System for detecting entry of foreign material during melting

Abstract

An apparatus for detecting and characterizing contaminants in a high temperature metal melt. The apparatus includes provision for visually monitoring a bath of molten metal within a hearth or a mold to detect instantaneously entry of contaminants to the bath. In addition, the invention provides for characterizing size and location of contaminants in the bath.

1 . Apparatus for detecting and characterizing contaminants in high temperature metal melts comprising: 
 means for visually monitoring a bath of molten metal within a hearth or mold to detect instantaneously entry of a condensed contaminant to the bath;    means for providing an instantaneous signal characterizing size and location of contaminant within the bath.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said means for visually monitoring includes an infrared video camera.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said instantaneous signal from said infrared video camera is a gray-scale, thermal image of a selected viewing area of the bath of molten metal.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein said instantaneous signal is directed to a video recorder and monitor.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein said instantaneous signal is also directed to means for analyzing the signal to determine number, size, location and duration of the contaminant.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein said number, size, location and duration of the contaminant are directed to means for storage thereof.