System for a non-invasive online discrete measurement of phase levels in converters or pyrometallurgical furnaces

Abstract

A non-invasive online system for discrete measurements of phase levels in a converter or pyrometallurgical furnace in smelting and conversion processes, consisting in a electrical signal generator, transducers that convert said electrical signals in mechanical waves placed on the outer end of air blowing tuyeres, a coupling between said system and the shell of the converter, for air blowing tuyeres placed forming an angle less than or equal to 90° with the transducer and entrance of the airflow to the converter, while the transducer is placed in the direction of the cross axis or longitudinal axis of the phases plane for applying mechanical waves that travel in a longitudinal direction, a sensor for mechanical waves placed around the external wall of the shell of the converter that receives the reflected signal, then preamplification of the signal, an analogous/digital interface, for data acquisition, for processing the signals so as to determine the amplitude of the reflected signal which has a characteristic and different level for each phase and correlate the amplitude so as to determine the limiting zone between the different phases that face at least one transducer, a memory to store the discrete values of the phase levels and a display for displaying the discrete values of the phase levels.