During the operation of industrial furnaces, aggressive mechanical and chemical conditions may cause the inner refractory lining to undergo severe deterioration.

The loss of refractory could ultimately lead to shutdowns and loss of production.

Meanwhile, the cooling elements and other devices installed around the furnace may deteriorate over time due to technological processes, faulty operations, or material imperfections. In some cases operator safety could be at risk.

To address these issues, and to ensure the optimal operation of the furnaces, the Hatch NDT Group developed several monitoring and inspection techniques.

Regular NDT evaluation, combined with the control system data, helps to extend both the campaign life of the furnace and its components.

NDT inspections can be scheduled during normal furnace operation, or it can assist furnace start-up or reheat.

Services:

• Available inspection and monitoring techniques and systems
  • Refractory-Condition Monitoring
  • Taphole Acoustic Monitoring System
  • Copper-Cooler Inspections
  • Furnace Structure Monitoring
• Techniques currently under development
  • Matte/Slag Level Measurements
  • Fully Automated UT System for Continuous Copper-Cooler Monitoring
  • Continuous Remote Monitoring of the Furnace Hearth