Abstract: A gravity gradiometer and method for forming a pivot flexure web for a gradiometer is disclosed. The gradiometer has measurement bars 41, 43 supported in housings 45 and 47 and transducers 71 for measuring movement of the bars to provide an indication of the gravity gradient tensor. The bars 41, 43 are mounted on flexure webs. The webs are formed in separate elements to the housing and bars.

Abstract: A heat switch 570 is disclosed as well as a gradiometer having the heat switch. The heat switch is formed from a non-magnetic material such as a semi-conducting material. The semi-conducting material may be provided by way of a Hall effect device. The heat switches are arranged in the gradiometer on a circuit board 856. The circuit board 850 has conducting strips 856 which are connected to conducting strips on a sensor 71 by bridges 852. The heat switch 570 is connected on the opposite side of the circuit board 850 to the strips 856 and processing circuitry 859. A copper substrate 865 is provided on the same side of the circuit board as the heat switch 570 to conduct heat away from the heat switch 570 when the heat switch is closed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of tuning properties of a gravity gradiometer for measuring components of the gravity gradient tensor. The gravity gradiometer comprises a pair of first and second transversely arranged sensor masses that are arranged for movement about an axis and relative to each other in response to a gravity gradient. The gravity gradiometer further comprises first and second capacitors for sensing and influencing the movement of the first and second sensor masses. The method comprising applying a bias voltage to at least one of the capacitors for generating an electrostatic force which acts on one of the sensor masses and thereby influences the movement of that sensor mass.

Abstract: An apparatus for injecting gas into a vessel includes a gas flow duct which receives hot gas through a gas inlet structure at a rear end of the duct. The forward end of the duct has an annular duct with an internal cooling water passage. Cooling water supply and return passages are formed within the wall of the duct such that water flows to and from a tip through the supply and return passages. The tip includes a hollow shell and a partitioning structure that has a ring and a plurality of circumferential flanges that project outwardly from the ring to the shell to form a series of water flow galleries, each extending circumferentially around the tip and interconnected for flow of cooling water sequentially through the galleries from the water supply passages to the water return passage. The circumferential flanges also serve as buttress supports for the shell.

Abstract: The present invention provides a gravity gradiometer for measuring components of the gravity gradient tensor. The gravity gradiometer comprises a housing and a gimballed support structure with at least one actuator. The gravity gradiometer further comprises at least one sensor mass arranged for movement in response to a gravity gradient. The gravity gradiometer also comprises a transducer that is arranged so that the movement of the at least one sensor mass relative to a portion of the transducer generates a transducer signal. Further, the gravity gradiometer comprises an electrical feedback loop arranged to direct an electrical signal to the actuator of the external support structure. The gravity gradiometer is arranged so that an influence of an external angular acceleration on the rotation of the housing is reduced by the actuator when the transducer generates a transducer signal effected by the external angular acceleration on the gravity gradiometer.

Abstract: A gravity gradiometer is disclosed which has sensor masses in the forms of bars 41 and 43 arranged orthogonal to one another and transducers for providing an output signal indicative of movement of the bars in response to changes in the gravity gradient tensor. The transducers are formed from thin film structure having a first layer forming a fine pitch coil 510 and a second layer forming a coarse pitch coil 511. The layers are separated by an insulating layer. The coarse pitch coil 511 forms a transformer for stepping up the current flowing through the fine pitch coil 510 and the coarse pitch coil 511 supplies current to a SQUID device 367.

Abstract: An apparatus for injecting gas into a metallurgical vessel is disclosed. The apparatus includes a gas flow duct, an elongate central tubular structure extending within the gas flow duct, a plurality of flow directing swirl vanes disposed about the central tubular structure, and cooling water passages within the central tubular structure. The forward end of the central structure has a nose portion that includes a domed outer shell, an inner component disposed within the outer shell and formed with an internal nozzle to receive water from the cooling water passages and to direct that water in a jet against the inner surface of the outer shell to produce an outwardly and backwardly fanning flow of water around the inner surface of the outer shell.

Abstract: A gravity gradiometer is disclosed which has a pair of sensor bars 41, 42 mounted in housings 43 and 45. Transducers 71 are located adjacent the bars for measuring movement of the bars in response to the gravity gradient tensor. Signals from the transducers are supplied to a SQUID device 367 for processing the signals. A connector is supplied for connecting the circuitry to external equipment which comprises a container 560 having a feed through filter 564, a three terminal cap 565, a relay 566 and an output terminal. The output terminal is connected to further RF attenuation which comprises a second connector 5b having parallel inductors and resistors.

Abstract: The present invention provides a gravity gradiometer for measuring components of the gravity gradient tensor. The gravity gradiometer comprises at least one sensor mass for movement in response to a gravity gradient. The gravity gradiometer also comprises a pivotal coupling enabling the movement of the at least one sensor mass about an axis. Further, the gravity gradiometer comprises a plurality of capacitors. Each capacitor has first and second capacitor elements positioned opposite each other so that a gap is defined between respective first and second capacitor elements. The capacitors are arranged so that movement of the at least one sensor mass results in a change in the gap between respective first and second capacitor elements. At least one of the capacitor elements has at least two separate capacitor portions arranged so that separate voltages can be applied to the capacitor portions.

Abstract: The present invention provides a gravity gradiometer for measuring components of the gravity gradient tensor. The gravity gradiometer comprises at least one sensor mass for movement in response to a gravity gradient and a pivotal coupling enabling the movement of the at least one sensor mass about an axis. Further, the gravity gradiometer comprises a constant charge capacitor that is arranged so that the movement of the at least one sensor mass generates a change in a voltage across the constant charge capacitor.

Abstract: A floating water surface cover module, comprising a rim (1), and a shallow dome-shaped cover (2 )extending from the top of the rim (1 )and formed with a vent (3), the rim and cover being formed with shaped air-filled air-tight cavities (5 )spaced around the rim (1 )to provide buoyancy, the rim (1 )and the cover (2 )being configured so that one module will nest within another to form a stable stack.

Abstract: A solids feed means for a direct smelting plant is disclosed. The solids feed means includes 2 or more pairs of lances for injecting solid feed materials for a direct smelting process into a direct smelting vessel. The solids feed means also includes a main supply line and a pair of branch lines for supplying solid feed material to the lances of each pair of lances with the branch lines interconnecting the main supply line and the lances of the pair of lances. The lances are arranged around the vessel in pairs of diametrically opposed lances. At least one pair of lances is provided for injecting metalliferous feed material (such as iron-containing materials, particularly iron ore fines) and at least one of the other pairs of lances is provided for injecting solid carbonaceous material (such as coal) and optionally fluxes. The pairs of lances are arranged around the vessel so that adjacent lances are lances that are provided to inject different materials.

Abstract: A direct smelting plant that includes an effective and reliable solids feed means for injecting solid feed materials, particularly carbonaceous material, into a direct smelting vessel of the plant is disclosed. The solid feed means is characterised by independent supply of carbonaceous material to injection lances. The independent supply of carbonaceous material minimises the possible adverse impact of a breakdown of one or more than one lance or a breakdown of the carbonaceous material injection means for that lance or lances.

Abstract: Apparatus for injecting gas into a vessel including a gas flow duct 31 which receives hot gas through a gas inlet structure 32 at a rear end of the duct. An elongate central structure 33 extends throughout the length of duct 31 and carries a series of vanes 34 for imparting swirl to the gas flow exiting the forward end of the duct. The forward end of the duct 31 has an internally water cooled tip 36 and water flows to and from tip 36 through annular passages 43, 44 in the wall of duct 31. Vanes 34 are mounted on central structure 33 so as to extend to forward ends disposed within the duct tip 36 and are dimensioned such that during operation of the apparatus their forward ends are engaged and supported by the internally water cooled duct tip 36.

Abstract: A method and an assembly for treating minerals using microwave energy are disclosed. The method includes exposing a moving bed, preferably a mixed moving bed, of mineral particles to pulsed high energy microwave energy so that at least substantially all particles receive at least some exposure to microwave energy.

Abstract: Smelting apparatus comprises a vessel (11) and a solids injection lance (27a) extending through an opening in the wall of vessel barrel (16) into the interior space of the vessel. Lance (27a) includes a central core tube (31) through which to pass solid particulate material into the vessel and an annular cooling jacket (32) surrounding the central core tube (31) throughout a substantial part of its length. Lance (27a) has a mounting structure (61) comprising a tubular part (60) extended about cooling jacket (32) and about twice the diameter of the cooling jacket. Tubular part (60) fits within a tubular lance mounting bracket (62) welded to the shell (16a) of vessel barrel (16) to extend outwardly from the vessel. The lance is held within mounting bracket (62) by clamping bolts acting between flanges (63,65) on tubular part (60) and tubular bracket (62).

Abstract: A process and apparatus for supplying solid feed materials for a direct smelting process to solids injection lances of a direct smelting vessel is disclosed. The feed materials supply apparatus includes a supply line (L) for conveying iron-containing material and solid carbonaceous material under pressure to solids injection lances (7), and the supply line includes a main feeder line section (15) and a plurality of branch line sections (17) extending from the main feeder line section. Each branch line section is connected to one solids injection lance for supplying iron-containing material and carbonaceous material to that lance. The apparatus further includes an assembly for dispensing iron-containing material under pressure into the main feeder line section of the supply line and an assembly for dispensing carbonaceous material under pressure into the main feeder line section of the supply line.

Abstract: A gravity gradiometer is described which comprises a pair of sensor bars 41, 43 arranged in housings 45, 47. Transducers 71 are arranged adjacent the bars 41, 43 for measuring movement of the bars in response to the gravity gradient tensor. At least one of the transducers has a sensing coil 510 and a capacitor plate 518a having a concentric arrangement with the sensing coil 510 for providing one plate of a capacitor used in a balancing circuit for measuring the balance of the sensor mass.

Abstract: A gravity gradiometer is disclosed which has a pair of sensor bars 41, 42 mounted in housings 43 and 45. Transducers 71 are located adjacent the bars for measuring movement of the bars in response to the gravity gradient tensor. Signals from the transducers are supplied to a SQUID device 367 for processing the signals. A connector is supplied for connecting the circuitry to external equipment which comprises a container 560 having a feed through filter 564, a three terminal cap 565, a relay 566 and an output terminal. The output terminal is connected to further RF attenuation which comprises a second connector 5b having parallel inductors and resistors.