Land Instruments Vessel Manager thermal monitoring system

A system that monitors temperature change over the entire surface of molten metal ladles has been introduced by Land Instruments. The Vessel Manager’s software and hardware help assure plant safety by warning of potential break-outs and provide trending data to establish efficient relining schedules.

Designed for steel mills, copper smelters and other molten metal processes, the system includes multiple thermal imaging cameras positioned to view the entire exterior surface of a molten metal ladle. Temperature information is collected each time the ladle passes a measurement station, allowing assessment of the extent and distribution of wear to the lining. The system’s software creates actionable records for each ladle.

Vessel Manager data helps prevent two serious problems: accurate statistical measurement of lining wear allows managers to set realistic relining schedules, reducing both the cost of too-frequent maintenance and the risk of break-outs; and constant measurement of temperature changes helps identify ladles that are threatening to fail earlier than predicted, sounding an alarm and lessening the risks of plant damage and worker injury.

By identifying the exact location of unexpected hot spots in a particular ladle, the system allows some partial relinings to extend the life of the ladle.