Systems for detecting and measuring inclusions
AssigneeWorcester Polytechnic Institute
InventorsReinhold Ludwig, Diran Apelian, Sergey Makarov
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Abstract
The present invention relates to systems of methods of detecting and measuring inclusions in liquid metals. More particularly, non-metallic inclusions having a conductivity level different from the liquid metal melt are forced to migrate and are collected on a measurement surface using electromagnetic Lorentz forces. The inclusions and their concentrations are detected at the measurement surface using either an electrostatic detection system or an optical detection system.
Claims47
A method for detecting and measuring inclusions in a fluid metal comprising the steps of:
- forcing the migration of particles in a fluid metal to a measurement region;
- controlling a surface characteristic of the fluid metal in the measurement region by flowing a gas stream over a surface of the fluid metal within the measurement region;
- and
- detecting the particles in the measurement region.
Apparatus for measuring inclusions in a liquid metal comprising:
- a liquid metal source;
- a measurement region in fluid communication with the liquid metal source;
- an electrode device positioned relative to the liquid metal that provides a current path in the liquid metal;
- a current source connected to said electrode device;
- a gas source coupled to the measurement region such that a gas stream can flow across a surface of the liquid metal in the measurement region;
- and
- a detection device that detects inclusions in the liquid metal, the detection device positioned to examine a portion of the surface of the liquid metal in the measurement region to detect inclusions that flow through the portion of the surface.
Apparatus for measuring inclusions in a liquid metal comprising:
- a source of a liquid metal, the liquid metal having inclusions;
- a measurement region in fluid communication with the source of liquid metal;
- an electrode system positioned to provide a current path in the liquid metal;
- a current source connected to said electrodes;
- a gas source coupled to the measurement region such that a gas stream can flow across a surface of the liquid metal in the measurement region;
- and
- an imaging device to sense inclusions in the liquid metal, the imaging device positioned to examine a portion of the surface of the liquid metal in the measurement region and to sense inclusions that flow through the portion of the surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.