Title of Invention

" A DEVICE AND A METHOD FOR INDICATING COKE LEVEL IN A BUNKER"

Abstract

Ther is provided a device and method for indicating coke level in a storage/supply bunker which comprises (i) a conventional bunker provided with a set of electrodes (6) at a plurality of pre-determined levels along the vertical axis of the bunker, (ii) each electrode forming a part of an electrical circuit, (iii) the base plate of the bunker being electrically conductive and forming the other part of an electrical circuit, (iv) each electrode being connected to a Light Emitting Diode (LED), and (v) the bunker having the usual feed and discharge arrangement, 2 & 4.

Full Text

Field of Invention This invention relates to measurement of coke level in bunker for supplying coke to Blast Furnace as and when required. Description of known art Load cell, photo-electric, gamma ray, microwave techniques are in use for detecting the solid level in bunker. Load cell works on the principle of strain gauge for weighing photoelectric method uses the principle of light signal; gamma ray technique uses a radio active element and microwave technique uses reflected wave by the sensor for finding the level in the bunkers. Drawback of the known art The initial capital cost of existing methods is high and maintenance cost is also high. These are prone to failure in the dusty and high temperature environment. The cost of spares is also high. The applicant is aware of prior art patent WO 02070997. This prior art patent is for novel indicator for a conductive fluid in a container having two probes immersed in the fluid. There is an electronic system and a plurality of the inter connected diodes which are inter connected in a series so as to indicate the level of conductive fluid as it rises or falls in the container. Further there is also resister connected to the down stream of the diode for achieving this level indication. None of this features has anything to the applicant's invention, which merely uses a set of electrodes and light emitting diode The applicant is also aware of US Patent 658827. This patent relates to measuring temperature in an oven and uses oven thermometers taking advantage of the heat waves generated without deflecting the waves of heat. This US Patent is also entirely different from the applicant's invention. Objects of invention It is an object of invention to propose a novel on line information system for indicating coke level in a bunker" which will be highly effective and for low cost. Another object of the invention is to propose such a system whose components and spares indigenously available. Further objects of the invention is to propose such a system which can be easily serviced and maintained without much hasten. Yet another object of this invention is to propose such a system, which can function effectively for a long period and give correct information. 2 Yet another object of this invention is to propose such a system, which can work in high temperature and does not cote effective by the coke- bed within which it is not embodied. Yet another object of this invention is to propose such a system, which can be mounted at different levels of a bunker, so as to intricate the coke level at any desired level. Further object of this invention is propose such a system, which can be designed to off-line, indicate the level of coke in one or more or all pre determined levels in a bunker. This another object of this invention will be apparent from the following paragraphs. BRIEF STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION This is according to the invention, there is provided a device for indicating coke level in a storage/supply bunker which comprises (a) a conventional bunker 1 provided with a set of electrodes 6 at a plurality of pre determined levels along the vertical axis of the bunker, (b) each electrode forming a part of an electrical circuit, (c) the base plate of the bunker being electrically conductive and forming the other part of an electrical circuit, (d) each electrode being connected to a Light Emitting Diode (LED), and (e) The bunker having the usual feed and discharge arrangements 2 & 4. The other features are as follows. (i) the electrodes are either solid rods or hollow tubes (ii) the electrodes are made of mild steel. (iii) the electrodes of different levels are solid rods/hollow tubes of different required lengths and are mounted from the top of the bunker, (iv) all the rods or hollow tubes are mounted at the required levels from the side/s of the bunker, (v) the rods or hollow tubes and are mounted at the required levels from the side/s of the bunker horizontally, (vi) the rods or hollow tubes are mounted at the required levels from the side/s of the bunker angularly, (vii) the electrical circuit includes an alarm system capable of being triggered when coke level drops below a predetermined level. 3 There is also provided a method of ascertaining the coke level in a bunker for discharging bunkers comprising the following steps: a. making the bottom plate of the bunker as one terminal of an electrical circuit. b. Providing a plurality of mild steel electrodes at different, pre-determined levels of the bunker. c. Making each such electrode as another terminal of the electrical circuit. d. Providing a power source for supplying current to the electrodes. e. Providing visual display units, preferably LED with each such terminal. f. Allowing the coke charge as an electrically conductive medium between the first and the said plurality of second electrodes at the different levels to complete the circuit of flow and thereby to illuminate a LED at the electrode circuit of the level of the coke charge to determine the level of coke. The invention will now to be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which is only schematic representation of a preferred embodiment. 3A We Claim 1. A device for indicating coke level in a storage/supply bunker, which comprises a) a conventional bunker 1 provided with a set of electrodes 6 at a plurality of pre- determined levels along the vertical axis of the bunker, b) each electrode forming a part of an electrical circuit, c) the base plate of the bunker being electrically conductive and forming the other part of an electrical circuit, d) each electrode being connected to a Light Emitting Diode (LED), and e) the bunker having the usual feed and discharge arrangement 2 & 4. 2. A device as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the electrodes are either solid rods or hollow tubes. 3. A device as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the electrodes are made of mild steel. 4. A device as claimed in claims 1 to 3 wherein the electrodes of different levels are solid rods/hollow tubes of different required lengths and are mounted from the top of the bunker. 5. A modification of the device as claimed Claim 4 wherein all the rods or hollow tubes are mounted at the required levels from the side/s of the bunker. 6. A device as claimed Claim 5 wherein the rods or hollow tubes and are mounted at the required levels from the side/s of the bunker horizontally. 7. A device as claimed in Claim 5 wherein the rods or hollow tubes are mounted at the required levels from the side/s of the bunker angularly. 8. A device as claimed in Claims 1 to 7 wherein the electrical circuit includes an alarm system capable of being triggered when coke level drops below a predetermined level. 9. A method of ascertaining the coke level in a bunker for discharging bunkers comprising: a. making the bottom plate of the bunker as one terminal of art electrical circuit b. Providing a plurality of mild steel electrodes at different, pre-determined levels of the bunker. c. making each such electrode as another terminal of the electrical circuit. d. providing a power source for supplying current to the electrodes. e. providing visual display units, preferably LED with each such terminal. 6 f. allowing the coke charge as an electrically conductive medium between the first and the said plurality of second electrodes at the different levels to complete the circuit of flow and thereby to illuminate a LED at the electrode circuit of the level of the coke charge to determine the level of coke. 10. A device for indicating coke level in a storage/supply bunker substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings. 7 11. A method of ascertaining the coke level in a bunker for discharging bunkers substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings. Ther is provided a device and method for indicating coke level in a storage/supply bunker which comprises (i) a conventional bunker provided with a set of electrodes (6) at a plurality of pre-determined levels along the vertical axis of the bunker, (ii) each electrode forming a part of an electrical circuit, (iii) the base plate of the bunker being electrically conductive and forming the other part of an electrical circuit, (iv) each electrode being connected to a Light Emitting Diode (LED), and (v) the bunker having the usual feed and discharge arrangement, 2 & 4.

Documents:

00571-kol-2003-abstract.pdf

00571-kol-2003-claims.pdf

00571-kol-2003-correspondence.pdf

00571-kol-2003-description(complete).pdf

00571-kol-2003-drawings.pdf

00571-kol-2003-form-1.pdf

00571-kol-2003-form-13.pdf

00571-kol-2003-form-18.pdf

00571-kol-2003-form-2.pdf

00571-kol-2003-form-26.pdf

00571-kol-2003-form-3.pdf

00571-kol-2003-letters patent.pdf