Determination of the corrosion progress of zirconium oxide containing refractories based on the natural intrinsic gamma radiation of the material

Abstract

The determination of the corrosion progress of refractory blocks is interesting for the operation of glass furnace tanks under safety and economic aspects. The measuring principle, based on the very small natural radiation of impurities of the zirconium raw materials for refractory production, has been known since the beginning of the seventies of the last century and could now be developed through improvements of measuring technology and sensors. Smaller changes to a laboratory test setup from medical technology were made both in the hardware and the software, to enable measurements of the intrinsie radiation of fused-cast AZS refractory materials in hot and dusty environment on glass melting furnaces during operation. A measuring schedule was developed and calibrating measurements were carried out with blocks of different zirconia content. First practical tests were made on cold glass furnaces. The final adaptation of the equipment was done with measurements on operating glass furnaces. The measurements of the corrosion progress and/or the residual thickness of refractory blocks based on the natural intrinsic gamma radiation could be done with the expected accuracy and can be used to support the operator of glass melting tanks.