Method and apparatus for measuring and controlling moisture in a sinter mix

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF REGULATING AND CONTROLLING THE AMOUNT OF MOISTURE IN A FEED SINTER MIX WHICH IS TO BE BALLED BEFORE SINTERING SO AS TO PROVIDE MINIMUM BULK DENSITY THEREBY PROVIDING FOR MAXIMUM PERMEABILITY OF AIR THROUGH THE MIX ON A SINTER BED, COMPRISING: (A) AUTOMATICALLY ADDING WATER TO THE FEED MIX TO FORM A MOISTENED MIX, SAID WATER BEING ADDED IN AN AMOUNT TO ADJUST THE BALLING CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MATERIAL OF THE MIX TO THE OPTIMUM VALUE FOR BALLING, WHICH VALUE JUST THE BALLING CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MATERIAL OF THE MIX TO THE OPTIMUM VALUE FOR BALLING, WHICH VALUE IS A REGION OF MINIMUM BULK DENSITY AT WHICH THE BULK DENSITY STOPS DECREASING AS A FUNCTION OF THE WATER CONTENT; (B) PASSING GAMMA RAYS OF RADIATION OF PREDETERMINED STRENGTH THROUGH THE MOISTENED MIX; (C) AUTOMATICALLY DETECTING THE AMOUNT OF RADIATION RECEIVED, WHICH AMOUNT OF RADIATION IS INDICATIVE OF THE ACTUAL WATER CONTENT OF THE MOISTENED MIX; (D) AUTOMATICALLY COMPARING THE RADIATION RECEIVED THROUGH THE MOISTENED MIX TO THAT RECEIVED THROUGH A MIX WHICH HAS THE CORRECT WATER CONTENT TO GIVE IT THE AFORESAID MINIMUM BULK DENSITY TO DETERMINE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ACTUAL WATER CONTENT OF THE MOISTENED MIX AND THE DESIRED WATER CONTENT; AND (E) AUTOMATICALLY ADJUSTING VALVE MEANS FOR THE FLOW OF WATER TO THE FEED MIX AS AFORESAID, BY AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE RECEIVED RADIATION VALUE AT SAID MINIMUM BULK DENSITY AND THE VALUE OF THE RADIATION RECEIVED THROUGH THE MOISTENED MIX, TO INCREASE OR DECREASE AS GOVERNED BY COMPUTER MEANS THE FLOW OF WATER AUTOMATICALLY IN AMOUNT TO ATTAIN CONSTANTLY A VALUE OF RADIATION INDICATIVE OF THE REGION OF SAID MINIMUM BULK DENSITY.

Claim 2

THE METHOD OF REGULATING AND CONTROLLING THE AMOUNT OF MOISTURE IN A FEED SINTER MIX WHICH IS TO BE BALLED BEFORE SINTERING SO AS TO PROVIDE MINIMUM BULK DENSITY THEREBY PROVIDING FOR MAXIMUM PERMEABILITY OF AIR THROUGH THE MIX ON A SINTER BED, COMPRISING: (A) AUTOMATICALLY ADDING WATER TO THE FEED MIX TO FORM A MOISTENED MIX, SAID WATER BEING ADDED IN AN AMOUNT TO ADJUST THE BALLING CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MATERIAL OF THE MIX TO THE OPTIMUM VALUE FOR BALLING, WHICH VALUE JUST THE BALLING CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MATERIAL OF THE MIX TO THE OPTIMUM VALUE FOR BALLING, WHICH VALUE IS A REGION OF MINIMUM BULK DENSITY AT WHICH THE BULK DENSITY STOPS DECREASING AS A FUNCTION OF THE WATER CONTENT; (B) PASSING GAMMA RAYS OF RADIATION OF PREDETERMINED STRENGTH THROUGH THE MOISTENED MIX; (C) AUTOMATICALLY DETECTING THE AMOUNT OF RADIATION RECEIVED, WHICH AMOUNT OF RADIATION IS INDICATIVE OF THE ACTUAL WATER CONTENT OF THE MOISTENED MIX; (D) AUTOMATICALLY COMPARING THE RADIATION RECEIVED THROUGH THE MOISTENED MIX TO THAT RECEIVED THROUGH A MIX WHICH HAS THE CORRECT WATER CONTENT TO GIVE IT THE AFORESAID MINIMUM BULK DENSITY TO DETERMINE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ACTUAL WATER CONTENT OF THE MOISTENED MIX AND THE DESIRED WATER CONTENT; AND (E) AUTOMATICALLY ADJUSTING VALVE MEANS FOR THE FLOW OF WATER TO THE FEED MIX AS AFORESAID, BY AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE RECEIVED RADIATION VALUE AT SAID MINIMUM BULK DENSITY AND THE VALUE OF THE RADIATION RECEIVED THROUGH THE MOISTENED MIX, TO INCREASE OR DECREASE AS GOVERNED BY COMPUTER MEANS THE FLOW OF WATER AUTOMATICALLY IN AMOUNT TO ATTAIN CONSTANTLY A VALUE OF RADIATION INDICATIVE OF THE REGION OF SAID MINIMUM BULK DENSITY.