Measuring the thickness of materials
AssigneeUSX Corporation
InventorsGregory A. Meszaros, Roger Marquardt, David I. Walker, John G. Estocin, Frank L. Kemeny
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Radar is used to measure not only the level of slag on molten steel but also its thickness; the measurement is used to calculate the volume of slag, and, in turn the amount of additives for slag treatment. Time-of-flight data are used to identify peaks representing the distances of the surfaces of the slag and the surface of the underlying steel. The concept is applicable to other materials of differing composition, and particularly where the underlying material is relatively more conductive than the overlying material.
Claims20
Method of measuring the thickness of a first material on a second material having a substantially planar surface comprising:
- transmitting and receiving two microwave signals (a) and (b), analyzing time-of-flight data from signal (a) to estimate the distance of the top of said first material from a fixed point, analyzing time-of-flight data from said signal (b) to estimate the distance from said second material to said fixed point, and calculating the difference between said distances to determine the thickness of said first material.
Method of determining the distance of a radar transceiver from the top of a layer of a first material on a second material comprising:
- plotting pulsed radar microwave time-of-flight data or data derived therefrom, from said transceiver to said first material and return, on a distance axis with respect to an axis representing relative amplitude of said time-of-flight data, identifying the first peak thereafter in said data with respect to said relative amplitude, and determining said distance of said radar transceiver from said first material by the position of said peak on said distance axis.
Method of determining the thickness of a first material having a substantially planar surface on top of a substantially planar surface of a second material comprising emitting microwave radar from a transceiver therefor in a geometric pattern toward said first material, performing a first analysis of time-of-flight data for said radar emissions to identify a relative amplitude peak near an estimated first approximate distance which is the estimated approximate distance of said transceiver from said top of said first material, performing a second analysis of said data for data representing the next most distant relative amplitude peak from said transceiver, and subtracting said first distance from said second distance to determine said thickness of said first material.
Method of determining thickness of a first material on top of a second material, both materials having substantially planar surfaces, comprising:
- determining the distance of a radar transceiver from said surface of said first material by analyzing time-of-flight data from a radar transceiver directed at portions of said surfaces of said first and second materials, said portion of said second material surface being substantially smaller than said portion of said first material surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.