Apparatus for verifying the treatment of ductile cast iron and method thereof

Abstract

Disclosed is an apparatus and method for verifying the treatment of molten metal wherein a sensing device detects an in situ response resulting from the treatment of the molten metal. The in situ response is compared to a pre-set limit or condition in order to determine whether or not proper treatment of the molten metal has occurred. In particular, the sensing device detects an in situ response resulting from the mixture of a molten metal addition to a molten metal. An electronic transformation device can be used to transform the in situ response into a response data set. The response data set can be transmitted to and received by a microprocessor. The microprocessor can manipulate the response data set. The in situ response to the treatment of the molten metal can be in the form of heat, light intensity, light wavelength, density of smoke particles, composition of smoke particles, mechanical vibration and combinations thereof.

1 . An apparatus for the automated and quantitative verification of a molten metal treatment comprising:
 a sensing device, said sensing device monitoring an in situ response resulting from the mixture of a molten metal addition with a molten metal;   an electronic transformation device, said transformation device transforming said in situ response into a response data set; and   a microprocessor, said microprocessor receiving said response data set, for the purpose of automatically and quantitatively verifying the treatment of molten metal.   
   
   
       2 . The invention of  claim 1 , wherein said in situ response is selected from the group consisting of heat, light intensity, light wavelength, density of smoke particles, composition of smoke particles, mechanical vibration and combinations thereof resulting from the mixture of said addition with said molten metal. 
   
   
       3 . The invention of  claim 2 , wherein said sensing device is a photodetector, said photodetector monitoring the light intensity resulting from the mixture of said addition with said molten metal. 
   
   
       4 . The invention of  claim 2 , further comprising a ladle with a ladle hydraulic line, wherein said sensing device is a hydraulic pressure sensor, said hydraulic pressure sensor monitoring the change in hydraulic pressure in said ladle hydraulic line resulting from mechanical vibration caused by the mixture of said addition with said molten metal in said ladle. 
   
   
       5 . The invention of  claim 1 , wherein said addition to said molten metal is an alloying addition. 
   
   
       6 . The invention of  claim 1 , wherein said electronic transformation device is an analog-to-digital converter, said converter transforming an analog signal from said sensing device into said response data set in digital form. 
   
   
       7 . The invention of  claim 6 , wherein said microprocessor compares said digital response data set to a threshold data set. 
   
   
       8 . The invention of  claim 7 , wherein said threshold data set is light intensity data. 
   
   
       9 . The invention of  claim 7 , wherein said threshold data set is hydraulic pressure data. 
   
   
       10 . The invention of  claim 1  wherein said molten metal is molten iron. 
   
   
       11 . The invention of  claim 10  wherein said addition to said molten metal is magnesium. 
   
   
       12 . The invention of  claim 7 , wherein said microprocessor manipulates said digital response data set. 
   
   
       13 . The invention of  claim 12  wherein said manipulation is selected from the group consisting of storing, graphically displaying, mathematically transforming, comparing to said threshold data and combinations thereof, for the purpose of automatically and quantitatively verifying the treatment of molten metal. 
   
   
       14 . An apparatus for the automated and quantitative verification of molten metal treatment comprising:
 a photodetector, said photodetector monitoring an in situ light intensity response resulting from the mixture of an addition to a molten metal with said molten metal;   an analog-to-digital converter, said converter transforming said in situ light intensity response into a response data set in digital form; and   a microprocessor, said microprocessor receiving said digital response data set and comparing said response data set to a threshold data set stored therein, for the purpose of automatically and quantitatively verifying the treatment of molten metal.   
   
   
       15 . The invention of  claim 14 , wherein said photodetector is in the form of a light intensity meter. 
   
   
       16 . The invention of  claim 14 , wherein said addition to said molten metal is an alloying addition. 
   
   
       17 . The invention of  claim 14 , wherein said molten metal is molten iron. 
   
   
       18 . The invention of  claim 14 , wherein said addition to said molten metal is magnesium. 
   
   
       19 . An apparatus for the automated and quantitative verification of molten metal treatment comprising:
 a ladle, said ladle having a hydraulic line and containing a molten metal therein;   a hydraulic pressure sensor, said hydraulic pressure sensor monitoring the hydraulic pressure response in said hydraulic line resulting from the mechanical vibration caused from the mixture of an addition with said molten metal;   an analog-to-digital converter, said converter transforming said hydraulic pressure response into a response data set in digital form; and   a microprocessor, said microprocessor receiving said digital response data set and comparing said response data set to a threshold data set stored therein, for the purpose of automatically and quantitatively verifying the treatment of molten metal.   
   
   
       20 . The invention of  claim 19 , wherein said addition is a magnesium addition into molten iron.