Regulation of flowrate of liquid furnace products
AssigneeThe University of Melbourne
InventorsNeil B. Gray, John S. Pitsillos
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Abstract
The invention relates to an apparatus and method for regulating the flow rate of a liquid furnace product. The apparatus comprises a heat exchange jacket (10) surrounding a conduit (9) through which liquid furnace products flow. The heat exchange jacket (11) removes sufficient heat from the conduit and product flowing therein to cause a shell of solidified product to form on the internal surface of the conduit. The flow rate in the conduit is controlled by regulating the coolant flow through the heat exchange jacket and consequent shell thickness.
Claims15
A method for controlling the flow of a liquid material in a conduit, said conduit having a means to transfer heat from said liquid material, said liquid material being solidifiable by the transfer of heat therefrom, which method comprises the steps of:
- a) initiating a flow of liquid material through the conduit;
- b) measuring one or more of the following parameters associated with the liquid material flow:
- i) inlet temperature of the liquid material entering the conduit,
- ii) flow rate of the liquid material through the conduit, and
- iii) rate of heat transfer from the conduit;
- c) determining, from the parameters measured in step
- (b) above, a rate of heat transfer from the liquid material flowing through the conduit which will provide a given flow rate of liquid material through the conduit, said rate of heat transfer from the liquid material being determined from a relationship between the heat transfer rate from said liquid material and the flow rate through the conduit,
- d) regulating the rate of heat transfer from said conduit to obtain the heat transfer rate from said liquid material flowing through said conduit, as determined in accordance with step (c) above, that provides the given flow rate through the conduit, the heat transfer from said liquid material causing a layer of material solidified from said liquid material to form on the inner surface of said conduit to constrict the passage for fluid flow through said conduit and provide the given liquid material flow rate through the conduit.
An apparatus for controlling the flow rate of liquid material through a conduit, said liquid material being solidifiable by the transfer of heat therefrom, said apparatus comprising
- i) means for measuring one or more of the following parameters associated with the liquid material flow through the conduit
- (a) inlet temperature of the liquid material entering the conduit,
- (b) flow rate of the liquid material through the conduit, and
- (c) rate of heat transfer from the conduit;
- (ii) means for transferring heat from said conduit, said heat transfer causing the liquid material to solidify and form a layer on the inner surface of said conduit to constrict the passage for fluid flow through said conduit and establish the liquid material flow rate through the conduit,
- (iii) means for determining from the parameters measured by said measuring means, a rate of heat transfer from said liquid material which will provide a given flow rate of liquid material through said conduit, said rate of heat transfer from the liquid material being determined from a relationship between the heat transfer rate and liquid flow rate in said conduit, and
- (vi) means for regulating the rate of heat transfer from said conduit to obtain the heat transfer rate from the liquid material that provides said given flow rate of liquid material through said conduit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.