Patents Assigned to Oxford Instruments America, Inc.
  • Patent number: 6008662
    Abstract: Conditions in a fluidized bed are measured with a probe and a circuit. The bed can be a polymerization reactor's reaction chamber, and the conditions can result in "sheeting" which is the build up of polymer on the chamber walls. The probe protrudes into the bed and detects a current which generally is a function of at least the impact and charge of particulates in the bed. The current detected by the probe is related to the conditions in the bed. The circuit measures the detected current. The probe has an inner probe piece of metallic material within an insulator of polymeric material. A portion of the insulator protrudes a first distance into the bed, and a portion of the inner probe piece protrudes a second distance into the bed. The first distance is less than or equal to the second distance. The insulator typically does not extend as far into the bed as the inner probe piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Assignee: Oxford Instruments America, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Newton, David R. Day, Ron L. Swartzentruber