System and method for manufacturing calcined gypsum with in-line calcination control device
AssigneeUnited States Gypsum Company
InventorBlair Walker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments of a system and a method for manufacturing calcined gypsum can include an in-line calcination control device having an x-ray analyzer. The x-ray analyzer is adapted to analyze at least one of the calcined gypsum being discharged from the calciner and the calcined gypsum being fed into a mixer of a gypsum boardline. The x-ray analyzer is configured to determine the proportion of different calcium sulphate phases found therein which can be used to control at last one of the calciner and the boardline.
Claims20
A system for manufacturing calcined gypsum, the system comprising:
- a calcination unit, the calcination unit including a calcining chamber and a heating unit associated with the calcining chamber, the calcining chamber including an inlet for receiving a supply of gypsum therethrough and into the calcining chamber and an outlet for discharging the supply of gypsum from the calcining chamber;
- an in-line calcination control device, the in-line calcination control device including an x-ray analyzer and a controller in operable arrangement therewith, wherein:
- the x-ray analyzer has an x-ray source and a detector, the x-ray source configured to emit an x-ray beam to strike at least a portion of the supply of gypsum in at least one of a position upstream of the inlet of the calcining chamber and a position downstream of the outlet of the calcining chamber, and the detector configured to measure a response of the supply of gypsum to the x-rays emitted from the x-ray source interacting with the gypsum, the x-ray analyzer configured to generate a calcining control signal indicative of the response measured by the detector, and
- the controller configured to adjust at least one operating parameter of the calcination unit based upon the calcining control signal received from the x-ray analyzer.
A system for manufacturing a gypsum board, the system comprising:
- a mixer, the mixer being adapted to agitate calcined gypsum and water to form an aqueous gypsum slurry;
- an ingredient supply system, the ingredient supply system being configured to selectively feed, according to a board formulation, at least water and calcined gypsum to the mixer, the ingredient supply system including a source of calcined gypsum, the source of calcined gypsum associated with the mixer to selectively deliver a feed stream of the calcined gypsum thereto;
- and
- an in-line board control device, the in-line board control device including an x-ray analyzer and a controller in operable arrangement therewith, wherein:
- the x-ray analyzer has an x-ray source and a detector, the x-ray source configured to emit an x-ray beam to strike at least a portion of the feed stream of calcined gypsum in a position upstream of the mixer, and the detector configured to measure a response of the feed stream of calcined gypsum to the x-rays emitted from the x-ray source interacting with the calcined gypsum, the x-ray analyzer configured to generate a board control signal indicative of the response measured by the detector, and
- the controller configured to adjust at least one of the board formulation and a board line operational parameter based upon the board control signal received from the x-ray analyzer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.