Patents Assigned to Heraeus Electro-Nite International N.V.
  • Patent number: 7832294
    Abstract: A measuring probe is provided for measurements in metal or slag melts, the probe having a measuring head with an immersion end and a rear end, and having sensors arranged on the immersion end with signal lines. The sensors and signal lines are guided through the measuring head by channels, and a separate channel is provided for each sensor. A measuring probe is also provided for measurements in metal or slag melts, the probe having a measuring head with an immersion end and a rear end, having sensors arranged on the immersion end, and having lateral recesses arranged in front of the rear end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Heraeus Electro-Nite International, N.V.
    Inventor: Guido Jacobus Neyens
  • Patent number: 7785528
    Abstract: A guide system for signal lines includes a guide tube, through which the signal lines are guided, a cooling system which laterally surrounds the guide tube and has at least one coolant chamber and at least one inlet and at least one outlet for the coolant. The coolant chamber is tubular in construction and is hermetically sealed by a seal at least at one end face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Heraeus Electro-Nite International N.V.
    Inventors: Robert Charles Whitaker, Andrew David Butler
  • Publication number: 20100207306
    Abstract: A temperature measuring device for molten metal includes a porous plug with a first end and an opposed second end, an outer protective sheath with a closed end, an inner protective tube with a closed end, and a thermocouple arranged within an interior of the inner protective tube. The outer protective sheath extends away from the first end of the plug and the inner protective tube is arranged within an interior of the outer protective sheath. The porous plug comprises a substantially refractory material and the outer protective sheath consists essentially of substantially refractory metal oxide and graphite. A junction of the thermocouple is proximate to the closed end of the inner protective tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2010
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Applicant: HERAEUS ELECTRO-NITE INTERNATIONAL N.V.
    Inventor: Martin KENDALL
  • Patent number: 7776254
    Abstract: A lance has a top part and a bottom part for arrangement on the sensor or sampler. The top and bottom parts are detachably connected to each other by a plug-in coupling. The plug-in coupling has two coupling parts, one arranged on the top part and the other arranged on the bottom part of the lance, that can be inserted one in the other in the longitudinal direction of the lance. One coupling part has an opening extending from its front face in the longitudinal direction of the lance and an extension formed in the peripheral direction of the coupling part. The other coupling part has a raised portion that engages the extension. A blocking device, movable in the longitudinal direction of the lance, is arranged on the top or bottom part A catch element of the blocking device is arranged at least partially between the raised portion and the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Heraeus Electro-Nite International N.V.
    Inventor: Johan Knevels
  • Patent number: 7772483
    Abstract: An immersion thermocouple is described. The immersion thermocouple includes a heat resistant sheathing, the interior of which is substantially filled with a heat resistant cement, a first U-shaped tube enclosing a thermocouple fixed in the heat resistant cement, and a second U-shaped tube fixed in the heat resistant cement. The second U-shaped tube bridges the first U-shaped tube at an angle of approximately ninety degrees. The immersion thermocouple also includes a shield circumferentially surrounding the first and the second U-shaped tubes proximate to where the first and the second U-shaped tubes are fixed to the heat resistant cement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Heraeus Electro-Nite International N.V.
    Inventors: John Cassidy, Thomas A. Nordon, Jr., Thomas C. Coleman, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7748258
    Abstract: An immersion sensor for analysis of liquids or melts includes an immersion carrier, a detector and a radiation-guiding unit, and a sample chamber arranged in the immersion carrier. The sample chamber has an inlet opening for liquid or melt, and the sensing components for measurement of the liquid or melt act inside the sample chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Heraeus Electro-Nite International N.V.
    Inventor: Ralph Sattmann
  • Patent number: 7748896
    Abstract: A method is provided for measuring a temperature of a molten metal bath by an optical fiber surrounded by a cover. The optical fiber is immersed in the molten bath, and the radiation absorbed by the optical fiber in the molten bath is fed to a detector, wherein the optical fiber is heated when immersed in the molten bath. The heating curve of the optical fiber has at least one point P(t0, T0), wherein the increase ?T1 in the temperature T of the optical fiber over the time ?t in a first time interval t0??t up to the temperature T0 is smaller than the increase ?T2 in the temperature of the optical fiber over the time ?t in an immediately following second time interval t0+?t.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Heraeus Electro-Nite International N.V.
    Inventors: Francis Dams, Frank Seutens, Robert Charles Whitaker
  • Publication number: 20100147904
    Abstract: A method for regulating metal melt throughflow through a melt throughflow aperture in a bottom nozzle of a metallurgical vessel is provided. The bottom nozzle has an upper nozzle arranged in a floor of the metallurgical vessel and a lower nozzle arranged below the upper nozzle. The method includes introducing inert gas through at least one inert gas inlet aperture into the melt throughflow aperture in the bottom nozzle, arranging a temperature sensor on or in the lower nozzle for determining a temperature in a wall of the bottom nozzle, and regulating an inert gas supply into the bottom nozzle using measurement signals from the sensor. A decrease in the temperature signals an increase of metal clogging and an increase in the temperature signals a decrease of metal clogging.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2010
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: HERAEUS ELECTRO-NITE INTERNATIONAL N.V.
    Inventor: Martin KENDALL
  • Publication number: 20100122590
    Abstract: A device is provided for sampling metal melts, in particular molten iron and molten cast iron, with a sample chamber having an inlet opening and tellurium arranged in the sample chamber. The sample chamber contains 0.01 to 0.05 g/cm3 tellurium based on the volume of the sample chamber and the tellurium is in powder form having an average particle size of at most 150 ?m. Additionally or alternatively, the tellurium is in powder form having an average particle size of at least 150 ?m and a specific surface area of 0.03 to 0.1 m2/g.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2009
    Publication date: May 20, 2010
    Applicant: HERAEUS ELECTRO-NITE INTERNATIONAL N.V.
    Inventor: Johan KNEVELS
  • Patent number: 7712957
    Abstract: A device is provided for temperature measurement in metal melts, particularly in iron or steel melts, having a thermoelement, which is arranged in a thermoelement tube, and having an exterior protective body, which is essentially formed of graphite and metal oxide. The thermoelement tube is arranged in the protective body with a spacing, forming an intermediate space, and an insulating material and an oxygen-reducing material are arranged in the intermediate space. The insulating material and the oxygen-reducing material, as a powder mixture, form a tube (2), which surrounds the thermoelement tube (3) with a spacing and/or which is surrounded by the protective body (1) with a spacing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Heraeus Electro-Nite International N.V.
    Inventor: Martin Kendall
  • Patent number: 7685863
    Abstract: A device is provided for measuring the gas content in a molten metal, the device including an immersion end having a gas-collecting body, a gas supply line opening on the immersion end, and a gas discharge line for the gases passing through the gas-collecting body. The gas-collecting body contains materials, which in contact with the molten metal do not form liquid reaction products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Heraeus Electro-Nite International N.V.
    Inventors: Erik Gerits, Jacques Plessers, Jos Swennen
  • Publication number: 20100046578
    Abstract: A device is provided for temperature measurement in metal melts, particularly in iron or steel melts, having a thermoelement, which is arranged in a thermoelement tube, and having an exterior protective body, which is essentially formed of graphite and metal oxide. The thermoelement tube is arranged in the protective body with a spacing, forming an intermediate space, and an insulating material and an oxygen-reducing material are arranged in the intermediate space. The insulating material and the oxygen-reducing material, as a powder mixture, form a tube (2), which surrounds the thermoelement tube (3) with a spacing and/or which is surrounded by the protective body (1) with a spacing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2009
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicant: Heraeus Electro-Nite International N.V.
    Inventor: Martin KENDALL
  • Publication number: 20100037730
    Abstract: A high dimensional cored wire is provided containing de-oxidant material arranged in a core of the wire, the de-oxidant material being in finely divided granular or powdery form coated with a protective coating material, the diameter of the the cored wire varying between 13 and 40 mm. A process for manufacturing the wire is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2007
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Applicants: Heraeus Electro-Nite International N.V.
    Inventor: Goda Surya Narayan
  • Publication number: 20100020845
    Abstract: A method is provided for measuring a parameter of a molten metal bath by an optical fiber surrounded by a cover. The optical fiber is immersed in the molten bath, and the radiation absorbed by the optical fiber in the molten bath is fed to a detector, wherein the optical fiber is heated when immersed in the molten bath. The heating curve of the optical fiber has at least one point P(t0, T0), wherein the increase ?T1 in the temperature T of the optical fiber over the time ?t in a first time interval t0-?t up to the temperature T0 is smaller than the increase ?T2 in the temperature of the optical fiber over the time ?t in an immediately following second time interval t0+?t.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Applicant: Heraeus Electro-Nite International N.V.
    Inventors: Francis DAMS, Frank SEUTENS, Robert CHARLES WHITAKER
  • Publication number: 20100018348
    Abstract: A method is provided for influencing the properties of cast iron by adding magnesium to the cast iron melt and measuring the oxygen content of the cast iron melt. Magnesium is added to the cast iron melt until the oxygen content of the cast iron melt is approximately 0.005 to 0.2 ppm at a temperature of approximately 1,420° C. A sensor for measuring the oxygen content in cast iron melts contains an electrochemical measuring cell containing a solid electrolyte tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2008
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Applicant: HERAEUS ELECTRO-NITE INTERNATIONAL N.V.
    Inventor: Danny Habets
  • Patent number: 7635220
    Abstract: A device is provided for measuring the cooling curve of melts and/or the heating curve of melt samples with an optical fiber, wherein an immersion end of the optical fiber having an at least partially free surface is surrounded with a spacing by a temperature-resistant sample-receiving chamber. The optical fiber is immersed with its immersion end in the melt, and a sample is thereby formed in the sample-receiving chamber. The sample-receiving chamber with the sample and the optical fiber are thereafter pulled out of the molten metal. The cooling curve of the sample and/or, after previous solidification of the sample, the temperature profile during heating is measured with reference to a signal obtained by the optical fiber and forwarded to a measurement device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2009
    Assignee: Heraeus Electro-Nite International N.V.
    Inventors: Francis Dams, Jacques Plessers, Paul Clement Verstreken
  • Patent number: 7621191
    Abstract: An immersion probe has a probe body having a longitudinal axis and an outer surface surrounding the longitudinal axis, wherein a portion of the outer surface has sampling elements, which extend around the longitudinal axis in the peripheral direction and which have a radial dimension. A protective layer, which can be dissolved or combusted in molten steel or slag, is arranged around the sampling elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Heraeus Electro-Nite International N.V.
    Inventors: Johan Knevels, Guido Cappa, Jos Truyen, Jean Claes
  • Publication number: 20090230597
    Abstract: A lance for receiving a sensor or sampler for metal melts has a top part and a bottom part provided for arrangement on the sensor or sampler. The top part and the bottom part are detachably connected to each other by a plug-in coupling, wherein the plug-in coupling has two coupling parts that can be inserted one in the other. Of these coupling parts, one coupling part is arranged on the top part and the other coupling part is arranged on the bottom part of the lance, and the two coupling parts are inserted one in the other in the longitudinal direction of the lance. One of the two coupling parts has, on its open connection end, an opening or groove that extends from the front face of the coupling part in the longitudinal direction of the lance and has, spaced from the front face, an extension formed in the peripheral direction of the coupling part. On the other coupling part a raised portion is formed that engages in the extension.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2009
    Publication date: September 17, 2009
    Applicant: HERAEUS ELECTRO-NITE INTERNATIONAL N.V.
    Inventor: Johan Knevels
  • Publication number: 20090107537
    Abstract: A thermocouple system is disclosed. The thermocouple system includes a thermocouple having a positive lead and a negative lead. A positive wire is connected at a first end to the positive lead at a first junction and at a second end to a second junction. A negative wire is connected at a first end to the negative lead at a third junction and at second end to a fourth junction. The second and fourth junctions constitute a reference junction. At least one of a thermal conductivity and a gauge of at least one of the positive wire and the negative wire are selected to govern the respective flows of heat from the first junction toward the reference junction and the flow of heat from the third junction toward the reference junction to be of such quantities that the difference in the heat flows is less than a predetermined amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2008
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Applicant: Heraeus Electro-Nite International N.V.
    Inventor: Richard F. Conti
  • Patent number: 7488350
    Abstract: A carrier tube is provided for sensors for taking measurements in metal or cryolite melts, especially in cast iron, steel, or copper melts. The carrier tube is formed from a mixture of a plant fiber material with starch and/or protein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: Heraeus Electro-Nite International N.V.
    Inventor: Jacques Plessers