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US 12,098,886 B2Granted
Electric induction furnace with lining wear detection system
AssigneeInductotherm Corp.
InventorsSatyen N. Prabhu, Thomas W. Shorter, Ted Haines, Edward J. Bell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electric induction furnace for heating and melting electrically conductive materials is provided with a lining wear detection system that can detect replaceable furnace lining wear when the furnace is properly operated and maintained. In some embodiments of the invention the lining wear detection system utilizes an electrically conductive wire assemblage embedded in a wire assemblage refractory disposed between the replaceable lining and the furnace's induction coil.
Claims20
An electric induction furnace with a lining wear detection system comprising:
- a replaceable lining having an inner boundary surface and an outer boundary surface, the inner boundary surface of the replaceable lining forming an interior volume of the electric induction furnace;
- an induction coil at least partially surrounding an exterior height of the replaceable lining, the induction coil disposed within a coil refractory material;
- a furnace ground circuit having at a first circuit end a ground probe protruding into the interior volume of the electric induction furnace and a second circuit end terminating at an electrical ground connection external to the electric induction furnace;
- at least one electrically conductive wire assemblage embedded within a wire assemblage refractory disposed between the outer boundary surface of a wall of the replaceable lining and the coil refractory material, the at least one electrically conductive wire assemblage forming an electrically discontinuous wire assemblage boundary between the wire assemblage refractory in which the at least one electrically conductive wire assemblage is embedded and the replaceable lining;
- and
- a direct current voltage source having a positive electric potential connected to one of the at least one electrically conductive wire assemblage, and a negative electric potential connected to the electrical ground connection, a wall lining wear detection circuit formed between the positive electric potential connected to the one of the at least one electrically conductive wire assemblage, and the negative electric potential connected to the electrical ground connection;
- whereby electrical energy is transferred between the furnace ground circuit and the wall lining wear detection circuit causing a wall DC leakage current level in the wall lining wear detection circuit to change as the wall of the replaceable lining is consumed and electrical resistance between the furnace ground circuit and the wall lining wear detection circuit decreases;
- at least one electrically conductive bottom mesh or wire assemblage embedded within a castable refractory disposed below the outer boundary surface of a bottom of the replaceable lining;
- and
- a bottom lining wear direct current voltage source having a bottom lining wear positive electric potential connected to the at least one electrically conductive bottom mesh or wire assemblage and a bottom lining wear negative electric potential connected to the electrical ground connection, a bottom lining wear detection circuit formed between the bottom lining wear positive electric potential connected to the at least one electrically conductive mesh or wire assemblage, and the bottom lining wear negative electric potential connected to the electrical ground connection;
- whereby electrical energy is transferred between the furnace ground circuit and the bottom lining wear detection circuit causing the level of a bottom lining DC leakage current in the bottom lining wear detection circuit to change as the bottom of the replaceable lining is consumed and electrical resistance between the furnace ground circuit and the bottom lining wear detection circuit decreases.
8 more elements
An electric induction furnace with a lining wear detection system comprising:
- a replaceable lining having an inner boundary surface and an outer boundary surface, the inner boundary surface of the replaceable lining forming an interior volume of the electric induction furnace;
- an induction coil at least partially surrounding an exterior height of the electric induction furnace in which the replaceable lining is disposed, the induction coil disposed within a coil refractory lining;
- a furnace ground circuit having at a first circuit end at a ground probe protruding into the interior volume of the electric induction furnace and a second circuit end terminating at an electrical ground connection external to the electric induction furnace;
- at least one electrically conductive wire assemblage embedded within a castable refractory disposed between the outer boundary surface of a wall of the replaceable lining and the coil refractory lining, the at least one electrically conductive wire assemblage forming an electrically discontinuous wire assemblage boundary between the castable refractory in which the at least one electrically conductive wire assemblage is embedded and the replaceable lining;
- a direct current voltage source having a positive electric potential connected to one of the at least one the electrically conductive wire assemblage, and a negative electric potential connected to the electrical ground connection, a wall lining wear detection circuit formed between the positive electric potential connected to the one of the at least one electrically conductive wire assemblage, and the negative electric potential connected to the electrical ground connection;
- whereby electrical energy is transferred between the furnace ground circuit and the wall lining wear detection circuit causing a wall DC leakage current level in the wall lining wear detection circuit to change as the wall of the replaceable lining is consumed and electrical resistance between the furnace ground circuit and the wall lining wear detection circuit decreases;
- at least one electrically conductive bottom mesh or wire assemblage embedded within a bottom castable refractory disposed below a bottom outer boundary surface of a bottom of the replaceable lining, the at least one electrically conductive bottom mesh or wire assemblage forming an electrically discontinuous mesh or wire assemblage boundary below the bottom castable refractory in which the at least one electrically conductive bottom mesh or wire assemblage is embedded;
- and
- a bottom lining wear direct current voltage source having a bottom lining wear positive electric potential connected to one of the at least one electrically conductive bottom mesh or wire assemblage and a bottom lining wear negative electric potential connected to the electrical ground connection, a bottom lining wear detection circuit formed between the bottom lining wear positive electric potential connected to the one of the at least one electrically conductive bottom mesh or wire assemblage, and the bottom lining wear negative electric potential connected to the electrical ground connection;
- whereby electrical energy is transferred between the furnace ground circuit and the bottom lining wear detection circuit causing the level of a bottom lining DC leakage current in the bottom lining wear detection circuit to change as the bottom of the replaceable lining is consumed and electrical resistance between the furnace ground circuit and the bottom lining wear detection circuit decreases.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.