Method and apparatus for controlling and monitoring continuous feed centrifuge
First Claim
1. A continuous feed centrifuge having a bowl rotatable about its longitudinal axis and having a member movable within the rotating bowl, the member being adapted to convey higher density phase materials relative to the interior of the bowl during the rotation of the bowl, the centrifuge further comprising:
- at least one internal sensor including at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of ultrasonic, optical, electronic, acoustical and imaging sensors positioned at least partially within the rotating bowl for sensing at least one parameter in the centrifuge;
an electronic computerized controller associated with the centrifuge and communicating with said internal sensor; and
a control device controlling the operation of the centrifuge, said at least one control device communicating with said electronic controller wherein said electronic controller actuates said at least one control device, at least in part, in response to input from a respective at least one of said at least one internal sensor.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Centrifuges having a rotating bowl and associated computerized systems for monitoring, diagnosing, operating and controlling various parameters and processes of the centrifuges are presented. The computerized control system actuates at least one out of a plurality of control devices based on input from one or more monitoring sensors so as to provide real time continuous operational control. The monitoring sensors may sense process and other parameters and may be located both inside the centrifuge or bowl and outside the centrifuge or bowl and may monitor machine operation parameters and parameters related to the input and output streams of the centrifuge.
183 Citations
41 Claims
-
1. A continuous feed centrifuge having a bowl rotatable about its longitudinal axis and having a member movable within the rotating bowl, the member being adapted to convey higher density phase materials relative to the interior of the bowl during the rotation of the bowl, the centrifuge further comprising:
-
at least one internal sensor including at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of ultrasonic, optical, electronic, acoustical and imaging sensors positioned at least partially within the rotating bowl for sensing at least one parameter in the centrifuge; an electronic computerized controller associated with the centrifuge and communicating with said internal sensor; and a control device controlling the operation of the centrifuge, said at least one control device communicating with said electronic controller wherein said electronic controller actuates said at least one control device, at least in part, in response to input from a respective at least one of said at least one internal sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
-
-
28. An apparatus for controlling a continuous feed centrifuge having a bowl rotatable about its longitudinal axis and having a member movable within the rotating bowl, the member being adapted to convey higher density phase materials relative to the interior of the bowl during rotation comprising:
a computerized control system which monitors parameters within the bowl utilizing at least one sensor adapted to at least partially reside in the interior of the bowl and selected from the group consisting of ultrasonic, optical, electronic, acoustical and imaging sensors and executes control instructions, at least in part, in response to said monitored parameters.
-
29. An apparatus for controlling a centrifuge having a bowl rotatable about its longitudinal axis and having a conveyor in the rotating bowl, the conveyor being coaxially arranged for rotation within the bowl at a relative differential speed with respect to the bowl, comprising:
a computerized control system which monitors parameters within the bowl utilizing at least one sensor adapted to at least partially reside in the interior of the bowl and selected from the group consisting of ultrasonic, optical, electronic, acoustical and imaging sensors and executes control instructions, at least in part, in response to said monitored parameters.
-
30. A method for controlling a continuous feed centrifuge having a bowl rotatable about its longitudinal axis and having a member within the rotating bowl, the member being adapted to convey higher density phase materials relative to the interior of the bowl including:
-
sensing at least one parameter within the bowl of the centrifuge;
utilizing at least one sensor adapted to at least partially reside in the interior of the bowl and selected from the group consisting of ultrasonic, optical, electronic, acoustical and imaging sensors; andcontrolling the operation of the centrifuge using a computerized controller, at least in part, in response to said sensed parameter.
-
-
31. A method for controlling a centrifuge having a bowl rotatable about its longitudinal axis and a conveyor in the rotating bowl, the conveyor being coaxially arranged for rotation within the bowl at a relative differential speed with respect to the bowl, the method including:
-
sensing at least one parameter within the bowl of the centrifuge utilizing at least one sensor adapted to at least partially reside in the interior of the bowl and selected from the group consisting of ultrasonic, optical, electronic, acoustical and imaging sensors; and controlling the operation of the centrifuge using a computerized controller, at least in part, in response to said sensed parameter.
-
-
32. An apparatus for controlling a continuous feed centrifuge having a bowl rotatable about its longitudinal axis and having a member movable within the rotating bowl, the member being adapted to convey higher density phase materials relative to the interior of the bowl during rotation of the bowl, comprising:
-
at least one internal sensor sensing a parameter within the rotating bowl of said centrifuge each of said at least one internal sensor being selected from the group consisting of a sensor sensing cake height, a sensor noninvasively and/or by creating a profile of sensing phase interface position or sensor sensing pool height, a sensor sensing at least one of solid and liquid phase velocity, a sensor sensing the position of a feed inlet, a sensor providing images within the bowl, a sensor sensing solids concentration profile within the bowl, a sensor sensing liquids concentration profile, and a sensor sensing particle size distribution; an electronic controller associated with the operation of the centrifuge and communicating with said at least one sensor; and at least one control device for controlling the centrifuge, said at least one control device communicating with said electronic controller wherein said electronic controller actuates said at least one control device in response to input from said at least one. - View Dependent Claims (33)
-
-
34. A method for monitoring a continuous feed centrifuge having a bowl rotatable about its longitudinal axis and having a member movable within the rotating bowl, the member being adapted to convey higher density phase materials relative to the interior of the bowl during rotation of the bowl, the method including:
-
sensing at least one parameter of the centrifuge utilizing at least one sensor adapted to at least partially reside in the interior of the bowl and selected from the group consisting of ultrasonic, optical, electronic, acoustical and imaging sensors; storing said sensed parameter in a computer memory over a selected time period; and generating a data log of said sensed parameter with respect to time from said computer memory.
-
-
35. A method for monitoring a continuous feed centrifuge having a bowl rotatable about its longitudinal axis and having a member movable within the rotating bowl, the member being adapted to convey higher density phase materials relative to the interior of the bowl during rotation of the bowl, the method including:
-
sensing at least one parameter of a mechanical component relating to at least a portion of the centrifuge utilizing at least one sensor adapted to at least partially reside in the interior of the bowl and selected from the group consisting of ultrasonic, optical, electronic, acoustical and imaging sensors; storing said sensed parameter in a computer memory over a selected time period; diagnosing at least one of status and conditions of said portion of said centrifuge based on said sensed parameters; and executing maintenance of said portion of said centrifuge based, at least in part, on said diagnosis.
-
-
36. In a continuous feed centrifuge having a bowl rotatable about its longitudinal axis and having a member being adapted to convey higher density phase materials relative to the interior of the bowl during rotation of the bowl, the improvement comprising:
at least one sensing device at least partially residing in the interior of the bowl, said sensing device adapted to sense a parameter in the bowl, said sensing device being selected from the group consisting of ultrasonic, optical, electronic, acoustic, and imaging sensors. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40)
-
41. In a continuous feed centrifuge having a bowl rotatable about its longitudinal axis and having a member being adapted to convey higher density phase materials relative to the interior of the bowl during rotation of the bowl, said member including blades extending laterally therefrom, the improvement comprising:
-
at least one sensing device at least partially residing in the interior of the bowl, said sensing device being selected from the group consisting of ultrasonic, temperature, optical, electronic, acoustic, electromagnetic, proximity and imaging sensors; and wherein said sensing device is positioned at least partially through or on one of said blades.
-
Specification