Solid state illuminator for bi-color ported water level gauges
First Claim
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1. A method for determining the water level in a boiler steam drum, heater, or other piping or pressure vessel, comprising the steps of:
- projecting a first light from a first array of light emitting diodes of a first colour;
projecting a second light from a second array of light emitting diodes of a second colour, said light emitting diodes being arranged such that said first and second lights can be projected at various positions;
passing said first and second lights through a heat divider;
passing said first and second lights through a column containing steam and water at a varying level to an opposing side of said column relative to said light emitting diodes, said heat divider separating said light emitting diodes from high temperatures existing at said column;
observing the respective positions of the first and second lights as projected and passed through said column at varying vertical levels; and
determining the presence of water or steam at each of said varying vertical levels based upon the observed position of either of the first or the second lights at said varying vertical levels.
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Abstract
A solid state illuminator and display are provided for bi-colored ported water level gauges suitable for use in high pressure steam drums or similar water/steam devices to facilitate making an accurate determination of water level in such devices. The illuminator includes an array of bi-colored solid state light emitting diodes (LEDs), as the light source, and a precision lens to focus the light provided from the LEDs through a gauge body and onto the view screen.
18 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for determining the water level in a boiler steam drum, heater, or other piping or pressure vessel, comprising the steps of:
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projecting a first light from a first array of light emitting diodes of a first colour; projecting a second light from a second array of light emitting diodes of a second colour, said light emitting diodes being arranged such that said first and second lights can be projected at various positions; passing said first and second lights through a heat divider; passing said first and second lights through a column containing steam and water at a varying level to an opposing side of said column relative to said light emitting diodes, said heat divider separating said light emitting diodes from high temperatures existing at said column; observing the respective positions of the first and second lights as projected and passed through said column at varying vertical levels; and determining the presence of water or steam at each of said varying vertical levels based upon the observed position of either of the first or the second lights at said varying vertical levels. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for determining the water level in a boiler steam drum, heater, or other piping or pressure vessel, comprising the steps of:
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projecting a first light from one or more light emitting diodes of a first colour; projecting a second light from one or more light emitting diodes of a second colour, said light emitting diodes being in array such that said first and second lights can be projected various positions; passing said first and second lights through a heat divider; passing said first and second lights through a column containing steam and water at a varying level o an opposing side of said column relative to said light emitting diodes, said heat divider separating said light emitting diode array from high temperatures existing at said column; and determining the presence of water or steam at said varying level based upon an observed position of either of the first or the second lights at said varying level. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for determining the water level in a water/steam device, comprising the steps of:
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projecting at least one light of a first colour and at least one light of a second colour from respective light emitting diodes variously positioned within an array of high-intensity narrow beam first and second colour light emitting diodes, through a heat divider in advance of a column containing steam and water at a varying level, to an opposing side of said column relative to said array; and determining the water level based upon the position of either the first light or the second light as observed from said opposing side. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification