FURNACE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY MONITORING SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20140123758A1
• Filed: 11/15/2013
• Published: 05/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hatch Limited (Hatchcos Holdings Limited)
• Original Assignee: Hatch Limited (Hatchcos Holdings Limited)
• Inventors: Sadri, Afshin, Gebski, Pawel Boleslaw, Ying, Wai-Lai
• Granted Patent: US 9,791,416 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/587
• CPC Class Codes: F27B 3/28 Arrangement of controlling, monitoring, alarm or the like devices
• CPC Class Codes: F27D 21/0021 Devices for monitoring linings for wear
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/14 using acoustic emission techniques echo of particles G01N29/046; measuring mechanical vibrations or acoustic waves in solids in general G01H1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/4427 with stored values, e.g. threshold values

Abstract

Various systems and method for acoustic monitoring of smelting furnaces and similar devices are disclosed. Acoustic sensors (and optionally other sensors) are mounted to the furnace. Acoustic emission events generated in the furnace are analyzed to identify conditions that exceed one or more thresholds. The location of acoustic emissions may be identified and reported. Output signals may be generated in response to acoustic emissions. The location of acoustic emissions may be used to identify the location of potential failures in the furnace.

Claims

1. An acoustic emission monitoring system for monitoring structural integrity of a furnace having a furnace shell, the system comprising:

a controller; and

a plurality of acoustic emission sensors mounted to the furnace shell and to the controller to provide electric signals corresponding to acoustic emission (AE) events generated in the furnace to the controller.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein at least some of the sensors are coupled to the controller through a preamplifier.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein at least some of the sensors are removably mounted to the furnace shell.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein at least some of the sensors are magnetically mounted to the furnace shell.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein at least some of the sensors are permanently mounted.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein at least some of the sensors are mounted to the furnace shell in a predetermined mounting pattern.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein at least some of the sensors are mounted to the furnace shell in positions corresponding to one or more furnace components.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the spacing of at least some of the sensors mounted on the furnace shell is determined by one or more factors selected from the following list of factors:

properties of some or all of the sensors;

the resolution of some of all of the sensors;

the number of sensors used;

the location of furnace components; and

the size of the furnace.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein at least some of the sensors are sensitive to acoustic emissions having a frequency higher than a selected threshold.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller includes a filtration module to filter the electric signals.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the filtration module filters out signals below a selected threshold.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the threshold is selected from the group consisting of:

an operating threshold AE value;

a warning AE threshold value, an alarm AE threshold value and a shutdown AE threshold value.

13. The system of claim 1 including sensors of different types.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller includes an output module for providing one or more output signal corresponding to the electric signals.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein an output signal is provided when the intensity of AE events detected by at least one of the sensors exceeds a threshold.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the threshold is selected from the group consisting of:

an operating threshold AE value;

a warning AE threshold value, an alarm AE threshold value and a shutdown AE threshold value.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the output signals is selected from the group consisting of:

warning signals, alarm signals, control signals, sensor control signals and feedback signals.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller includes a display apparatus for providing information relating to the electric signals.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein the controller includes a location module for estimating the location of the origin of an acoustic emission event.

20. A method of monitoring the structure of a furnace, the method including:

mounting a plurality of acoustic emission sensors to the furnace shell;

receiving, from at least one of the acoustic emissions sensors, electric signals corresponding to an acoustic emission event generated in the furnace; and

analyzing the electric signals.

21. The method of claim 20 further including positioning at least some of the sensors in a predetermined mounting pattern.

22. The method of claim 20 further including positioning at least some of the sensors in positions corresponding to one or more furnace components.

23. The method of claim 20 including spacing the sensors mounted on the furnace shell based on one or more factors selected from the following list of factors:

properties of some or all of the sensors;

the resolution of some of all of the sensors;

the number of sensors used;

the location of furnace components; and

the size of the furnace.

24. The method of claim 20 further including filtering out acoustic emissions that are identified by fewer than a selected number of the sensors.

25. The method of claim 20 further including filtering out acoustic emissions corresponding to normal operating noises of the furnace.

26. The method of claim 20 wherein the controller includes a display apparatus for providing information relating to the electric signals.

27. The method of claim 20 further including estimating the location of the origin of an acoustic emission event.

28. The method of claim 20 further including identifying one or more pre-cursor AE events.

29. The method of claim 20 including applying a speed wave correction based on the operating temperature of a furnace to refine the estimated location of the origin of an acoustic emission event.

30. The method of claim 27 including providing an output identifying the estimated location of the origin of an acoustic emission event