Patent · US Expired

System and method for on-line monitoring and control of heavy metal contamination in soil washing process

US5414195A · kind A · utility

12Cited by
23References
5Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 17, 1992
Grant dateMay 9, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 17, 2012

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S588/90
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

The concentrations of residual heavy metal contaminants in the particulate material in a slurry produced in a particulate material washing process are monitored on-line and can be used to control the washing process. In alternative embodiments of the invention, x-rays, thermal neutrons or laser beams are directed at the slurry as it flows through a flow cell to induce emission of secondary x-rays, gamma rays or light, respectively, characteristic of the heavy metal contaminants and constituents representative of the solids contents of the slurry. These characteristic energies are measured and used to determine the concentration in ppm of the residual heavy metal contaminants in the particulate material within the slurry.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.