SBIR Phase I: On-Line Optoelectronic Sensing of Molten Metal Chemistry

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目将确定开发一种高度创新、低成本、高速光电传感器的可行性，该传感器能够在铸造和熔炼操作期间连续监测金属合金熔体的成分。该传感器的开发是金属铸造行业和铝行业在其未来行业路线图中确定的最优先的技术需求之一。为了有效地竞争，美国金属行业必须增加对低成本废钢的使用，还必须找到提高生产效率的方法。建议的传感器将获得关键成分数据的速度比目前的商业方法快数千倍，并且将在不需要将传感器放置在与熔融金属接触的情况下实时运行。在这种速度下，熔炼车间每天可以额外生产一批金属(即热量)，相当于提高15%的生产率。300亿美元的铝冶炼行业相当于潜在的45亿美元的生产产出增加，而除了传感器系统本身之外，几乎没有额外的资本投资。更短的熔化时间将带来产品质量的提高、排放的减少、能源的节约和产品产量的增加。锌、铜、黄铜、青铜、铁、陶瓷和玻璃行业也可能有类似的改进，这些行业也需要类似的连续传感器系统来监控成分和质量。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will determine the feasibility of developing a highly innovative, low-cost, high-speed opto-electronic sensor capable of continuously monitoring molten metal alloy compositions during casting and melting operations. Development of this sensor is among the highest priority technology needs identified by both the metal casting industry and the aluminum industry in their industry roadmaps of the future. In order to effectively compete, U.S. metal industries must increase their use of low cost scrap and must also find ways to increase production efficiency. The proposed sensor will acquire critical compositional data thousands of times faster than current commercial methods and will operate on a real time basis without the need to place the sensor in contact with the molten metal. At these speeds, a melt shop could produce one extra metal production batch (i.e. heat) per day, amounting to a 15% increase in productivity.The $30 Billion aluminum smelting industry translates to a potential $4.5 Billion increase in production output for little or no additional capital investment other than the sensor system itself. Improved product quality, reduced emissions, energy savings, and increased product yield will result from the shorter melting times. Similar improvements would be possible for zinc, copper, brass, bronze, iron, ceramics and glass industries that also have need for a similar continuous sensor system to monitor composition and quality.