Magnetic field components measured around and along a remelting furnace and other measured furnace parameters are used to estimate concentricity of the electrode within the crucible of the furnace, to estimate a distribution of drip shorts across a gap between the electrode and the melt pool, or to detect, locate, and categorize anomalous events during the remelting process. Those can be used to control the operation of the furnace during the remelting process, or incorporated into a longitudinal or three-dimensional map of the resulting ingot. Artificial intelligence, machine learning, or a neural network can be employed.
Magnetic field components measured around and along a remelting furnace and other measured furnace parameters are used to estimate concentricity of the electrode within the crucible of the furnace, to estimate a distribution of drip shorts across a gap between the electrode and the melt pool, or to detect, locate, and categorize anomalous events during the remelting process. Those can be used to control the operation of the furnace during the remelting process, or incorporated into a longitudinal or three-dimensional map of the resulting ingot. Artificial intelligence, machine learning, or a neural network can be employed.
F27B 3/08 - Hearth-type furnaces, e.g. of reverberatory typeElectric arc furnaces heated electrically, e.g. electric arc furnaces, with or without any other source of heat
F27B 3/28 - Arrangement of controlling, monitoring, alarm or like devices
Magnetic field components are measured at multiple longitudinal positions and used to calculate estimated longitudinal position and length of a transversely localized electric current segment flowing across a gap between conductive bodies. The apparatus can be used with a remelting furnace. The electrode and ingot act as the conductive bodies, and arcs, discharges, or slag currents are the current segments spanning the gap. Actuators for movable sensors can be coupled to the sensors in a servomechanism arrangement to move the sensors along with the moving gap. An actuator for moving one of the conductive bodies can be coupled to sensors in a servomechanism arrangement to maintain the gap distance within a selected range as the gap moves.
Sensors measure magnetic field components, and the measured fields are used to calculate and estimated transverse position of a longitudinal electric current flowing as an electric discharge across a discharge gap. Based on the estimated position, and according to a selected transverse trajectory or distribution of the estimated discharge position, magnetic fields are applied transversely across the discharge gap so as to control or alter the estimated discharge position. Inventive apparatus and methods can be employed, inter alia, during operation of a vacuum arc furnace.
C21C 5/52 - Manufacture of steel in electric furnaces
G01R 33/06 - Measuring direction or magnitude of magnetic fields or magnetic flux using galvano-magnetic devices
G01R 35/00 - Testing or calibrating of apparatus covered by the other groups of this subclass
F27B 3/08 - Hearth-type furnaces, e.g. of reverberatory typeElectric arc furnaces heated electrically, e.g. electric arc furnaces, with or without any other source of heat
F27B 3/28 - Arrangement of controlling, monitoring, alarm or like devices
F27D 7/06 - Forming or maintaining special atmospheres or vacuum within heating chambers
G01R 15/20 - Adaptations providing voltage or current isolation, e.g. for high-voltage or high-current networks using galvano-magnetic devices, e.g. Hall-effect devices
Multiple magnetic field sensors are arranged around a current-containing volume at multiple longitudinal and circumferential positions. Each sensor measures multiple magnetic field components and is characterized by one or more calibration parameters. A longitudinal primary current flows through two end-to-end electrical conductors that are separated by an arc gap, and flows as at least one longitudinal primary electric arc that spans the arc gap and that moves transversely within the arc gap. Estimated transverse position of the primary electric arc is calculated, based on the longitudinal position of the arc gap, and two or more of the measured magnetic field components along with one or more corresponding sensor positions or calibration parameters. In addition, estimated occurrence, position, and magnitude of a transverse secondary current (i.e., a side arc) can be calculated based on those quantities.
G01R 31/50 - Testing of electric apparatus, lines, cables or components for short-circuits, continuity, leakage current or incorrect line connections
G01N 27/82 - Investigating or analysing materials by the use of electric, electrochemical, or magnetic means by investigating magnetic variables for investigating the presence of flaws
G01R 31/08 - Locating faults in cables, transmission lines, or networks
Magnetic field components are measured at multiple longitudinal positions and used to calculate estimated longitudinal position and length of a transversely localized electric current segment flowing across a gap between conductive bodies. The apparatus can be used with a remelting furnace. The electrode and ingot act as the conductive bodies, and arcs, discharges, or slag currents are the current segments spanning the gap. Actuators for movable sensors can be coupled to the sensors in a servomechanism arrangement to move the sensors along with the moving gap. An actuator for moving one of the conductive bodies can be coupled to sensors in a servomechanism arrangement to maintain the gap distance within a selected range as the gap moves.
C21C 5/52 - Manufacture of steel in electric furnaces
F27B 3/08 - Hearth-type furnaces, e.g. of reverberatory typeElectric arc furnaces heated electrically, e.g. electric arc furnaces, with or without any other source of heat
F27B 3/28 - Arrangement of controlling, monitoring, alarm or like devices
Magnetic field components are measured at multiple longitudinal positions and used to calculate estimated longitudinal position and length of a transversely localized electric current segment flowing across a gap between conductive bodies. The apparatus can be used with a remelting furnace. The electrode and ingot act as the conductive bodies, and arcs, discharges, or slag currents are the current segments spanning the gap. Actuators for movable sensors can be coupled to the sensors in a servomechanism arrangement to move the sensors along with the moving gap. An actuator for moving one of the conductive bodies can be coupled to sensors in a servomechanism arrangement to maintain the gap distance within a selected range as the gap moves.
Sensors measure magnetic field components, and the measured fields are used to calculate and estimated transverse position of a longitudinal electric current flowing as an electric discharge across a discharge gap. Based on the estimated position, and according to a selected transverse trajectory or distribution of the estimated discharge position, magnetic fields are applied transversely across the discharge gap so as to control or alter the estimated discharge position. Inventive apparatus and methods can be employed, inter alia, during operation of a vacuum arc furnace.
C21C 5/52 - Manufacture of steel in electric furnaces
G01R 33/06 - Measuring direction or magnitude of magnetic fields or magnetic flux using galvano-magnetic devices
G01R 35/00 - Testing or calibrating of apparatus covered by the other groups of this subclass
F27B 3/08 - Hearth-type furnaces, e.g. of reverberatory typeElectric arc furnaces heated electrically, e.g. electric arc furnaces, with or without any other source of heat
F27B 3/28 - Arrangement of controlling, monitoring, alarm or like devices
F27D 7/06 - Forming or maintaining special atmospheres or vacuum within heating chambers
G01R 15/20 - Adaptations providing voltage or current isolation, e.g. for high-voltage or high-current networks using galvano-magnetic devices, e.g. Hall-effect devices
Multiple magnetic field sensors are arranged around a current-containing volume at multiple longitudinal and circumferential positions. Each sensor measures multiple magnetic field components and is characterized by one or more calibration parameters. A longitudinal primary current flows through two end-to-end electrical conductors that are separated by an arc gap, and flows as at least one longitudinal primary electric arc that spans the arc gap and that moves transversely within the arc gap. Estimated transverse position of the primary electric arc is calculated, based on the longitudinal position of the arc gap, and two or more of the measured magnetic field components along with one or more corresponding sensor positions or calibration parameters. In addition, estimated occurrence, position, and magnitude of a transverse secondary current (i.e., a side arc) can be calculated based on those quantities.
G01N 27/82 - Investigating or analysing materials by the use of electric, electrochemical, or magnetic means by investigating magnetic variables for investigating the presence of flaws
G01R 31/08 - Locating faults in cables, transmission lines, or networks
Sensors measure magnetic field components, and the measured fields are used to calculate and estimated transverse position of a longitudinal electric current flowing as an electric discharge across a discharge gap. Based on the estimated position, and according to a selected transverse trajectory or distribution of the estimated discharge position, magnetic fields are applied transversely across the discharge gap so as to control or alter the estimated discharge position. Inventive apparatus and methods can be employed, inter alia, during operation of a vacuum arc furnace.
G01R 15/20 - Adaptations providing voltage or current isolation, e.g. for high-voltage or high-current networks using galvano-magnetic devices, e.g. Hall-effect devices
G01R 33/06 - Measuring direction or magnitude of magnetic fields or magnetic flux using galvano-magnetic devices
G01R 35/00 - Testing or calibrating of apparatus covered by the other groups of this subclass
C21C 5/52 - Manufacture of steel in electric furnaces
G01R 31/50 - Testing of electric apparatus, lines, cables or components for short-circuits, continuity, leakage current or incorrect line connections
F27B 3/08 - Hearth-type furnaces, e.g. of reverberatory typeElectric arc furnaces heated electrically, e.g. electric arc furnaces, with or without any other source of heat
F27B 3/28 - Arrangement of controlling, monitoring, alarm or like devices
F27D 7/06 - Forming or maintaining special atmospheres or vacuum within heating chambers
F27B 3/08 - Hearth-type furnaces, e.g. of reverberatory typeElectric arc furnaces heated electrically, e.g. electric arc furnaces, with or without any other source of heat
F27B 3/28 - Arrangement of controlling, monitoring, alarm or like devices
G01R 33/06 - Measuring direction or magnitude of magnetic fields or magnetic flux using galvano-magnetic devices
C21C 5/52 - Manufacture of steel in electric furnaces
Multiple magnetic field sensors are arranged around a current-containing volume at multiple longitudinal and circumferential positions. Each sensor measures multiple magnetic field components and is characterized by one or more calibration parameters. A longitudinal primary current flows through two end-to-end electrical conductors that are separated by an arc gap, and flows as at least one longitudinal primary electric arc that spans the arc gap and that moves transversely within the arc gap. Estimated transverse position of the primary electric arc is calculated, based on the longitudinal position of the arc gap, and two or more of the measured magnetic field components along with one or more corresponding sensor positions or calibration parameters. In addition, estimated occurrence, position, and magnitude of a transverse secondary current (i.e., a side arc) can be calculated based on those quantities.
G01R 31/02 - Testing of electric apparatus, lines, or components for short-circuits, discontinuities, leakage, or incorrect line connection
C21C 5/52 - Manufacture of steel in electric furnaces
G01N 27/82 - Investigating or analysing materials by the use of electric, electrochemical, or magnetic means by investigating magnetic variables for investigating the presence of flaws
G01R 31/08 - Locating faults in cables, transmission lines, or networks
Multiple magnetic field sensors are arranged around a current-containing volume at multiple longitudinal and circumferential positions. Each sensor measures multiple magnetic field components and is characterized by one or more calibration parameters. A longitudinal primary current flows through two end-to-end electrical conductors that are separated by an arc gap, and flows as at least one longitudinal primary electric arc that spans the arc gap and that moves transversely within the arc gap. Estimated transverse position of the primary electric arc is calculated, based on the longitudinal position of the arc gap, and two or more of the measured magnetic field components along with one or more corresponding sensor positions or calibration parameters. In addition, estimated occurrence, position, and magnitude of a transverse secondary current (i.e., a side arc) can be calculated based on those quantities.
H05B 7/20 - Direct heating by arc discharge, i.e. where at least one end of the arc directly acts on the material to be heated, including additional resistance heating by arc current flowing through the material to be heated
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