Ultrasonic Determination Of The Residual Wall Thickness Of Glass Furnace Refractories

Several European glass research institutes collaborated within the European SPRINT programme to develop an ultrasonic method of measuring the resiudal thickness of refractory blocks. This paper reports on the experience of Huttentechnische Vereinigung der Deutschen Glasindustrie and the TNO Inst of Applied Physics in the field of ultrasonic testing of materials, as well as high-temperature applications of ultrasound used to develop a device that was tested under laboratory conditions and in first industrial tests. After scaling up the equipment a number of industrial measurements were carried out on different furnace types in Europe. These tests showed that reliable results can be obtained with this device.