How confident are you about the condition of your furnace?
Furnace life optimization is a balancing act, and manufacturers can err on both sides. We’ve worked with customers who were ready to shut down when they had at least two years of asset life left. We’ve also worked with customers who were expecting three more years in the furnace campaign when they were months away from a leak. SmartMelter® portable sensors measure refractory thickness within 5 mm, giving you the confidence to safely optimize furnace life.
SmartMelter Applications
SmartMelter® Refractory Assessment gives manufacturers deterministic data about the melter’s condition so that reliability can be assessed and overcoat recommendations can be made according to company plans and goals. We help glass manufacturers make decisions such as:
- Is overcoat necessary?
- Is it safe to change glass color?
- What is the scope of our next repair?
- Can we operate safely until our scheduled rebuild date?
- Would you like to see asymmetry in your sidewall wear?
- How long can the furnace run after glass hits the bottom insulation?
Refractory Overcoat Optimization
SmartMelter® can measure residual refractory thickness and make overcoat recommendations at the metal/flux line, throat, and electrode/bubbler blocks. Sensor range is up to 100mm on AZS and 150mm on High Zirconia (depending on material). We can measure select bonded Chrome-Alumina, such as SEFPRO wool.
Furnace Bottom Reliability Assessment
SmartMelter® can assess furnace bottom reliability up to 2 years, depending on the bottom configuration. In many cases, our sensor range is up to the pavers.
Lower Sidewall Reliability
SmartMelter® can asses lower sidewall reliability up to 1 year, depending on the sidewall configuration. Our sensor range is up to the tank block in most cases.
How SmartMelter® works
Refractory Thickness Sensor
Furnace Tomography Sensor
Here are the steps to a SmartMelter® Inspection:
Intake Form
A request for a SmartMelter® quote begins with a short intake form. This includes basic contact informaiton and the scope of the inspection that you are requesting. A PaneraTech representative will review your request and reach out to learn more. In the meantime, you can complete the next step.
Material Information
A request for more details about your furnace will be sent to the person you designated as the technical contact. This information will help us understand the refractory area we can cover with our sensors and the amount of time and labor it will take to complete the on-site work.
Quote
After we receive the furnace material information from your technical contact, our team will reach out to discuss your project, answer questions, and clarify any details we need. Then, we will send you a quotation for the project.
When the quote is accepted, we will begin preparing for your project.
Pre-project Questionnaire
After your quote is accepted, we will work with your team to schedule a date to begin on-site work. We will also request more details from your technical contact about the furnace materials, plant support, and safety. The details that we collect from your technical contact will be used to construct a digital model of your furnace.
Digital Furnace Model
The digital furnace model will be used throughout the project to guide placement of sensors, analyze radar data, and report the condition of your refractory block by block. If you would like to see an example of the interactive report that you will receive, visit the sample report link below.
Project Kick-off Call
Before on-site work begins, we will create an inspection plan that designates specific areas of the furnace for data collection each day. We will also schedule a project kick-off call with your team to review and confirm details of the project.
Your project will begin with data collection on-site.
Furnace Labeling
Our team will guide plant personnel through labeling each section of the furnace to correlate with the digital furnace model.
Training
We will train your personnel how to use SmartMelter® sensors. We will also send you a final request for operational details, called the Furnace Passport, that is required for your final report.
Radar Signal Acquisition
Data will be collected by acquiring a signal on each block of the furnace according to the inspection plan, guided by a handheld device.
Our Data Analysis Team will provide quality control and analysis.
Data Validation
The advanced radar algorithms will be received and validated by a team of Furnace Radar Experts for quality control. The team may request daily “retakes” of radar signals at specific points.
Analysis and Interpretation
Furnace Radar Experts will interpret the radar algorithms to produce measurements for each block in the virtual furnace model. The final data will be reviewed and approved by a team of advanced engineers with PhD degrees.
Deliverables
We will send you an interactive report utilizing the digital furnace model. This report will show you the condition of each furnace block inspected, the overall condition of the furnace, and any recommended actions.
We will meet with your team to review results.
Teleconference
Teleconference is scheduled for all stakeholders. Inspection results are presented visually using the digital furnace model.
Recommendations
We will make maintenance and repair recommendations based on data and human expertise.
