A cooling element for a melting furnace includes at least one cooling pipe for passing through a coolant, and a support element to which the at least one cooling pipe is fastened. At least one cove plate is welded to the at least one cooling pipe. The at least one cooling pipe has at least one bead which extends in the longitudinal direction of the at least one cooling pipe and to which the at least one cover plate is welded.

A cooling plate for a metallurgical furnace comprising a body (12) with a front face (18) and an opposite rear face (20), the body having at least one coolant channel (14) therein; the front face (18) being turned towards the furnace interior and preferably comprises alternating ribs (22) and grooves (24). The cooling plate includes wear detection means comprising: a plurality of closed pressure chambers (26, 28) distributed at different locations in said body, said pressure chambers being positioned at predetermined depths below the front face (18) of said body; and a pressure sensor (30) associated with each pressure chamber (26, 28) in order to detect a deviation from a reference pressure inside said pressure chamber when the latter becomes open due to wear out of said body.