Campaign Life Extension Of Corex Furnaces

Abstract

Refractory materials or heat resistance complex ceramics are designed to protect the structural integrity of metallurgical furnaces and process vessels from extreme thermochemical and thermomechanical changes. These refractories typically come as prismatic blocks like masonry bricks, coarse-grained and heterogeneous. During the smelting process, the hot face of the refractory lining faces abrasive turbulence and extreme temperatures over 1500°C. The patented Acousto Ultrasonic-Echo (AU-E) technique has been developed to non-destructively inspect metallurgical furnaces and process vessels. This technique detects changes or chemical alterations in the refractory lining and measures the remaining refractory thickness. AU-E has been successfully applied to blast furnaces and electrical melting furnaces. Recently, AU-E has been used on COREX furnaces to determine the remaining refractory thickness and estimate the remaining campaign life. This paper showcases this application, benchmarking the results with other furnaces globally. Comparisons can also be made for different sections of the furnace and with previous campaign lives, providing insights into furnace operation parameters.