Measurement of flow of particulate material by sensing the shadow profile
AssigneeCoal Industry (Patents) Limited
InventorsAndrew Howard Donaldson Park, Brian George Pidgeon
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Abstract
A portion of a beam of light directed towards a flow of particulate material is interrupted with an edge such that the edge casts a shadow across the material. The shadow profile is sensed and a signal indicative of the sensed shadow profile is derived and monitored as a function of flow velocity to determine the volume of flow.
Claims10
A method of measuring flow of particulate material comprising directing a beam of light towards the flow of particulate material, interrupting a portion of the beam with an edge of a member such that the edge casts a shadow across the flow of particulate material, sensing the shadow profile, deriving a signal indicative of the shadow profile, and monitoring the derived signal as a function of flow velocity to determine the volume of flow.
Apparatus for measuring flow of particulate material comprising a light beam emitter for directing a light beam towards the flow of particulate material, a member having an edge for interrupting the emitted light beam such that in operation the edge casts a shadow across the flow of particulate material, a sensor for sensing the shadow profile and deriving a signal indicative of the shadow profile, and a monitor for receiving the derived signal as a function of flow velocity to determine the volume of flow.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.