Apparatus for measuring level of molten metal and method for measuring level of molten metal

• US 9,322,696 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2013
• Issued: 04/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nireco Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nireco Corporation
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Koichi, Kato, Yasumasa
• Primary Examiner(s): Porta, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Riddick, Blake
• Application Number:
  US14/100,108
• Publication Number:
  US 20140091221A1
• Time in Patent Office: 869 Days
• Field of Search: 250/357.1, 250/336.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 11/16 Controlling or regulating processes or operations
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 11/186 by using electric, magnetic, sonic or ultrasonic means
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 2/003 for the level of the molten metal B22D11/181 and B22D11/201 take precedence; level indicators in general G01F23/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/284 Electromagnetic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/2845 for discrete levels G01F23/288, G01F23/292 take precedence

Abstract

Provided is an apparatus for measuring a level of molten metal which has a simple structure and is highly robust against a change in level at a local portion of the surface of molten metal. The apparatus for measuring a level of molten metal according to a first aspect of the present invention is an apparatus which measures a level of molten metal in a mold. The apparatus includes an omnidirectional transmitting antenna; an omnidirectional receiving antenna; and a signal processor. The apparatus measures the level of molten metal in the mold using electromagnetic wave in ultra-high frequency range emitted into the mold by the omnidirectional transmitting antenna.

Claims

1. An apparatus for measuring a level of molten metal which measures a level of molten metal in a mold, comprising:

an omnidirectional transmitting antenna;

an omnidirectional receiving antenna; and

a signal processor,

wherein the omnidirectional transmitting antenna and the omnidirectional receiving antenna are installed at a level which is higher than a surface of molten metal in the direction which is parallel to the surface of molten metal such that they are opposite each other, and

wherein the apparatus measures the level of molten metal in the mold using an electromagnetic wave emitted into the mold by the omnidirectional transmitting antenna, and

wherein the apparatus measures the level of molten metal in the mold by detecting a phase difference between an electromagnetic wave transmitted by the transmitting antenna and an electromagnetic wave received by the receiving antenna.

2. An apparatus for measuring a level of molten metal according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus uses electromagnetic waves of two kinds of frequencies in the ultra-high frequency range.

3. An apparatus for measuring a level of molten metal according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is constructed such that a signal to be emitted by the transmitting antenna is modulated by a first pseudo-random signal of frequency f_M1, a signal received by the receiving antenna is demodulated by a second pseudo-random signal of frequency f_M2 (f_M2<

f_M1), the first and second pseudo-random signals have an identical pattern, and measurement of the level of molten metal is performed in each measurement cycle period T_B which is determined by

T_B=N/(f_M1−

f_M2)

where N represents wave number in a period of the pseudo-random signals.

4. An apparatus for measuring a level of molten metal according to claim 3, wherein the apparatus alternately uses electromagnetic waves of two kinds of frequencies by switching for each measurement cycle period T_B.

6. An apparatus for measuring a level of molten metal according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus measures the level of the molten metal in the mold using an electromagnetic wave in the ultra-high frequency range.

5. A method for measuring a level of molten metal by which a level of molten metal in a mold is measured, comprising the steps of:

emitting an electromagnetic wave by an omnidirectional transmitting antenna;

receiving an electromagnetic wave reflected on the surface of molten metal by an omnidirectional receiving antenna; and

obtaining, by a signal processor, a phase difference between the electromagnetic wave transmitted by the omnidirectional transmitting antenna and the electromagnetic wave received by the omnidirectional receiving antenna to obtain the level of the surface of molten metal,

wherein the omnidirectional transmitting antenna and the omnidirectional receiving antenna are installed at a level which is higher than a surface of molten metal in the direction which is parallel to the surface of molten metal such that they are opposite each other.

7. A method according to claim 5, wherein the emitting the electromagnetic wave comprises emitting the electromagnetic wave in the ultra-high frequency range.