Fire-assaying cupellation furnace and cupellation endpoint testing method

Abstract

A fire-assaying cupellation furnace and cupellation endpoint testing method, the cupellation furnace comprising a furnace body (100), wherein the furnace body (100) is internally provided with a chamber (101) in which a cupel (110) is placed. The cupellation furnace further comprises an inspection camera (300) and a withdraw mechanism (200), wherein the inspection camera (300) is mounted on the withdraw mechanism (200), the furnace body (100) is provided with an inspection hole (102) in communication with the chamber (101), and the inspection camera (300) can be driven by the withdraw mechanism (200) to extend into or withdraw from the chamber (101) via the inspection hole (300). The inspection camera (300) is used to observe the interior of the chamber (101) in real time, a better field of view is provided, a flash phenomenon can also be accurately captured, and automated observation and judgment can be realized, such that labor costs are reduced, and the probability of damage by a toxic gas during manual operations can also be reduced.

Description

Fire assay ash blowing furnace and ash blowing endpoint test method Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of metallurgy, and more particularly to a fire assay ash blowing furnace and an ash blowing endpoint test method. Background Art

[0002] Fire Assay Ash Blowing Furnace is a kind of experimental equipment commonly used in metal detection, especially for determining the content of gold, silver and precious metals.

[0003] To perform ash blowing, the lead button is placed in an ash dish that has been preheated in a 900°C furnace for 20 minutes. The furnace door is closed and the temperature is continued to 950-1000°C for 40-60 minutes. During ash blowing, the lead oxidizes into lead oxide, which penetrates the porous ash dish, removing the lead and a small amount of base metals from the button. Gold, silver, and precious metals remain in the ash dish, forming gold-silver alloy particles. The completion of ash blowing is indicated by the appearance of two "flashes" in the alloy particles.

[0004] When the existing ash blowing furnace is used, the ash blowing end point is mainly judged manually, by repeatedly opening the furnace door and observing with the naked eye based on experience to determine whether the ash blowing end point has been reached.

[0005] The disadvantages of the above method are: repeated manual opening of the furnace door leads to heat loss; harmful gases are generated during the ash blowing process, which can cause harm to the operator; and observation cannot be continued when the furnace door is closed, resulting in missing the ash blowing end point.

[0006] Therefore, there is a need for a fire assay ash blowing furnace to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a new technical solution for ash blowing during fire assay, which can reduce manual operations, ensure personnel health, and improve the accuracy of ash blowing endpoint testing.

[0008] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a fire assay ash blowing furnace is provided, comprising a furnace body, wherein a furnace chamber for placing an ash dish is provided in the furnace body, and further comprising an endoscopic camera and an exit mechanism, wherein the endoscopic camera is mounted on the exit mechanism, and an endoscopic hole connected to the furnace chamber is provided on the furnace body, and the endoscopic camera can extend into or exit the furnace chamber through the endoscopic hole driven by the exit mechanism.

[0009] Preferably, the exit mechanism includes a driving mechanism and an endoscope protective cover, the driving mechanism is fixed to the top of the furnace body, the endoscope camera is fixed to the bottom of the endoscope protective cover, the driving mechanism is connected to the endoscope protective cover and drives it to move up and down, and a cooling mechanism is provided in the endoscope protective cover.

[0010] Preferably, the driving mechanism includes a mounting frame, a driving wheel group, a driving motor and a chain. The driving wheel group is installed in the mounting frame, the driving motor is fixed to the top of the mounting frame and drives the driving wheel group to rotate, and the chain is wound around the driving wheel group and connected to the endoscope protective cover.

[0011] Preferably, a slider is slidably connected to the mounting frame, two ends of the chain are connected to the upper and lower sides of the slider, and the endoscope protective cover is fixedly connected to the slider.

[0012] Preferably, the endoscope protective cover includes an outer tube and an inner tube arranged concentrically, a water circulation channel is provided in the outer tube, an air channel is provided in the inner tube, and the cooling mechanism includes a water circulation system connected to the water circulation channel and an air cooling system connected to the air channel.

[0013] Preferably, the water circulation channel is arranged around the endoscope camera, the endoscope camera is installed in the inner tube, end covers are fixed to the ends of the outer tube and the inner tube, an observation hole is provided at the center position of the end cover, and the air channel passes at least between the endoscope camera and the observation hole.

[0014] Preferably, the bottom of the endoscope camera head is covered with high-temperature resistant glass, and the high-temperature resistant glass is screwed to the bottom of the endoscope protective cover through a glass gland.

[0015] Preferably, the endoscope hole is vertically arranged at a central position directly above the furnace, and the endoscope camera is one or more of a wide-angle camera, a long-wave thermal imager or a short-wave thermal imager.

[0016] Preferably, the peephole is arranged on the side of the furnace, and the endoscopic camera is one or more of a wide-angle camera, a long-wave thermal imager or a short-wave thermal imager.

[0017] Preferably, an observation window is provided on the furnace door of the furnace body, and a fill light is provided on the furnace door facing the observation window.

[0018] According to a second aspect of the present application, a method for testing the ash blowing endpoint using the fire assay ash blowing furnace is provided, comprising the following steps:

[0019] Step 1: Place the ash dish containing the metal to be tested in the furnace and close the furnace door;

[0020] Step 2: Start the exit mechanism to extend the endoscope camera into the furnace;

[0021] Step 3: The endoscope camera identifies all ashtrays, records their positions and numbers them;

[0022] Step 4: collecting image information of the ashtrays in real time, and calculating the brightness of each ashtray in the image information;

[0023] Step 5: When the brightness exceeds the threshold, record the number of the corresponding ashtray and the number of times it exceeds the threshold;

[0024] Step 6: When the number is 2, an alarm is issued and the number of the corresponding ashtray is issued.

[0025] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the beneficial effects of using the fire-testing ash blowing furnace are: using an endoscope camera to directly observe the interior of the furnace, the field of view is better, and the observation accuracy is not affected by the existence of blind spots;

[0026] The endoscope camera can observe the internal situation of the furnace in real time and accurately capture the flash phenomenon, eliminating the need for manual frequent opening of the furnace for observation, making detection more accurate.

[0027] It can realize automated observation and judgment, save labor costs, and reduce the probability of being harmed by toxic gases during manual operation.

[0028] Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

[0030] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of the main structure of a fire assay ash blowing furnace in one embodiment of the present application;

[0031] FIG2 is a side structural schematic diagram of the fire assay ash blowing furnace in FIG1 ;

[0032] FIG3 is a schematic structural diagram of the exit mechanism of the fire-testing ash blowing furnace in FIG1 ;

[0033] FIG4 is a side structural schematic diagram of the exit mechanism in FIG3 ;

[0034] FIG5 is a schematic structural diagram of the endoscope protective cover in FIG4 ;

[0035] FIG6 is a schematic structural diagram of point A in FIG5 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] Various exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement of components and steps, numerical expressions and numerical values ​​set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the present invention.

[0037] The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.

[0038] Technologies, methods, and equipment known to ordinary technicians in the relevant art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, the technologies, methods, and equipment should be considered part of the specification.

[0039] In all examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not limiting. Therefore, other examples of the exemplary embodiments may have different values.

[0040] It should be noted that like reference numerals and letters refer to like items in the following figures, and therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it need not be further discussed in subsequent figures.

[0041] Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0042] As shown in Figures 1 to 6, the fire assay ash blowing furnace in one embodiment of the present application includes a furnace body 100, in which a furnace chamber 101 for placing an ash dish 110 is provided, and also includes an endoscopic camera 300 and an exit mechanism 200. The endoscopic camera 300 is installed on the exit mechanism 200, and an endoscopic hole 102 connected to the furnace chamber 101 is provided on the furnace body 100. The endoscopic camera 300 can be extended into or out of the furnace chamber 101 through the endoscopic hole 102 driven by the exit mechanism 200. After the endoscopic camera 300 is extended into the furnace chamber 101, it can be aligned with the ash dish 110 at the bottom of the furnace chamber 101.

[0043] This embodiment also includes a control device, to which the endoscopic camera 300 is connected. The control device analyzes the images taken by the endoscopic camera 300 and can identify the flash phenomenon that occurs during the ash blowing process, thereby automatically monitoring different ash trays 110 at the same time, reducing manual intervention, which can not only improve accuracy, but also reduce labor costs and reduce the occurrence of safety accidents.

[0044] The control device is, for example, an industrial computer, which is installed with corresponding programs such as image recognition software. It can be trained to recognize the flashing phenomenon of different ash trays 110 during the ash blowing process, and can record the number of flashes of the relevant ash trays 110 and issue an alarm to notify relevant personnel.

[0045] The endoscopic hole 102 is vertically positioned in the center directly above the furnace 101. The endoscopic camera 300 is one or more of a wide-angle camera, a long-wavelength thermal imager, or a short-wavelength thermal imager. The endoscopic camera 300, positioned directly above the furnace, allows for optimal viewing of all ash trays 110. For example, the endoscopic camera 300 is model D-ZD500, which, when coupled with a cooling mechanism, can withstand operating temperatures up to 2000°C.

[0046] In other embodiments, the endoscope hole 102 is arranged on the side of the furnace 101, and the endoscope camera 300 extends into the side of the ash tray 110 for observation, which can reduce the contamination caused by dust adhering to the lens during the ash blowing and heating process.

[0047] As shown in FIG2 , an observation window 121 is formed on the furnace door 120 of the furnace body, and a fill light 130 is provided on the furnace door 120, facing the observation window 121. A bracket is fixed to the furnace door 120, and the fill light 130 is fixed to the bracket. The angle of the fill light 130 can be adjusted so that it faces the bottom of the furnace 101, thereby providing fill light in the furnace 101, allowing the endoscope camera 300 to clearly observe all ash trays 110 and avoiding a decrease in the sensitivity of the endoscope camera 300 in a dim environment. The fill light 130 is arranged outside the furnace 101 to facilitate its adjustment, replacement, and maintenance, and to avoid being arranged near the endoscope camera 300, where it would affect the cooling effect of the endoscope camera 300.

[0048] In one embodiment of the present application, the exit mechanism 200 includes a driving mechanism 210 and an endoscope protective cover 220. The driving mechanism 210 is fixed to the top of the furnace body 100, and the endoscope camera 300 is fixed to the bottom of the endoscope protective cover 220. The driving mechanism 210 is connected to the endoscope protective cover 220 and drives it to move up and down. A cooling mechanism is provided in the endoscope protective cover 220.

[0049] The withdrawal mechanism 200 can protect the endoscope camera 300. During the heating process or when there is no need to observe the furnace 101, the endoscope camera 300 can be pulled out by the action of the withdrawal mechanism 200. The endoscope camera 300 is only inserted into the furnace 101 for observation and sampling within a certain period of time, thereby avoiding damage caused by prolonged time in the furnace 101.

[0050] A temperature measuring device is also installed at the endoscope camera 300. When the temperature at the endoscope camera 300 is too high, it can be determined that the cooling mechanism has failed. The control device can control the withdrawal mechanism 200 to pull the endoscope camera 300 out of the furnace to avoid damage to the endoscope camera 300. The temperature measuring device is a temperature sensor.

[0051] When the endoscope camera head 300 needs to be maintained and cleaned, the withdrawal mechanism 200 can be used to pull out the endoscope camera head 300, making maintenance and cleaning easier.

[0052] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the driving mechanism 210 includes a mounting frame 211, a driving wheel group 212, a driving motor 214 and a chain 213. The driving wheel group 212 is installed in the mounting frame 211, the driving motor 214 is fixed to the top of the mounting frame 211 and drives the driving wheel group 212 to rotate, and the chain 213 is wound around the driving wheel group 212 and connected to the endoscope protective cover 220.

[0053] The drive motor 214 is located at the top, away from the high-temperature furnace 100, to prevent damage to the drive motor 214 caused by the high temperature and to increase its service life. The drive motor 214 can be a conventional electric motor or a servo motor. The motor drives the driving wheel to rotate, thereby driving the chain 213 to move, raising or lowering the endoscope camera 300 a certain distance.

[0054] In one embodiment of the present application, a slider 230 is vertically slidably connected to the mounting frame 211. The ends of the chain 213 connect the upper and lower sides of the slider 230. The endoscope protective cover 220 is fixedly connected to the slider 230. The slider 230 improves the stability of the endoscope camera 300 during movement, reduces vibration of the endoscope camera 300, and increases its service life. This prevents vibration-induced displacement or damage to the lens, protective glass, etc.

[0055] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, in one embodiment of the present application, the endoscope protective cover 220 includes an outer tube 221 and an inner tube 222 arranged concentrically, a water circulation channel 2210 is provided in the outer tube 221, and an air channel 2220 is provided in the inner tube 222. The cooling mechanism includes a water circulation system connected to the water circulation channel 2210 and an air cooling system connected to the air channel 2220.

[0056] In this embodiment, the outer cylinder 221 and the inner cylinder 222 are both fixed to a connecting cylinder 223 , and the connecting cylinder 223 is fixed to the slider 230 .

[0057] The outer cylinder 221 is composed of several sleeves 2211 that are nested and fixed to each other. Gaps are left between the sleeves 2211 to form a water circulation channel 2210. The water circulation channel 2210 is arranged around the endoscopic camera 300. A water inlet 2212 and a water outlet 2213 are provided on the outer wall of the outer cylinder 221. Cooling water enters the gap between the sleeves 2211 through the water inlet 2212 and is discharged through the water outlet 2213 to form a water circulation, which can isolate most of the heat to protect the endoscopic camera 300.

[0058] In one embodiment of the present application, the water circulation channel 2210 is arranged around the endoscope camera 300, the endoscope camera 300 is installed in the inner cylinder 222, and the end of the outer cylinder 221 and the inner cylinder 222 are fixed with end covers 224. An observation hole 225 is provided at the center position of the end cover 224, and the air channel 2220 passes at least between the endoscope camera 300 and the observation hole 225.

[0059] A compressed air inlet 2223 and a compressed air outlet 2222 are provided on the outer wall of the inner cylinder 222. Compressed air can be blown into the inner cylinder 222 and reach the endoscope camera 300 along the inner cylinder 222 to realize air circulation, take away the humid air in the inner cylinder 222, avoid the formation of fog on the endoscope camera 300 and affect observation, and at the same time avoid damage to the endoscope camera 300 caused by humid air.

[0060] As shown in FIG6 , high-temperature resistant glass or the like can be fixed on the observation hole 225, which facilitates observation and also provides protection, reducing the temperature directly acting on the endoscope camera 300. The end cap 224 is connected to the inner tube 222 or the outer tube 221 by a thread, making it easy to disassemble, clean, or replace.

[0061] In one embodiment of the present application, the bottom of the endoscope camera 300 is covered with a heat-resistant glass 311, which is screwed to the bottom of the endoscope protective cover 220 via a glass gland 312. This further protects the lens of the endoscope camera 300, and the screwed glass gland 312 is easily disassembled to replace the heat-resistant glass 311, maintaining a clear view of the endoscope camera 300.

[0062] This fire assay ash blowing furnace is an intelligent automatic determination device for the ash blowing endpoint of fire assay gold. It automatically determines whether the ash blowing endpoint has been reached, eliminating the need for manual repeated opening of the furnace door for observation, reducing heat loss in the furnace and the harm of toxic gases to the human body, and making the judgment more accurate.

[0063] According to a second aspect of the present application, a method for testing the ash blowing endpoint using the fire assay ash blowing furnace is provided, comprising the following steps:

[0064] Step 1: Place the ash dish containing the metal to be tested in the furnace and close the furnace door; open the ash blowing furnace, place the ash dish that has been preheated in a 900℃ high-temperature furnace for 20 minutes into the furnace for ash blowing, close the furnace door, and continue heating to 950℃-1000℃ for ash blowing;

[0065] Step 2: Start the exit mechanism to extend the endoscope camera into the furnace;

[0066] Step 3: The endoscope camera identifies all ashtrays, records their positions and numbers them;

[0067] Step 4: Collect image information of the ashtray in real time and calculate the brightness of each ashtray in the image information;

[0068] Step 5: When the brightness exceeds the threshold, record the corresponding ashtray number and the number of times it exceeds the threshold;

[0069] Step 6: When the number is 2, an alarm is issued and the number of the corresponding ashtray is issued, for example, displayed on a display screen, or directly sent to a corresponding robot arm, which takes out the corresponding ashtray.

[0070] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the beneficial effects of using the fire-testing ash blowing furnace are: using an endoscope camera to directly observe the interior of the furnace, the field of view is better, and the observation accuracy is not affected by the existence of blind spots;

[0071] The endoscope camera can observe the internal situation of the furnace in real time and accurately capture the flash phenomenon, eliminating the need for manual frequent opening of the furnace for observation, making detection more accurate.

[0072] It can realize automated observation and judgment, save labor costs, and reduce the probability of being harmed by toxic gases during manual operation.

[0073] It should be noted that the above detailed description is exemplary and is intended to provide further explanation of the present application. Unless otherwise specified, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs.

[0074] It should be noted that the terms used herein are intended only to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments according to the present application. As used herein, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular form is intended to include the plural form. In addition, it should be understood that when the terms "comprise" and / or "include" are used in this specification, they indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, devices, components and / or combinations thereof.

[0075] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," and the like in the specification and claims of this application and the accompanying drawings are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or precedence. It should be understood that the terms used in this manner are interchangeable where appropriate, such that the embodiments of the present application described herein can be implemented in an order other than that illustrated or described herein.

[0076] In addition, the terms "comprises" and "comprising" and any variations thereof are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that includes a series of steps or elements is not necessarily limited to those steps or elements expressly listed but may include other steps or elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, product, or apparatus.

[0077] For ease of description, spatially relative terms such as "above", "above", "on the upper surface of", "above", etc. may be used herein to describe the spatial positional relationship of a device or feature to other devices or features as shown in the figures. It should be understood that spatially relative terms are intended to include different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation described in the figures. For example, if the device in the drawings is inverted, the device described as "above other devices or structures" or "above other devices or structures" will be subsequently positioned as "below other devices or structures" or "below other devices or structures". Thus, the exemplary term "above" can include both "above" and "below". The device can also be positioned in other different ways, such as rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations, and the spatially relative descriptions used herein are interpreted accordingly.

[0078] In the above detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. In the drawings, similar symbols typically identify similar components, unless the context dictates otherwise. The illustrated embodiments described in the detailed description, drawings, and claims are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be used, and other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented herein.

[0079] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various modifications and variations of the present invention are possible. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, or improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention shall be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A fire assay ash blowing furnace, comprising a furnace body, wherein a furnace chamber for placing an ash dish is provided in the furnace body, characterized in that: It also includes an endoscope camera and an exit mechanism, the endoscope camera is installed on the exit mechanism, an endoscope hole connected to the furnace is opened on the furnace body, and the endoscope camera can extend into or exit the furnace through the endoscope hole under the drive of the exit mechanism.

2. The fire assay ash blowing furnace according to claim 1, characterized in that: The exit mechanism includes a driving mechanism and an endoscope protective cover. The driving mechanism is fixed to the top of the furnace body, and the endoscope camera is fixed to the bottom of the endoscope protective cover. The driving mechanism is connected to the endoscope protective cover and drives it to move up and down. A cooling mechanism is provided in the endoscope protective cover.

3. The fire assay ash blowing furnace according to claim 2, characterized in that: The driving mechanism includes a mounting frame, a driving wheel group, a driving motor and a chain. The driving wheel group is installed in the mounting frame, the driving motor is fixed to the top of the mounting frame and drives the driving wheel group to rotate, and the chain is wound around the driving wheel group and connected to the endoscope protective cover.

4. The fire assay ash blowing furnace according to claim 3, characterized in that: A slider is vertically slidably connected to the mounting frame, two ends of the chain are connected to the upper and lower sides of the slider, and the endoscope protective cover is fixedly connected to the slider.

5. The fire assay ash blowing furnace according to claim 2, characterized in that: The endoscope protective cover includes an outer tube and an inner tube arranged concentrically, a water circulation channel is provided in the outer tube, an air channel is provided in the inner tube, and the cooling mechanism includes a water circulation system connected to the water circulation channel and an air cooling system connected to the air channel.

6. The fire assay ash blowing furnace according to claim 5, characterized in that: The water circulation channel is arranged around the endoscope camera, and the endoscope camera is installed in the inner cylinder. End covers are fixed to the ends of the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder, and an observation hole is provided at the center of the end cover. The air channel passes at least between the endoscope camera and the observation hole.

7. The fire assay ash blowing furnace according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom of the endoscope camera head is covered with high-temperature resistant glass, and the high-temperature resistant glass is screwed to the bottom of the endoscope protective cover through a glass gland.

8. The fire assay ash blowing furnace according to claim 1, characterized in that: The endoscope hole is vertically arranged at the center position directly above the furnace, or arranged on the side of the furnace, and the endoscope camera is one or more of a wide-angle camera, a long-wave thermal imager or a short-wave thermal imager.

9. The fire assay ash blowing furnace according to claim 1, characterized in that: An observation window is provided on the furnace door of the furnace body, and a fill light is provided on the furnace door facing the observation window.

10. A method for testing the ash blowing endpoint using the fire assay ash blowing furnace according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The steps include: Step 1: Place the ash dish containing the metal to be tested in the furnace and close the furnace door; Step 2: Start the exit mechanism to extend the endoscope camera into the furnace; Step 3: The endoscope camera identifies all ashtrays, records their positions and numbers them; Step 4: collecting image information of the ashtrays in real time, and calculating the brightness of each ashtray in the image information; Step 5: When the brightness exceeds the threshold, record the number of the corresponding ashtray and the number of times it exceeds the threshold; Step 6: When the number is 2, an alarm is issued and the number of the corresponding ashtray is issued.

Images