US 12,263,522 B2
Smart molten metal pump
Vince Fontana, Middlefield, OH (US); and James Robert Daniels, Middlefield, OH (US)
Assigned to Molten Metal Equipment Innovations, LLC
Filed by Molten Metal Equipment Innovations, LLC, Middlefield, OH (US)
Filed on Oct. 4, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/480,755.
Application 18/480,755 is a continuation of application No. 17/939,898, filed on Sep. 7, 2022, granted, now 11,858,037.
Application 17/939,898 is a continuation of application No. 16/877,332, filed on May 18, 2020, granted, now 11,471,938, issued on Oct. 18, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/852,846, filed on May 24, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/849,787, filed on May 17, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2024/0042519 A1, Feb. 8, 2024
Int. Cl. B22D 41/00 (2006.01); B22D 35/04 (2006.01); B22D 39/00 (2006.01); B22D 39/02 (2006.01); F04D 7/06 (2006.01); F04D 29/02 (2006.01); F04D 29/42 (2006.01); F27B 3/04 (2006.01); F27D 3/00 (2006.01); F27D 3/14 (2006.01); F27D 27/00 (2010.01)
CPC B22D 41/00 (2013.01) [B22D 35/04 (2013.01); B22D 39/02 (2013.01); F04D 7/065 (2013.01); F04D 29/026 (2013.01); F27B 3/045 (2013.01); F27D 3/14 (2013.01); F27D 27/005 (2013.01); B22D 39/00 (2013.01); F04D 29/426 (2013.01); F27D 2003/0054 (2013.01); F27M 2001/012 (2013.01)] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A molten metal pump system comprising:
(a) a molten metal pump comprising a rotor shaft, a motor shaft, a motor, a superstructure, a rotor, one or more support posts, and a pump base;
(b) a controller for controlling the speed of the pump, turning off the pump, or sending a message to an operator or monitor;
(c) a thermocouple positioned in the pump base, one of the one or more support posts, the rotor, or the rotor shaft, wherein the thermocouple is configured to measure the temperature of molten metal in which the pump is positioned and communicate the temperature to the controller;
(d) a laser mounted on the superstructure or mounted remote to the molten metal pump, the laser configured to measure the height of molten metal in a vessel in which the molten metal pump is positioned and to communicate the height to the controller; and
(e) a vibration sensor positioned in the pump base, the one or more support posts, or the superstructure, wherein the vibration sensor is configured to measure the vibration of the rotor or rotor shaft and communicate the vibration to the controller,
wherein the controller varies the speed of the molten metal pump, turns off the molten metal pump, and/or sends a message to a monitor or operator, based on one or both of the temperature of the molten metal and the height of the molten metal in the vessel.