Crack detection and measurement in metallurgical vessels
AssigneeProcess Metrix
InventorThomas Lawrence HARVILL
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatuses, methods, and systems are disclosed to detect and measure cracks in the lining of a container. A typical apparatus includes a scanning device to acquire a cloud of data points by measuring distances from the scanning device to a plurality of points on the surface of lining material and a controller to fit a polygonal mesh and a minimum surface through the cloud of data points, a crack being detected by a portion of the polygonal mesh containing a connected group of polygons that extends past the minimum surface beyond a threshold distance.
Claims21
An apparatus configured to detect and measure a crack on a surface of a lining of a container, said apparatus, comprising:
- a scanning device having a laser, optics, a scanner, a photodetector, and receiver electronics, the scanning device being configured to generate a cloud of data points by measuring distances from the scanning device to a plurality of points on the surface of the lining of the container;
- and
- a controller connected to the scanning device, the controller being configured to fit a polygonal mesh through the cloud of data points using a resolution selected by a user, and, to fit a minimum surface through the cloud of data points, wherein the crack is detected by a portion of the polygonal mesh containing a group of polygons that extends past the minimum surface beyond a threshold distance selected by the user and the crack is measured by calculating a plurality of dimensions of the group of polygons.
A method for detecting and measuring a crack on a surface of a lining of a container, said method, comprising:
- fitting a polygonal mesh through a cloud of data points, the polygonal mesh having a resolution specified by a user and the cloud of data points being collected by a scanning device by measuring distances from the scanning device to a plurality of points on the surface of the lining material of the container;
- and
- fitting a minimum surface through the cloud of data points, wherein the crack is detected by a portion of the polygonal mesh containing a group of polygons that extends past the minimum surface beyond a threshold distance selected by the user and the crack is measured by calculating a plurality of dimensions of the group of polygons.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.