Characterizing and handling multi-component substances

Patent 4701838 Issued on October 20, 1987. Estimated Expiration Date:

December 26, 2004. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

Process for maintaining coal proportions in a coal blend Patent #: 4370201
Issued on: 01/25/1983
Inventor: Lowenhaupt

Inventors

Application

No. 06/692886 filed on 12/26/1984

US Classes:

700/44, Feed-forward (e.g., predictive)201/1, WITH MEASURING, TESTING OR INSPECTING201/4, Gas or vapor containing mixture700/266Chemical process control or monitoring system

Examiners

Primary: Smith, Jerry
Assistant: MacDonald, Allen R.

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Murray and Whisenhunt

International Classes

G01N 21/35 (20060101)
G01N 21/31 (20060101)

Foreign Application Priority Data

1983-05-12 AU

Abstract

A method of handling, as bulk material, a substance which is one member of a class of multi-component substances includes subjecting successive test samples of the substance to a series of measurements which provide multiple data points which are influenced by at least one selected parameter and from which are determined the factor loadings for the respective test sample of each of multiple pre-determined abstract factors. Pre-determined regression coefficients are utilized to calculate from the factor loadings a predicted value for the selected parameter for the respective test sample. The predicted value is compared with one or more related set points, and the constitution and/or disposition of the substance is controlled in response to the outcome of the successive comparisons. The regression coefficients have been determined by correlating known values of the selected parameter for standard characterized samples of each of multiple substances of the class, with factor loadings derived by factor analysis of multiple data points which were obtained by subjecting the standard characterized samples to the series of measurements.