Vortex metal insertion furnace control system
AssigneeGpre IP, LLC
InventorsJohn M. Peterman, Mark A. Roberts
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vortex metal insertion system for a metal recycling furnace, the system having a molten metal flow cycling through the furnace and through a vortex bowl in the system. The system includes one or more process sensors in the furnace, an automated molten metal flow adjustment device, and a computer controller. The computer controller reads the sensor(s) and adjusts the adjustment device to control the flow of molten metal through the vortex bowl based on the reading(s). The system has an insertion port through which scrap metal and other materials may be controllably inserted into the molten metal flow.
Claims20
A vortex metal insertion system for a metal recycling furnace, said furnace having a flow channel for a first flow of molten metal there through, said vortex metal insertion system comprising:
- a. a vortex bowl receiving a second flow of molten metal, said second flow comprising at least a portion of said first flow, said vortex bowl creating a vortex in said second flow;
- b. a first port for the flowing of said second flow of molten metal into said vortex bowl, said first port receiving said second flow at least in part from said flow channel;
- c. a second port for a flowing of molten metal out of said vortex bowl, said second port directing molten metal from said vortex bowl into said furnace flow channel;
- d. an automated molten metal flow adjustment device, said device adjusting a condition of at least a portion of said second flow of molten metal, said condition being one of molten metal flow rate, molten metal flow volume and molten metal temperature;
- e. a first furnace process sensor, said first furnace process sensor sensing a first process condition in said furnace selected from metal flow rate, temperature, depth of flow, and gas level, and generating a first electronic signal indicative of said first condition being sensed;
- and
- f. a first automatic control loop, said first automatic control loop comprising a first computer controller operatively associated with said first furnace process sensor and with said molten metal flow adjustment device, said first computer controller receiving said first electronic signal from said first furnace process sensor and adjusting said molten metal flow adjustment device to control said condition of at least a portion of said second flow of molten metal in response to said first electronic signal.
A vortex for a metal recycling furnace, said furnace having a delacquering chamber and a melt chamber separated from said delacquering chamber, said furnace having a flow channel for a first flow of molten metal there through, a first section of said flow channel being positioned in said delacquering chamber, a second section of said flow channel being positioned in said melt chamber, said vortex metal insertion system comprising:
- a. a vortex bowl receiving a second flow of molten metal, said second flow comprising at least a portion of said first flow, said vortex bowl creating a vortex in said second flow;
- b. a first port for the flowing of said second flow into said vortex bowl, said first port receiving said second flow at least in part from one of said first section and said second section of said flow channel;
- c. a second port for a flowing of molten metal out of said vortex bowl, said second port directing molten metal from said vortex bowl into one of said first section and said second section of said flow channel;
- d. an automated molten metal flow adjustment device, said device adjusting a condition of at least a portion of said second flow of molten metal, said condition being one of molten metal flow rate, molten metal flow volume and molten metal temperature;
- e. a first furnace process sensor, said first furnace process sensor sensing a first process condition in said furnace selected from metal flow rate, temperature, depth of flow, and gas level and generating a first electronic signal indicative of said first condition being sensed;
- f. a first automatic control loop, said first automatic control loop comprising a first computer controller operatively associated with said first furnace process sensor and with said molten metal flow adjustment device, said first computer controller receiving said first electronic signal from said first furnace process sensor and adjusting said molten metal flow adjustment device to control said condition of at least a portion of said second flow of molten metal in response to said first electronic signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.