Process and apparatus for the continuous measurement of element contents

Claim 1

A process for the continuous measurement, by X-ray fluorescence analysis, of the element content of a slurry, independently of the slurry density and slurry composition comprising: (a) passing a sample of the slurry to be measured between an excitation source of primary radiation and a detector, with a target being arranged between the source and the sample so that (1) a portion of the source radiation excites the target to emit a target radiation which penetrates the sample and then is absorbed by the detector, (2) a portion of the source radiation penetrates the sample and excites in the slurry among other elements the element which is to be measured to emit elemental X-ray radiation which is then absorbed by the detector, and (3) a portion of the source radiation penetrates and passes through the sample and is absorbed by the detector; and (b) evaluating the radiation absorbed by the detector to directly determine the elemental content of the sample.

Claim 4

An apparatus for the continuous measurement, by X-ray fluorescence analysis, of the elemental content of a slurry, independently of slurry density and slurry composition, comprising: (a) a measuring chamber having a slurry flow duct, a first measuring window at one side of the measuring chamber, and a second measuring window at an opposite side of the measuring chamber; (b) an excitation source of primary radiation externally of the measuring chamber on the side with the first window and aligned with the first and second measuring windows; (c) a target located between th source and the first measuring window, the excitation source providing a primary radiation a portion of which can pass through the slurry and the target, and a portion of which can excite in the slurry among other elements the element which is to be measured to emit elemental x-ray radiation; and (d) a radiation detector externally of the measuring chamber on the side with the second window and aligned with the first and second windows, with the excitation source, the measuring chamber and the detector being arranged such that (1) primary radiation penetrates the chamber and strikes the detector and (2) primary radiation excites in the slurry the element which is to be measured to emit elemental x-ray radiation from the slurry which elemental x-ray radiation strikes the detector, and the target being arranged such that primary radiation excites the target to emit target radiation which penetrates the measuring chamber and strikes the detector, to enable the determination of the element content.

Claim 5

An apparatus for the continuous measurement, by X-ray fluorescence analysis, of the elemental content of a slurry, independently of slurry density and slurry composition, comprising: (a) a measuring chamber having a slurry flow duct, a first measuring window at one side of the measuring chamber, and a second measuring window at an opposite side of the measuring chamber; (b) an excitation source of primary radiation externally of the measuring chamber on the side with the first window and aligned with the first and second measuring windows; (c) a target located between th source and the first measuring window, the excitation source providing a primary radiation a portion of which can pass through the slurry and the target, and a portion of which can excite in the slurry among other elements the element which is to be measured to emit elemental x-ray radiation; and (d) a radiation detector externally of the measuring chamber on the side with the second window and aligned with the first and second windows, with the excitation source, the measuring chamber and the detector being arranged such that (1) primary radiation penetrates the chamber and strikes the detector and (2) primary radiation excites in the slurry the element which is to be measured to emit elemental x-ray radiation from the slurry which elemental x-ray radiation strikes the detector, and the target being arranged such that primary radiation excites the target to emit target radiation which penetrates the measuring chamber and strikes the detector, to enable the determination of the element content.