Published 6th June, 2022 by Jess Mills

Ametek Land’s latest monitoring system helps to reduce failures and deterioration in glass furnace refractories.

The LWIR-640 system monitors the exterior of the melt tank and identifies any hot areas that may indicate refractory damage. It also gives an early warning of potential glass breakouts.

This long-wavelength thermal imager provides a full temperature measurement range of -20 to 1000 °C (-4 to 1832 °F) in three ranges with a choice of different optics and lenses. It combines high-resolution radiometric camera technology with sophisticated data processing and powerful software support, delivering detailed thermal images. The thermal imaging provided by the LWIR-640 camera allows a continuous view of the entire target at any distance. Thermal data generated by the camera is presented in real-time, making it faster and easier to detect anomalous hot spots, alerting plant staff to take immediate action.

Philippe Kerbois, Global Industry Manager of Glass at Ametek Land, said: “Around 70% of container glass production costs come from energy, so preventing cracks and lost heat produces significant savings. Early detection of glass breakouts enhances plant safety, so using thermal imaging solutions from Ametek Land ensures fast detection of glass breakouts, allowing for early maintenance, increased safety, and longer lifespan of the tank.”

In addition to providing a fast-response safety monitoring system, the LWIR-640 solution also supplies the thermal data necessary to detect damage or wear to the refractory lining. This allows corrective maintenance to be scheduled at the least disruptive times.

Jess is the Deputy Editor of Glass International magazine. She has been training in creative and professional writing since 2017, earning her degree in 2020. Prior to joining Quartz Business Media, Jess worked as a freelance writer for a variety of companies and publications.