Abstract: A method is provided to automatically control an infeed gate of a centrifuge to regulate the rate of incoming charge and thereby maintain a desired building rate for a charge wall being formed along inner sidewalls of a rotating centrifugal basket by measuring the charge wall thickness which forms, determining a fill rate at which the charge material enters the basket, and comparing the determined rate to a desired fill rate. Closure of the infeed gate is also controlled to gradually approach a minimum flow rate. A method is also provided for sensing an unstabilizing wobble of the centrifugal basket and closing the infeed gate in response. The automatic control of the opening and closing of the gate not only improves the capacity of the centrifuge, but also allows for remote operation.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe is mounted in a centrifugal machine within close proximity to a maximum charge wall which is to be formed within a charge basket of the centrifugal machine. The probe comprises a tubular member which extends from an upper portion of an outer shell which surrounds the basket into the basket. A sensing head of the probe includes an ultrasonic transmitter and receiver which are mounted within a capsule formed of ultrasonic energy and vibration damping material. The transmitter and receiver are directed toward an inner surface of the charge basket of the centrifugal machine to monitor build up of a charge wall within the basket by directing bursts or pulses of ultrasonic energy toward the inner surface of the basket and receiving reflections or echoes of the pulses which are reflected from the charge wall building within the basket.