Method of and means for determining the level of a metallic bath
AssigneeARBED Acieries Reunies de Burbach-Eich-Dudelange S.A.
InventorAlfred Funck
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The level of a metallic bath, e.g. of an iron melt in an ingot mold, is determined by recurrent electro-optical scanning of the interior of the vessel along a narrow vertical strip zone. The output signals of the scanner are processed in an arithmetic unit which averages successive readings, to compensate for fluctuations, and may also receive a corrective signal in order to offset periodic level changes due to an intentional rocking of the vessel. The arithmetic unit may work into a visual indicator and into a controller adjusting the rate of inflow and/or withdrawal to maintain the bath level substantially constant.
Claims8
A method of determining the level of a metallic melt in a vessel subjected to an oscillatory motion, comprising the steps of electro-optically scanning a part of the inner vessel wall and of the adjoining melt surface in a succession of sweeps, detecting the location of the boundary between the wall and the melt in each sweep, translating the detected locations into signal voltages, modifying said signal voltages to offset the effect of said oscillatory motion, and averaging said signal voltages to establish a resulting level reading.
A device for determining the level of a metallic melt in a vessel, comprising:
- electro-optical sensing means disposed adjacent said vessel and operable to scan a part of the inner vessel wall and of the adjoining melt surface in a succession of sweeps;
- rocker means for continuously oscillating said vessel;
- processing means connected to said sensing means for receiving signals therefrom indicative of the location of the boundary between the vessel wall and the melt, converting said signals into signal voltages and averaging the latter to establish a resulting level reading, said processing means having an ancillary input connected to said rocker means for receiving a corrective signal therefrom;
- and
- a load connected to said processing means for indicating said level reading.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.