US5148853A — Method and apparatus for controlling the heat tra…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 139 words

A system for monitoring the relative density of a first fluid suspended as bubbles in a second fluid wherein one of said fluids is liquid and the other being gas, said system comprising: (a) a conduit for passing said fluid mixture; (b) one or more light passing surfaces in contact with said fluid mixture in said conduit; (c) a means to transmit light into aid fluid mixture; (d) a light sensor arranged to receive light emitted from said fluid mixture; (e) a generating means for generating a signal related to the amount of light impinging on said sensor; (f) a varying means for varying the amount of gas in said liquid in response to said signal; and (g) means for passing wave energy to said light passing surfaces to clean the surfaces thereof in contact with said fluid mixture.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 139 words

A system for monitoring the relative density of a first fluid suspended as bubbles in a second fluid wherein one of said fluids is liquid and the other being gas, said system comprising: (a) a conduit for passing said fluid mixture; (b) one or more light passing surfaces in contact with said fluid mixture in said conduit; (c) a means to transmit light into aid fluid mixture; (d) a light sensor arranged to receive light emitted from said fluid mixture; (e) a generating means for generating a signal related to the amount of light impinging on said sensor; (f) a varying means for varying the amount of gas in said liquid in response to said signal; and (g) means for passing wave energy to said light passing surfaces to clean the surfaces thereof in contact with said fluid mixture.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 39 words

The system of claim 1 in which said means to transmit light into said fluid mixture includes: a light source arranged to pass light through a light passing surface and through at least a portion of said fluid mixture.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 52 words

The system of claim 1 in which said one or more light passing surfaces in contact with said fluid mixture includes: a first light passing surface for passing light into said fluid mixture; and a second light passing surface for passing light out of said fluid mixture and to said light sensor.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 39 words

The system of claim 1 in which said means for passing wave energy to said light passing surfaces to clean the surfaces thereof in contact with said fluid mixture includes: an electro-acoustic transducer located downstream from said light source.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 43 words

The system of claim 1 in which said means for passing wave energy to said light passing surfaces to clean the surfaces thereof in contact with said fluid mixture includes: an ultrasonic transducer operable at a frequency of between 18 and 80 kHz.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 144 words

In a method for continuously casting metal ingots using a liquid coolant which includes casting molten metal into an open-ended mold used to form an ingot emerging therefrom, providing a liquid coolant, mixing a gas with said coolant liquid so that said liquid contains gas bubbles, using a light source and light sensor to detect the relative density of said bubbles from the scattering of light, comparing said density to a reference range, varying the amount of gas that is being mixed with said liquid when said density is outside said reference range to bring said density within said reference range, and applying said liquid coolant to said ingot emerging from said mold to effect at least partial solidification of said molten metal the improvement comprising: generating waves of sufficient energy to effect cleaning of a light transmitting surface in contact with said liquid.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 144 words

In a method for continuously casting metal ingots using a liquid coolant which includes casting molten metal into an open-ended mold used to form an ingot emerging therefrom, providing a liquid coolant, mixing a gas with said coolant liquid so that said liquid contains gas bubbles, using a light source and light sensor to detect the relative density of said bubbles from the scattering of light, comparing said density to a reference range, varying the amount of gas that is being mixed with said liquid when said density is outside said reference range to bring said density within said reference range, and applying said liquid coolant to said ingot emerging from said mold to effect at least partial solidification of said molten metal the improvement comprising: generating waves of sufficient energy to effect cleaning of a light transmitting surface in contact with said liquid.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 33 words

The method of claim 6 in which said step of generating waves includes: an electro-acoustic transducer downstream from said light source and said light sensor and in fluid contact with said liquid coolant.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method of claim 6 in which said step of generating waves includes: generating waves prior to casting molten metal into an open-ended mold.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method of claim 6 in which said step of generating waves includes: an ultrasonic transducer operable at a frequency of between 18 and 80 kHz.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method of claim 6 in which said step of generating waves includes: energizing an electro-acoustic transducer for about 15-60 seconds.

Claim 13

Independent Claim 92 words

A method for controlling the heat exchange capacity of a first liquid containing droplets of a second liquid or bubbles of a gas, said method comprising the steps of: (a) detecting the density of said droplets or bubbles; (b) comparing said density to a reference density; (c) varying the amount of said second liquid or said gas in said first liquid so that the relative density is within said reference range; and (d) periodically generating waves of sufficient intensity to effect cleaning of light transmitting surfaces in contact with said first liquid.

Claim 14

Independent Claim 92 words

A method for controlling the heat exchange capacity of a first liquid containing droplets of a second liquid or bubbles of a gas, said method comprising the steps of: (a) detecting the density of said droplets or bubbles; (b) comparing said density to a reference density; (c) varying the amount of said second liquid or said gas in said first liquid so that the relative density is within said reference range; and (d) periodically generating waves of sufficient intensity to effect cleaning of light transmitting surfaces in contact with said first liquid.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method of claim 11 in which said step of detecting the relative density of said bubbles includes: a first liquid of water; a discontinuance gas phase within said water; and detecting the relative density of said bubbles within said water.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 29 words

The method of claim 12 in which said step of providing discontinuance gas phase within said water includes: providing carbon dioxide gas as a discontinuance phase within said water.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 27 words

The method of claim 11 in which said of periodically generating waves includes energizing and de-energizing an electro-acoustic transducer to generate ultrasonic waves for of 15-90 seconds.

Claim 18

Independent Claim 101 words

An apparatus for controlling the transfer capacity of a first liquid coolant containing bubbles of a second liquid, said apparatus comprising: (a) a measuring means for measuring the number density of said bubbles to infer the heat transfer characteristics of liquid coolant; (b) a control means for varying the amount of said second liquid in said first liquid coolant so as to maintain the number density is within a predetermined range; and (c) an electro-acoustic transducer in fluid contact with said first liquid coolant capable of generating waves of appropriate intensity to effect cleaning in the area of said measuring means.

Claim 19

Independent Claim 101 words

An apparatus for controlling the transfer capacity of a first liquid coolant containing bubbles of a second liquid, said apparatus comprising: (a) a measuring means for measuring the number density of said bubbles to infer the heat transfer characteristics of liquid coolant; (b) a control means for varying the amount of said second liquid in said first liquid coolant so as to maintain the number density is within a predetermined range; and (c) an electro-acoustic transducer in fluid contact with said first liquid coolant capable of generating waves of appropriate intensity to effect cleaning in the area of said measuring means.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 24 words

The apparatus of claim 15 in which said electro-acoustic transducer is an ultrasonic transducer operable at a frequency of between 18 and 80 kHz.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 84 words

The apparatus of claim 15 in which said measuring means includes: a light source; a first window for separating said light source from said liquid coolant; a second window for separating a sensor from said liquid coolant; and said sensor positioned to detect light emitted from said light source that has passed through said first and second window and said liquid coolant and measure the number density of the bubbles in said liquid coolant to infer the heat transfer characteristics of said liquid coolant.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 19 words

The apparatus of claim 15 which further includes: (d) a timing means for energizing and de-energizing said electro-acoustic transducer.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1995-09-22	1996-03-23	1996-09-22	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1999-09-22	2000-03-23	2000-09-22	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2003-09-22	2004-03-23	2004-09-22	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method and apparatus for controlling the heat transfer of liquid coolant in continuous casting

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