Systems and methods for manufacturing calcined gypsum and manufacturing gypsum board with material handling chute having in-line measurement device

A system for manufacturing calcined gypsum comprising:

• a calcination unit, the calcination unit including a calcining chamber and a heating unit associated with the calcining chamber, the calcining chamber having 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;
• a material handling chute assembly, the material handling chute assembly including a chute and a funnel assembly, the chute being disposed 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, the chute having an interior surface defining an interior passage through the chute, the funnel assembly being configured to define a converging sample passage disposed within the interior passage of the chute, the sample passage having an upstream open end and a downstream open end that is smaller than the upstream open end;
• and
• an in-line calcination control device, the in-line calcination control device including an analyzer and a controller in operable arrangement therewith, the analyzer being arranged with the chute and configured to analyze at least one characteristic of gypsum passing through the funnel assembly in the chute, the analyzer being configured to generate a calcining control signal indicative of the at least one characteristic, the controller being configured to adjust at least one operating parameter of the calcination unit based upon the calcining control signal received from the analyzer.

A system for manufacturing a gypsum board 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 at least water and calcined gypsum to the mixer, the ingredient supply system including a source of calcined gypsum associated with the mixer to selectively deliver a feed stream of the calcined gypsum thereto;
• a material handling chute assembly, the material handling chute assembly including a chute and a funnel assembly, the chute having an interior surface defining an interior passage through the chute, the chute being disposed between the source of calcined gypsum and the mixer such that the feed stream of calcined gypsum is configured to pass through the interior passage of the chute, the funnel assembly being configured to define a converging sample passage disposed within the interior passage of the chute, the sample passage having an upstream open end and a downstream open end that is smaller than the upstream open end;
• an in-line board control device, the in-line board control device including an analyzer and a controller in operable arrangement therewith, the analyzer being arranged with the chute and configured to analyze at least one characteristic of calcined gypsum passing through the funnel assembly in the chute, the analyzer being configured to generate a board control signal indicative of the at least one characteristic, the controller being configured to adjust at least one of a board formulation and a board line operational parameter based upon the board control signal received from the analyzer.