Optical Device Temperature Measurement in Molten Metal Baths
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing temperature measurement systems for molten metal baths face challenges in achieving precise and accurate readings due to the fragility of optical devices, which are prone to friction, torsion, and damage during immersion and retraction, especially in harsh metallurgical environments, leading to unreliable data and high maintenance requirements.
Innovation Solution
A measuring apparatus comprising an optical device with an inner and outer metal tube, a rotatable support, moving means, and a guiding system, designed to minimize friction and torsion, allowing for controlled feeding and retracting of the optical device with minimal exposure, ensuring accurate and reliable temperature measurements with low maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the optical device is fed fast enough to reach adequate immersion depth before decomposition, then measurement speed and reliability improve, but friction and impact effects increase leading to damage of the optical fiber
Solution Approach 1:
A friction-reducing agent is applied to the guiding tube before the optical device is fed through it. This cushioning measure is prepared in advance to reduce friction during high-speed feeding, allowing the optical device to reach immersion depth quickly without damaging the optical fiber from frictional forces.
Solution Approach 2:
A guiding tube acts as an intermediary component between the feeding mechanism and the molten metal bath. The guiding tube, when combined with friction-reducing agent, mediates the interaction between the optical device and the harsh environment, enabling fast feeding while protecting the optical fiber from damage.
2Temperature
If the optical device is surrounded by protective metal tubes, then protection from thermal influences improves, but sensitivity to external physical factors increases
Solution Approach 1:
The optical device has different sections with different protective qualities. The outer metal tube provides thermal protection where needed, while the guiding tube section allows for friction reduction. This local differentiation of protective qualities enables thermal protection without excessive sensitivity to external physical factors throughout the entire device.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical device employs a composite structure with multiple metal tubes (inner and outer tubes) with different properties. The inner tube provides structural support while the outer tube provides thermal protection. This composite construction allows the device to withstand thermal influences while maintaining appropriate sensitivity characteristics.
3Power
If high acceleration and deacceleration rates are used for feeding, then immersion depth is reached quickly, but friction and impact effects increase causing damage
Solution Approach 1:
The friction-reducing agent is applied beforehand to the guiding tube to cushion against the high acceleration and deacceleration forces. This preparation enables the system to deliver high feeding power quickly while the friction-reducing agent prevents impact effects from damaging the optical fiber during rapid movement.
4Measurement precision
If the optical device is exposed to the harsh metallurgical environment, then measurement accuracy improves, but degradation and damage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The guiding tube serves as an intermediary that allows the optical device to access the harsh metallurgical environment for accurate measurements while providing a controlled interface. The friction-reducing agent applied to the guiding tube further mediates the interaction, reducing degradation from friction during insertion and extraction, thus improving reliability without sacrificing measurement precision.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The apparatus provides precise and reliable temperature measurements by minimizing exposure to frictional and torsional forces, ensuring accurate data quality comparable to standard immersion thermocouples, with reduced maintenance needs and improved operational control.
Implementation Method 1
The optical fiber may be provided as a virtually endless fiber which is wound on a coil and unwound for conducting a measurement. For measuring the temperature of the molten metal bath, such an optical fiber is fed into the metallurgical vessel, from where it can convey thermal radiation received from the molten metal to a detector, where the optical signal is converted to a temperature value.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a measuring apparatus for measuring the temperature of a molten metal bath, comprising an optical device, a detecting means, a storing unit for the optical device, a rotatable support for the storing unit for the optical device, a moving means, a straightening means, a housing and a guiding system connected to the housing. The housing encloses the detecting means, the storing unit for the optical device, the rotatable support for the storing unit of the optical device, the moving means, and the straightening means. The moving means is adapted to feed and retract the optical device and comprises at least one motor for forward and backward driving the rotatable support for the storing unit for the optical device and a feeding means for feeding the optical device driven by at least one motor for forward and backward driving.