber distribution systems requires accurate pipe distribution records, a variety of specialized fiber optic cable bonding and insertion hardware, air-blown equipment, and well-trained installers.

Compressor air is required to blow the fiber, which may have health and safety implications and will not be available for future air blowing in industrial or office environments. One thing that should be considered for all air-blown fiber optic networks is air blockages at the interior or exterior junctions of building populations, as well as water blockages from exterior and underground laying.

Air-blown fiber is a technically feasible method of installing fiber optic cables inside buildings. But even under ideal application conditions, system reliability is extremely important. We therefore recommend using products that comply with industry standards. The numerous application considerations described earlier make planning an air-blown fiber optic system as difficult as planning a traditional cabling system. In traditional cabling systems, redundant links can be easily designed into traditional cabling systems; but in air-blown fiber optic systems, redundant links will complicate installers' access in the future.

Traditional fiber optic cable systems meet industry standards and are supported by multiple vendors. From the perspective of initial cost, the investment in traditional architectural fiber optic cable installation is higher than that of the air-blown fiber optic system, but it requires no more joints and connectors than the air-blown fiber optic system, and the maintenance cost will be lower in the future. of users will only be able to rely on individual manufacturers to provide follow-on expensive products or to improve performance.

Traditional fiber optic cabling technology is a certified and standards-based approach that will easily meet the requirements of demanding LAN customers in the future. Wiring should only be done once! Who wants to have the installer come to the site often? It is recommended to use the traditional fiber optic building wiring system; it is to achieve long-term system reliability, timely and flexible use. The best building fiber cabling option for cost predictability and full industry standard compatibility.