Systems, methods and apparatus for non-disruptive and non-destructive inspection of metallurgical furnaces and similar vessels
US7665362B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 21, 2007 |
| Grant date | Feb 23, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 17, 2028 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF27D21/04
- WIPO fieldThermal processes and apparatus
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
Some embodiments of the present invention provide systems, methods and apparatus for more accurately determining the thickness of a refractory lining included in an operating metallurgical furnace. Specifically, in some embodiments a transient propagated stress wave is used to determine the condition of a refractory lining, and additionally, provide a systematic way to include the affect that temperature has on the velocity of a compressive wave through a heated refractory material and/or accretions. As identified in aspects of the present invention, and contrary to the common understanding in the art, the velocity of a stress wave, at each frequency and in a refractory material, is not necessarily constant over a temperature range. In accordance with aspects of some specific embodiments of the invention, a scaling factor α can be calculated for each refractory material to adjust for the presumed velocity of the stress wave through each refractory material.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.