Method of measuring the level of elevated temperature particulate material

• US 3,983,751 A
• Filed: 07/17/1974
• Issued: 10/05/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Atlantic Richfield Company Incorporated (BP PLC)
• Original Assignee: Atlantic Richfield Company Incorporated (BP PLC)
• Inventors: Cipriano, Lincoln D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Queisser, Richard C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Appleman, John S.
• Application Number:
  US05/489,208
• Time in Patent Office: 811 Days
• Field of Search: 73/295
• US Class Current: 73/295
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/247 for discrete levels

Abstract

An apparatus for determining and/or monitoring the amount of particulate material in an accumulator, which material enters the accumulator at a temperature above the ambient temperature, comprising an accumulator body for holding particulate material; an inlet means located in the upper portion of the accumulator body to allow the particulate material to enter the accumulator body; and a plurality of temperature sensing means located at points of differing height in the accumulator body below the inlet means.

Improved methods for determining and/or monitoring the amount of particulate material entering an accumulator body through an inlet means at a temperature above the ambient are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring the amount of particulate material in an accumulator having an inlet means located in the upper portion of said accumulator to allow said particulate material to enter said accumulator, provided that said particulate material enters said accumulator at a temperature above the ambient temperature, said method comprising:

1. determining the temperature at a plurality of points of differing height in said accumulator below said inlet means provided that the uppermost of said points is in the gas above the level of said particulate material and said uppermost point is at substantially the same temperature as said entering particulate material;

2. repeating step (1) periodically; and

3. measuring the amount of said particulate material in said accumulator by comparing the temperatures determined in steps (1) and (2) wherein a reduction in temperature at any said lower point relative to the temperature at the uppermost of said points indicates that said lower point is below the level of said particulate material and essentially no change in temperature at said lower point relative to the uppermost of said points indicating that said lower point is above the level of said particulate material.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said particulate material enters said accumulator at a temperature at least about 100°

F. higher than the ambient temperatures.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said reduction in temperature is at least about 3°

F.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said accumulator includes outlet means located in the lower portion of accumulator and said points of differing height are located between said inlet means and said outlet means.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said points of differing height are essentially equidistant from the nearest outer wall of said accumulator.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said particulate material enters said accumulator at a temperature at least about 150°

F. higher than the ambient temperature and said reduction in temperature is at least about 60°

F.

7. A method for determing when more than a predetermined amount of particulate material is present in an accumulator, said particulate matter entering said accumulator through an inlet means at a temperature above the ambient temperature, which comprises:

1. determining the temperature at two points of differing height in said accumulator below said inlet means, the lower of these points being in the gas above the level of particulate material when said predetermined amount of particulate material is present in said accumulator and the upper of these points is at substantially the same temperature as said entering particulate material;

2. repeating step (1) periodically; and

3. measuring the amount of said particulate material in said accumulator by comparing the temperatures determined in steps (1) and (2) wherein a decrease in temperature at said lower point relative to the temperature at said upper point being indicative that more than said predetermined amount of said particulate material is present in said accumulator body.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said particulate material enters said accumulator at a temperature at least about 100°

F. higher than the ambient temperature.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said decrease in temperature is at least about 30°

F.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said point are essentially equidistant from the nearest outer wall of the accumulator.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said particulate material enters said accumulator at a temperature at least about 150°

F. higher than the ambient temperature and said decrease in temperature is at least about 60°

F.

12. A method for determining when less than a predetermined amount of particulate material is present in an accumulator, said particulate matter entering said accumulator through an inlet means at a temperature above the ambient temperature, which comprises:

1. determining the temperature at two points of differing height in said accumulator below said inlet means, the lower of these points being below the level of particulate material and the upper of these points being in the gas above the level of particulate material when said predetermined amount of particulate material is present in said accumulator, provided that said upper point is at substantially the same temperature as said entering particulate material;

2. repeating step (1) periodically; and

3. measuring the amount of said particulate material in said accumulator by comparing the temperatures determined in steps (1) and (2) wherein an increase in temperature at said lower point to a temperature below or essentially the same as the temperature at said upper point being indicative that less than said predetermined amount of said particulate material is present in said accumulator.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said particulate material enters said accumulator at a temperature at least about 100°

F. higher than the ambient temperature.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said increase in temperature is at least about 30°

F.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said points of differing height are essentially equidistant from the nearest outer wall of said accumulator.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said particulate material enters said accumulator at a temperature at least about 150°

F. higher than the ambient temperature and said increase in temperature is about 60°

F.