Detection of electrostatic charge in flowing materials

Claim 2

Apparatus for use with a conduit carrying a turbulently flowing material for detecting electrostatic charge therein, comprising an electrode associated with the conduit for the material so that there will be induced on the electrode a potential dependent on the electrostatic charge concentration in the material flowing through the conduit, and means responsive to the magnitude of an alternating component of the induced potential said alternating component being due to the turbulence and having a maximum frequency characteristic of the audio frequency range.

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the conduit is a pneumatic cOnveyor.

Claim 4

Apparatus for detecting electrostatic charge generated in a turbulently flowing material comprising: a conduit for carrying the flow of said material; an electrode associated with said conduit and in intimate contact with the flowing material wherein there is induced on the electrode a potential having direct and alternating components dependent upon the magnitude of the electrostatic charge concentration in the, material, the latter induced as a result of the turbulent flow of material through the conduit; and means responsive to the magnitude of the alternating component of the induced potential due to the turbulence for producing an output dependent thereon.

Claim 5

Apparatus for detecting electrostatic charge generated in a turbulently flowing material comprising: a conduit for carrying the flow of said material; an electrode associated with said conduit and in intimate contact with the flowing material wherein there is induced on the electrode a potential having direct and alternating components dependent upon the magnitude of the electrostatic charge concentration in the, material, the latter induced as a result of the turbulent flow of material through the conduit; and means responsive to the magnitude of the alternating component of the induced potential due to the turbulence for producing an output dependent thereon.

Claim 6

Apparatus accoding to claim 3 wherein said conduit comprises a pneumatic conveyor.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said pneumatic conveyor is a cylindrical member having an aperture therein and said electrode is disposed so as to seal said aperture and dielectric member is disposed between said electrode and said cylindrical member for insultaing one from the other.

Claim 8

Apparatus for detecting electrostatic charge in a turbulently flowing material, the apparatus comprising: an electrode associated with a conduit for the flowing material so as to be exposed in a substantially invariant manner to the influence of electrostatic charge in material flowing through said conduit, whereby when material containing electrostatic charge flows unidirectionally through said conduit in a turbulent manner therewill be induced on said electrode a potential dependent on the electrostatic charge concentration and having both a direct component and a randomly fluctuating component the latter due to he turbulence; and means responsive to the magnitude of said randomly fluctuating component of the induced potential at no greater than the audio frequency range.

Claim 9

Apparatus for detecting electrostatic charge in a turbulently flowing material, the apparatus comprising: an electrode associated with a conduit for the flowing material so as to be exposed in a substantially invariant manner to the influence of electrostatic charge in material flowing through said conduit, whereby when material containing electrostatic charge flows unidirectionally through said conduit in a turbulent manner therewill be induced on said electrode a potential dependent on the electrostatic charge concentration and having both a direct component and a randomly fluctuating component the latter due to he turbulence; and means responsive to the magnitude of said randomly fluctuating component of the induced potential at no greater than the audio frequency range.

Claim 12

A method according to claim 7, in which the flowing material is a pneumatically conveyed particulate material.

Claim 13

Apparatus for detecting an electrostatic charge existent in a turbulently flowing material, comprising: an electrode, a conduit associated therewith for carrying the flowing material unidirectionally therethrough, said electrode exposed to the influence of said electrostatic charge in the material in a substantially invariant manner, and said electrostatic charge inducing on said electrode a potential dependent upon charge concentration thereof, said potential exhibiting both a direct component and a randomly fluctuating component the latter component due to the turbulence; and means responsive to the magnitude of said randomly fluctuating component of the induced potential for producing an output indicative thereof.

Claim 14

Apparatus for detecting an electrostatic charge existent in a turbulently flowing material, comprising: an electrode, a conduit associated therewith for carrying the flowing material unidirectionally therethrough, said electrode exposed to the influence of said electrostatic charge in the material in a substantially invariant manner, and said electrostatic charge inducing on said electrode a potential dependent upon charge concentration thereof, said potential exhibiting both a direct component and a randomly fluctuating component the latter component due to the turbulence; and means responsive to the magnitude of said randomly fluctuating component of the induced potential for producing an output indicative thereof.

Claim 17

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the frequency of the alternating current component is up to about 4,000 Hz.

Claim 18

The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the frequency of the alternating current component is up to about 4,000 Hz.