General Electric Company

Robert D Lillquist

Richard G Menzies

Sudhir D Savkar

Allen W Case, Jr

Gordon B Hunter

John Frederick Ackerman

Russell Scott Miller

Carl M Penney

David Winfield Woodruff

Egidijus Edward Uzgiris

Farzin Homayoun Azad

David William Skelly

Robert E Sundell

Thomas L Vogelsong

Daniel P Smith

Joseph M Pimbley

Richard W Lober

Charles B Adasczik

Cooking speed and efficiency are increased in radiant ovens by reducing the intensity of energy emitted by the oven's radiant energy source that does not deeply penetrate food. Undesired photochemical reactions in the cooked food are also reduced or eliminated. In one embodiment, the radiant energy source includes at least one lamp having a coating that reflects at least some of the radiant energy that does not deeply penetrate food. In another embodiment, a plate that reflects or absorbs at least some of the radiant energy that does not deeply penetrate food is disposed between the radiant energy source and a location within the oven where food to be cooked is placed.

Radiant oven

This invention relates to novel apparatuses for measuring deposit thickness during composite materials production. More particularly, this invention uses a composite's emission signature or a composite's reflectance signature, to measure deposit thickness.

Measuring deposit thickness in composite materials production

A method and apparatus are provided for measuring effective focus of an electron beam directed at a target. The electron beam imparts heat flux into the target to effect a target surface temperature profile thereon. A mathematical process model is used to predict an initial iteration of the temperature profile based on operating beam parameters and based on heat transfer behavioral relationships of the target. The temperature profile is optically measured and then compared with the initial iteration to obtain a residual error therebetween. The predicted temperature profile is iterated by varying the beam focus operating parameter until the residual error is less than a predetermined value for determining the effective beam focus.

Method and apparatus for measuring electron beam effective focus

An x-ray tube target includes an annular disk having an outer surface including front and back opposite faces, and an annular focal track fixedly joined to the disk front face for producing x-rays. The disk outer surface is rough away from the focal track, with surface roughness pits having width and depth dimensions greater than a wavelength of peak radiant emission of the target at operating temperature for increasing emissivity of the target to increase thermal radiation cooling thereof.

Emissivity enhanced x-ray target

A method and apparatus for casting a molten metallic material in ingot form are provided wherein the molten metallic material is transported to the ingot mold and an upper surface temperature and temperature distribution of the molten metal pool in the casting mold are measured by an imaging radiometer which is disposed external to an inert gas filled chamber enclosing the ingot mold, and is disposed to view the ingot pool surface through a sight port. At least one plasma arc torch is employed to direct an arc at the ingot pool surface, the intensity of which is selectively modulated and the impingement of the arc is simultaneously selectively positioned in order to maintain a desired preselected mold pool surface temperature and temperature distribution thereby yielding a preselected metallurgical structure in the solidified ingot. The imaging radiometer may provide a video signal as an output, and may be connected to a video analyzer and video monitor which are used to provide an image of the surface temperature and temperature distribution, enabling an operator to control the plasma arc torch in performing the ingot casting method.

Method and apparatus for casting an arc melted metallic material in

A method and apparatus for casting a molten metallic material in ingot form are provided wherein the molten metallic material is transported to the ingot mold and an upper surface temperature and temperature distribution of the molten metal pool in the casting mold are measured by an imaging radiometer which is disposed external to a vacuum chamber enclosing the ingot mold, and is disposed to view the ingot pool surface through a sight port. At least one electron beam gun is employed to direct a stream of electrons at the ingot pool surface, the intensity of which is selectively modulated and the impingement of the stream of electrons is simultaneously selectively positioned in order to maintain a desired preselected mold pool surface temperature and temperature distribution thereby yielding a preselected metallurgical structure in the solidified ingot. The imaging radiometer may provide a video signal as an output, and may be connected to a video analyzer and video monitor which are used to provide an image of the surface temperature and temperature distribution, enabling an operator to control the electron beam gun in performing the ingot casting method.

Method and apparatus for casting an electron beam melted metallic

An apparatus and method for controlling the powder deposition and deposit pattern in a plasma spray process are provided in which an infrared imaging detector and associated processors are employed to provide an image of the temperature distribution of the deposit and to provide an identification of the impact point of the most recent powder deposit, and in which a cyclone separator or other device is used to modulate the flow rate of the carrier gas in which the powder is entrained at the point where the powder and gas are injected into a plasma plume, in order to move the impact point of the powder from the sensed location to a desired location. An injector tube is provided in a cross-flow injection system which may be sized to compensate for variations in the desired injection velocities of particles of different sizes, and the variations in the rate at which such particles are accelerated in the injection tube. A control computer is optionally provided to permit on-line control of the carrier gas flow rate by receiving the sensed image and comparing the information in the image to a reference pattern, and adjusting the carrier gas flow rate at the injector tube accordingly.

Apparatus and method for controlling powder deposition in a plasma spray

The weldability of a part formed from an alloy having low impurity concentrations is determined by initiating an arc between a stationary welding torch and the part using a predetermined set of welding parameters selected to produce a partially penetrating molten weld pool. The natural frequency of oscillation of the molten weld pool is measured a predetermined time following initiation of the arc, and the measured natural frequency of oscillation is compared to empirically determined data for the alloy to determine the weldability of the particular part. Variations in trace element concentrations between different heats of the same alloy affect the three-dimensional geometry of the molten weld pool, and in turn affect its resonant frequency. The invention may be used to adjust the welding parameters to accommodate differences in weldability between different heats of the same alloy.

Method of determining the weldability of a part

Multispectral imaging apparatus for producing a composite dual wavelength visible/infrared image includes a wavelength independent focus reflective optical system for receiving a visible and infrared radiation from a scene and for providing a focused beam of radiation, a beam splitter for splitting the beam into a beam of visible radiation and a beam of infrared radiation, a visible radiation detector for receiving the visible radiation and for producing a first signal, and infrared radiation detector for receiving the infrared radiation and for producing a second signal, and a signal processing and display system for converting the first and second signals into video signals corresponding to a visible black and white image of the scene and a step-tone or false color infrared image of the scene. The images are combined in exact spatial registration to produce a composite image comprising a black and white visible image with portions of the image highlighted in color in accordance with the infrared radiation received from corresponding portions of the scene.

Composite visible/thermal-infrared imaging apparatus

The penetration in an arc welding process is measured in real time by monitoring the natural frequency of oscillation of the weld pool. Spatial oscillations are induced in the weld pool by modulating either the shielding gas or the welding current at a plurality of different frequencies, and the light reflected from the pool at a non-specular angle is sensed and processed to determine the natural frequency of oscillation. Both pulse and swept frequency modulations are employed for excitation of the weld pool.

Method and apparatus for measuring weld penetration in an arc welding

An imaging radiometer for high temperature measurements has a sensor head comprised of a solid-state video camera operated in fixed gain mode, preferably one with a charge injection device detector, an infrared filter, and a lens system to image a radiating object on the detector array. Spectral response of the system is limited to 700 to 1100 nanometers or a smaller portion of this near-infrared band. The video signal output of the sensor is processed and object temperature is displayed on a television monitor; alternatively the video signal is presented to a digital frame grabber and converted to a temperature map.

Imaging pyrometer

A scanning infrared display system capable of variable magnification and high spatial resolution measures the emitted infrared radiation caused by the scanning of a highly collimated energy source beam on the surface to be imaged. The resulting infrared emissions are collected with a high sensivity stationary detector. The display image is formed on a CRT by scanning the object with a raster pattern in synchronization with the CRT and modulating the Z axis CRT potential (brightness) with the infrared detection signal.

Stimulated scanning infrared imaging system

Multispectral imaging apparatus for producing a composite visible/infrared image includes a wavelength-independent focus reflective optical system for focusing visible and infrared radiation from a scene onto a hybrid visible/infrared radiation detector. The detector comprises an array of visible radiation responsive elements interspersed with infrared radiation responsive elements and provides first and second output signals corresponding, respectively, to the visible and the infrared radiation impinging upon the detector. The first and second signals are converted to a visible black and white image of the scene and a step-tone false color infrared image of the scene. The images are combined in exact spatial registration to produce a composite image comprising a visible image of the scene which is highlighted by the infrared radiation emitted by the scene.

Composite visible/thermal-infrared imaging system

A multi-purpose optical sensor operates in the medium-to-far infrared wavelength spectral region to sense the surface temperature of plasma-jet spray coating materials. This plasma itself emits little or no radiation in this region and, accordingly, the output signal from the sensor is used to adjust the electrical input and other variables associated with the plasma spray torch to insure that particles arriving at the substrate surface to be coated are, in fact, in a molten state. The sensor employs infrared filters and, additionally, the sensor is used to monitor not only coating and temperature but also plasma beam divergence and particle seeding density to provide other control functions. In another embodiment, the sensor is used to measure the temperature and size of a molten metal pool in the presence of an electric arc, as in the case of the melting and pouring of metal to form ingots, and to control the electric arc and other melting parameters so as to control the size and temperature of the molten pool. It may also be used to locate the position of foreign matter on the surface of the molten pool and to manipulate the arc so as to move the foreign matter away from the pouring region, thereby restricting the amount of such foreign matter which enters the poured metal stream, thus producing cleaner ingots having improved freedom from inclusions.

Infrared sensor for the control of plasma-jet spray coating and electric

An infrared detector is provided with spectral filtering means for direct observation of the arc region during electric arc welding operations. The filter permits direct observation of the weld pool by suppressing almost all of the infrared radiation produced by the arc itself. Were this not the case, the electrical signal output from the infrared detector is totally obscured by the intense infrared radiation from the arc and would thus not permit sufficiently high resolution infrared measurements to be made on the weld pool and the work piece.

Growing community of inventors

Schenectady, NY, United States of America

Robert D Lillquist