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US 8,409,409 B2Granted
System, method and apparatus for measuring electrolysis cell operating conditions and communicating the same
AssigneeAlcoa Inc.
InventorsXiangwen Wang, Robert Hosler, Gary Tarcy
Life of this patent
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Abstract
System, method and apparatus for measuring electrolysis cell operating conditions and communicating the same are disclosed. The system includes a selectively positionable member coupled to an analytical apparatus, wherein the selectively positionable is configured to move the analytical apparatus into and out of physical communication with a bath. The system may also include a crust breaker for breaking the surface of a bath and an electronic device for measuring bath level.
Claims14
A system comprising:
- a metal electrolysis cell comprising a bath;
- a positioner coupled to the metal electrolysis cell;
- and a selectively positionable member operably moveable by the positioner, the selectively positionable member comprising an arm extending between the positioner and an analytical apparatus, the arm having a first end coupled to the positioner a second end coupled to the analytical apparatus, wherein the selectively positionable member is operable to move the analytical apparatus from a first position to a second position, wherein in the first position the analytical apparatus is not in physical communication with the bath, wherein in the second position the analytical apparatus is in physical communication with the bath, wherein the analytical apparatus is configured to measure at least one operating condition related to the bath and communicate the measured operating condition to a host computer through a network, and wherein the bath has a bath surface and the arm comprises a plurality of independently moveable arm segments including a first arm segment that is capable of rotational movement about a vertical axis with respect to the bath surface, a second arm segment that is coupled to the first arm segment and capable of rotational movement about a horizontal axis with respect to the bath surface, and a third arm segment that is coupled to the second arm segment but not independently moveable with respect to the second arm segment, such that the third arm segment exhibits rotational movement about a horizontal axis with respect to the bath surface when the second arm segment exhibits rotational movement about a horizontal axis with respect to the bath surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.