Detection of melt adjacent to the exterior of the bushing in an induction channel furnace
AssigneeInductotherm Corp.
InventorBernard M. Raffner
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus and method are provided for the detection of melt adjacent to the exterior of a bushing in an induction channel furnace. An electrically conductive mesh is disposed around the exterior surface of the bushing facing a refractory that separates the bushing from a channel in which molten metal (melt) flows. The mesh is connected to a grounded voltage source so that when an electrically conductive melt at ground potential in the channel breaches the refractory and penetrates the electrically conductive mesh an electrical circuit is completed through the melt and the grounded voltage source.
Claims9
An apparatus for detection of a melt adjacent to an exterior surface of a bushing in an induction channel furnace, the apparatus comprising:
- an arrangement of spaced apart and interconnected electrical conductors disposed at least partially around the exterior surface of the bushing, the arrangement of spaced apart and interconnected electrical conductors at least partially surrounded by a refractory separating the arrangement of spaced apart and interconnected electrical conductors from a molten metal channel in the induction channel furnace;
- and
- an electrically grounded voltage source electrically connected to the arrangement of spaced apart and interconnected electrical conductors.
A method of forming an induction channel furnace, the method comprising the steps of:
- locating an arrangement of spaced apart and interconnected electrical conductors at least partially around the exterior surface of a bushing of the induction channel furnace;
- and
- at least partially surrounding the arrangement of spaced apart and interconnected electrical conductors with a refractory to separate the arrangement of spaced apart and interconnected electrical conductors from a molten metal channel in the induction channel furnace.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.