BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the invention, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings embodiments which are presently preferred. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is schematic, cross-sectional view through an immersion sensor according to one embodiment of the invention with its immersion end dipped in a liquid or melt;
FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of another embodiment an immersion sensor according to the invention, illustrating the measurement point without a sample plate;
FIGS. 3
a, 3b and 3c are schematic representations of various constructions of the inlet tube and sample plate for the sample chamber according to embodiments of the invention;
FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of a further embodiment of an immersion sensor according to the invention, illustrating the sample chamber with a different arrangement of the measurement point;
FIG. 5 is schematic cross-sectional view of a device for measurement and analysis of melts using an immersion sensor according to one embodiment of the invention; and
FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of a still further embodiment of an immersion sensor according to the invention, illustrating another arrangement of the sample chamber with the measurement point.
In the drawings, the same reference numerals are used to illustrate similar or like elements, but for sake of clarity not all elements are labeled in each Figure, it being understood that unlabeled elements are the same or similar to those labeled in other Figures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 shows an immersion sensor 1 according to one embodiment of the invention in cross section. The immersion sensor 1 is surrounded by a protective tube 28. At the lower end of the immersion sensor 1 the sample chamber 17 is located. Inside the sample chamber 17 there is a melt level detector 22, a sample plate 16, and an inlet opening 14, which is formed in this case by an inlet tube 36. The end of the inlet tube 36 facing the melt 10 is provided with a protective cap 12, which melts away after the immersion sensor 1 is immersed in the melt 10 and thus ensures that only clean melt 10 reaches the measurement point 18. Upon immersion of the immersion sensor 1 into the melt 10, the protective cap 12 dissolves and the melt 10 enters the sample chamber 17 through the inlet opening 14. When the melt 10 enters the sample chamber 17, the melt 10 is analyzed at a defined measurement point 18. The measurement point 18 is arranged in FIG. 1 on a sample plate 16. Here, the sample plate 16 can be arranged at any desired position inside the sample chamber 17. The melt 10, which enters through the inlet opening 14 into the sample chamber 17, is collected on the floor 15 of the sample chamber 17. If necessary, this collected melt can also be removed when the immersion sensor 1 is removed from the melt 10 and used for additional analyses. In the upper part of the immersion sensor 1 are located the optics 34 and also a gas conduit 37 for supplying gas, in order to allow a certain pressure inside the sample chamber 17.
FIG. 2 shows the view of another embodiment of the sample chamber 17 with measurement point 18. Here, the measurement point 18 is not arranged on a sample plate 16, but instead the measurement of the melt 10 occurs at its entry from the inlet opening 14 into the sample chamber 17. The entry of the melt 10 occurs through an inlet tube 36.
FIGS. 3
a, b and c show various constructions of the inlet tube 36. In FIG. 3a the inlet tube 36 is formed such that the melt 10 must flow through an arc 30. Here, the inlet tube 36 has at its end located in the sample chamber 17 a region which is milled off at the top. In this region the melt 10 can be analyzed particularly well, because this region forms a sort of sample plate 16.
FIG. 3
b shows another construction of the inlet tube 36. Here, the inlet tube 36 has an arc 30, which should prevent the melt 10 from flowing too quickly into the sample chamber 17. The upper region of the inlet tube 36 is formed as the sample plate 16. The melt 10 flows over the edge of the sample plate 16, and thus reaches the sample chamber 17. The measurement of the melt 10 can occur either on the sample plate 16 or upon overflowing of the melt 10 past the edge of the sample plate 16.
In FIG. 3c another possibility is shown for how the melt 10 can be analyzed. The melt 10 reaches the sample chamber 17 via an inlet tube 36 and there flows onto a sample plate 16. The sample plate 16 has an overflow channel 32, at which the controlled discharge of the melt 10 occurs.
If necessary, the sample plate 16 can be flat, high-crowned at the outside or high-crowned in the middle, or can have a complicated shape and special features, as for example the overflow channel 32. Here, the inlet tube 36 and sample plate 16 can be separate components or can be integrated monolithically into the sample chamber 17. In order to minimize contamination of the melt 10 before the analysis, pure quartz glass can be used as the inlet tube 36. Instead, cement, ceramics, or similar materials are also conceivable here as the inlet tube 36 and sample plate 16.
FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the sample chamber 17 with measurement point 18. Here, the melt 10 is introduced into the sample chamber 17 via an inlet tube 36, which is located at the side of the immersion sensor 1. The measurement occurs here when the melt 10 comes out of the inlet tube 36. Here, it is conceivable that the melt 10 can also flow onto a sample plate.
FIG. 5 shows a device for measurement and analysis of melts. The immersion sensor 1 shown here has an upper, reusable part 20 and a lower part. Inside the immersion sensor 1 is located a laser 24 and a spectrometer 26. The immersion sensor 1 has a housing 28, which can be water-cooled. In the lower part of the immersion sensor 1 is located the inlet opening 14 with an inlet tube 36, through which the melt 10 comes into the sample chamber 17 when the immersion sensor 1 is immersed into the melt 10. Here, a quartz glass disk 38 having an opening for the laser and analysis beams and a protective window 39 are used for protecting the laser 24 from vapors or heat radiation of the melt 10.
In FIG. 6 another embodiment of the immersion sensor 1 according to the invention is shown. The immersion sensor 1 here has in the sample chamber 17 a plate protective plate 38, which also assumes, among other things, the function of a sample plate.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. It is understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but it is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.
Patent Application
20080083269
