Electricity: measuring and testing – Determining nonelectric properties by measuring electric... – Erosion
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-18
2001-02-27
Snow, Walter E. (Department: 2862)
Electricity: measuring and testing
Determining nonelectric properties by measuring electric...
Erosion
C324S071100, C137S145000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06194890
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Processing of many types of industrial materials, including treatment by molten bath reactors of industrial wastes composed of, for example, organic compositions, such as polychlorinated biphenyls, metals and their oxides, etc., is often conducted in a heated containment vessel. In molten bath reactor systems, the containment vessel is constructed of a material, usually a refractory material, which will not fail while retaining the heated molten material. Repeated use of containment vessels and the stresses of heating and cooling molten baths can cause containment vessels to fail unexpectedly and catastrophically. Catastrophic failure of a refractory lining in a vessel can cause serious bodily injury and can result in loss of life as well as significant property damage.
Currently, a method to determine failure of a vessel wall lining is by visual inspection. However, inspection by this method involves discontinuing the process and removing any materials contained within the vessel for inspection of the lining. Consequently, an indication of catastrophic failure while the reactor is filled with a liquid, such as molten metal, generally cannot be determined until the failure occurs.
A need exists, therefore, for an apparatus and a method to monitor the physical integrity of containment vessels such as the type which retain heated molten materials.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for monitoring the physical integrity of a wall of a vessel, for example, the refractory wall of a molten bath reactor.
The apparatus includes a vessel for containing an electrically-grounded, electrically-conductive liquid and at least one electrically-grounded detection unit located within the containment wall of the vessel. An alternating magnetic field is established so as to impose a voltage on the detection unit. A means for measuring current flow is provided between the electrically-grounded, electrically-conductive liquid contained within the vessel and the detection unit to sense whether the liquid has contacted the detection unit, whereby the physical integrity of the wall can be monitored.
The method includes establishing an alternating magnetic field to impose a voltage on a detection unit contained within the wail of a vessel containing an electrically-grounded, electrically-conductive liquid. The method also includes measuring current flow between the liquid contained within the vessel and the detection unit to sense whether the liquid has contacted the detection unit.
This invention has the advantage, for example, of detecting the loss of physical integrity of a containment wall of a vessel prior to the time a breach of the wall of the vessel by a liquid occurs. In addition, the invention has the advantage of not requiring the removal of material within the vessel to inspect the containment lining.
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Doyle Patrick J.
Van Olinda David L.
Hamilton Brook Smith & Reynolds P.C.
Quantum Catalytics, L.L.C.
Snow Walter E.
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