Disclosed is a system and a method for estimating a level of risk of operation of a metallurgical vessel used in the formation of metals. The system and method are operative to determine a condition and level of degradation of the refractory material of the vessel to early warn a user of the operational risk of continuing operating the vessel, based on thermal scanning and the use of artificial intelligence. The system is capable of determining the presence of certain flaws within the refractory material and the remaining thickness of such material by correlating the results of processing thermal data corresponding to the external surface of the vessel with a machine learning-based mathematical model, according to a set of operational parameters related to the melting process, data from the user, and residual thickness of the refractory material.

The invention relates to a device for the hot-dip galvanizing of components, comprising a galvanizing tank for holding the zinc melt in a tank interior formed by a wall of the galvanizing tank, according to the invention a monitoring apparatus being provided for monitoring the wall thickness of the wall of the galvanizing tank during the galvanizing operation. The invention further relates to a corresponding method for hot-dip galvanizing.

A furnace monitoring system for monitoring a furnace over a span of time during furnace operation, including a thermal imaging apparatus, the apparatus is disposed outside of the furnace and at a distance from the exterior of the furnace to generate field signals of the furnace; a signal processing unit configured and programmed for receiving the field signals and generating a temperature map of the exterior of the furnace; and a means for displaying the temperature map locally or remotely. Wherein in that the furnace monitoring system is a system for monitoring the furnace over a span of time during furnace operation and in that the generated temperature map is divided into several zones, which correspond to different components of the furnace selected from burner, viewing port for burner observation, charging port, discharging port and flue gas channel.

A system for monitoring brick in a rotary kiln includes an infrared sensor and a computing system configured to: obtain a digital model of a brick layer of a rotary kiln having a plurality of bricks, wherein the digital model of the brick layer is based on a measured brick thickness correlated with a measured infrared temperature for each brick; obtain infrared data of the rotary kiln with the at least one infrared imaging sensor; determine the measured infrared temperature for each brick; determine a brick thickness of a first brick in the brick layer of the rotary kiln based on the measured infrared temperature assigned to the first brick with the digital model of the brick layer; and provide the brick thickness of the first brick in a brick thickness report.

A shaft furnace, in particular a blast furnace, includes a metal jacket defining the furnace outer wall and a protective layer protecting the inner surface of the outer wall. At least one condition monitoring probe is arranged inside within the protective layer to monitor the latter. The condition monitoring probe is connected to a wireless module arranged outside the outer wall to transmit condition monitoring data. The wireless module is located inside a casing mounted to the outer surface of the metal jacket. The condition monitoring probe includes one or more conductive loops positioned at predetermined depths below the front face of the cooling plate body, or of the refractory lining, so that wear of the body, resp. refractory, can be detected by a change of an electrical characteristic of the loop(s) due to abrasion.

A measurement system is provided for predicting a future status of a refractory lining that is lined over an inner surface of an outer wall of a manufacturing vessel and exposed to an operational cycle during which the refractory lining is exposed to a high-temperature environment for producing a non-metal and the produced non-metal. The system includes one or more laser scanners and a processor. The laser scanners are configured to conduct one or more pre-operational laser scans of the refractory lining prior to the operational cycle to collect data related to pre-operational cycle structural conditions, and one or more post-operational laser scans of the refractory lining after the operational cycle to collect data related to post-operational cycle structural conditions of the refractory lining. The processor is configured to predict future status of the refractory lining after subsequent operational cycles based on the determined exposure impact of the operational cycle.

A process for measuring wear of a refractory lining of a receptacle intended to contain molten metal, containing the following steps: scanning a first surface of the refractory lining using a first laser scanner in order to obtain a first initial set of data representative of the first surface, scanning a second surface of the refractory lining using a second laser scanner, distinct from the first laser scanner, in order to obtain a second initial set of data representative of the second surface, wherein the second surface includes a grey zone for the first laser scanner, the receptacle defining an obstacle located between the first laser scanner and the grey zone during scanning by the first laser scanner, and calculating a final set of data using the first initial set of data and the second initial set of data, the final set of data being representative of a surface of the refractory lining including the first surface and the second surface.

A measurement system is provided for predicting a future status of a refractory lining that is lined over an inner surface of an outer wall of a manufacturing vessel and exposed to an operational cycle during which the refractory lining is exposed to a high-temperature environment for producing a non-metal and the produced non-metal. The system includes one or more laser scanners and a processor. The laser scanners are configured to conduct one or more pre-operational laser scans of the refractory lining prior to the operational cycle to collect data related to pre-operational cycle structural conditions, and one or more post-operational laser scans of the refractory lining after the operational cycle to collect data related to post-operational cycle structural conditions of the refractory lining. The processor is configured to predict future status of the refractory lining after subsequent operational cycles based on the determined exposure impact of the operational cycle.

A method for producing a glass furnace, including a refractory portion, a waveguide with a measurement portion extending into the refractory portion and an interrogator connected to an input of the waveguide to inject an interrogation signal. The measurement portion incorporating a sensor to send a response signal to the interrogator in response to the injection. The interrogator analyzing the response signal and sending a message. Arranging, inside a mold, a temporary part configured to leave space for a compartment for the measurement portion. Preparing a starting feedstock and introducing the starting feedstock into the mold such that the part is embedded therein to obtain a preform. Hardening the preform to form the refractory portion. Removing the temporary part to make the compartment. Assembling the refractory portion with other constituent elements and introducing the measurement portion into the compartment and connecting the interrogator to the input of the waveguide.

The invention relates to a device for the hot-dip galvanizing of components, comprising a galvanizing tank for holding the zinc melt in a tank interior formed by a wall of the galvanizing tank, according to the invention a monitoring apparatus being provided for monitoring the wall thickness of the wall of the galvanizing tank during the galvanizing operation. The invention further relates to a corresponding method for hot-dip galvanizing.