Apparatus for characterizing the temporo-spatial properties of a dynamic fluid front and method thereof

Patent · 25 December 2007

OSTI ID:921479

Battiste, Richard L ^[1]

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1. Oak Ridge, TN

Methods and apparatus are described for characterizing the temporal-spatial properties of a dynamic fluid front within a mold space while the mold space is being filled with fluid. A method includes providing a mold defining a mold space and having one or more openings into the mold space; heating a plurality of temperature sensors that extend into the mold space; injecting a fluid into the mold space through the openings, the fluid experiencing a dynamic fluid front while filling the mold space with the fluid; and characterizing temporal-spatial properties of the dynamic fluid front by monitoring a temperature of each of the plurality of heated temperature sensors while the mold space is being filled with the fluid. An apparatus includes a mold defining a mold space; one or more openings for introducing a fluid into the mold space and filling the mold space with the fluid, the fluid experiencing a dynamic fluid front while filling the mold space; a plurality of heated temperature sensors extending into the mold space; and a computer coupled to the plurality of heated temperature sensors for characterizing the temporal-spatial properties of the dynamic fluid front.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN
• Sponsoring Organization: United States Department of Energy
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-00OR22725
• Assignee: UT-Battelle LLC (Oak Ridge, TN)
• Patent Number(s): 7,313,499
• Application Number: 11/324,764
• OSTI ID: 921479
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English