Conveyor system and measuring device for determining water content of a construction material

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016258886-A1
Application number	US-201615155056-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 15, 2016
Priority date	Oct 22, 2012
Publication date	Sep 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system is provided. The system includes a conveyor apparatus configured for conveying a material and a water content measurement system positioned about the conveyor apparatus for determining water content in the material. A dimension characteristic measurement system for detecting one or more dimension characteristics of the material is provided and a computer device is configured to manipulate data received from the water content measurement system and the dimension characteristic measurement system to determine a water content of the material.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . A system comprising:
a conveyor apparatus configured for conveying a material; a water content measurement system positioned about the conveyor apparatus for detecting water content in the material; a dimension characteristic measurement system for detecting one or more dimension characteristics of the material; and a computer device configured to manipulate data received from the water content measurement system and the dimension characteristic measurement system to determine a water content of the material.

2 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the water content measurement system and the dimension characteristic measurement system are spaced-apart about the conveyor apparatus to eliminate cross-talk therebetween.

3 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the water content measurement system comprises a neutron source spaced-apart from one side of the conveyor apparatus and neutron detector spaced-apart from an opposing side of the conveyor.

4 . The system according to claim 3 , wherein the neutron source is Cf-252 and the neutron detector is an He-3 neutron detector.

5 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the dimension characteristic measurement system is configured to determine one of a height and mass thickness of the material.

6 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the dimension characteristic measurement system comprises a gamma-ray source spaced-apart from one side of the conveyor apparatus and a gamma-ray detector spaced-apart from an opposing side of the conveyor apparatus and is configured for detecting a mass thickness.

7 . The system according to claim 6 , wherein the gamma-ray source is Cs-137 and the gamma-ray detector is a scintillation detector.

8 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the water content measurement system is positioned downstream of the dimension measurement system.

9 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the material is one of a concrete, bituminous mixture, sand, aggregate, concrete additives, water or a combination thereof.

10 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the dimension characteristic measurement system uses one of acoustics, ultrasonic, structured light, lasers, optics, radar, gamma ray, and combinations thereof methods for determining one of more dimension characteristics.

11 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the computer device is further configured to:
determine whether the water content characteristic is within an acceptable range; and provide adjustments to water input of the material based on the determination.

12 . A method for determining the water content of a material being transported on a conveyor apparatus, the method comprising:
detecting a parameter of water in the material; detecting a dimension characteristic of the material; and determining a water content of the material based on the detected parameter of water and detected dimension of the material.

13 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein detecting water content in the material comprises counting neutrons on one side of the conveyor apparatus emitted from a neutron source from an opposing side of the conveyor apparatus.

14 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein determining a dimension characteristic of the material comprises using one of acoustics, ultrasonic, structured light, lasers, optics, radar, gamma ray, and combinations thereof for determining one or more dimension characteristics.

15 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein determining a dimension characteristic of the material comprises counting gamma-rays (photons) using a gamma-rays source and a scintillation detector.

16 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein determining a dimension characteristic of the material comprises determining one of a height or mass thickness of the material.

17 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the material is one of a concrete, bituminous mixture, sand, aggregate, concrete additives, water or a combination thereof.

18 . The method according to claim 12 , further including:
determining whether the water content characteristic is within an acceptable range; and providing adjustments to water input of the material based on the determination.

19 . A device for determining a characteristic of a construction material being transported by a conveyor apparatus, the device comprising:
one of a gamma-ray and a neutron source positioned about one side of the conveyor apparatus; a detector positioned about the opposing side of the conveyor apparatus configured for detecting one of the gamma-rays and neutrons; and a computer device configured to manipulate data received from the detectors to determine a characteristic of the construction material.

20 . The device according to claim 19 , wherein the measurement system is configured for detecting water content in the material.

Assignees

• Troxler Electronic Lab Inc

Inventors

• Dep Wewage Hiran Linus
• Troxler Robert Ernest

Classifications

• G01N23/12

  the material being a flowing fluid or a flowing granular solid · CPC title

• B65G43/08

  Control devices operated by article or material being fed, conveyed or discharged {(and controlling the discharging devices B65G47/42)} · CPC title

• G01N2223/613

  moisture · CPC title

• G01N2223/643

  object on conveyor · CPC title

• B65G2203/0208

  relating to the transported articles · CPC title