Method for non-destructive testing for a refractory part

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10655916-B2
Application number	US-201515512698-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2015
Priority date	Sep 19, 2014
Publication date	May 19, 2020
Grant date	May 19, 2020

Abstract

A method for testing the internal structure of a refractory part, has the following steps: a) by a transmission antenna, sending at least one electromagnetic wave, termed a “pulse”, into the refractory part to be tested; b) by a reception antenna, receiving the pulse after reflection thereof by a reflecting zone of the refractory part; c) analyzing the time offset between the two preceding steps in order to deduce the position, in the refractory part, of the reflecting zone, the pulse having a duration less than or equal to 0.5 nanoseconds.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for inspecting the internal structure of a refractory part made of a fused material and that consists, for more than 90% of its weight, of one or more oxides selected from the group consisting of ZrO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , SiO 2 , Cr 2 O 3 , Y 2 O 3 , and CeO 2 , said refractory part having a thickness smaller than 300 millimeters, said method including the following steps:
a) transmitting, by means of an emitting antenna, at least one electromagnetic wave, called the “pulse”, into the refractory part to be inspected;
b) receiving, by means of a receiving antenna, said pulse after it has been reflected by a reflecting zone of the refractory part; and
c) analyzing the time shift between the two preceding steps in order to deduce therefrom the position, in the refractory part, of the reflecting zone, said pulse having a duration shorter than or equal to 0.5 nanoseconds.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the duration is shorter than 0.2 nanoseconds.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the pulse is a wave train that has a central frequency higher than 3 gigahertz.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, in step a), more than 1000 pulses per second are transmitted or wherein two successive pulses are separated by more than 100 ns.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the emitting antenna and the receiving antenna are side-by-side.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the refractory part has a thickness smaller than 200 millimeters.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, if no hidden defects are identified in step c), the refractory part is placed in a furnace.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the refractory part is placed in a region of the furnace in which the refractory part is liable to make contact with molten metal or glass.

9. A method for inspecting the internal structure of a refractory part made of a fused material and that consists, for more than 90% of its weight, of one or more oxides selected from the group consisting of ZrO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , SiO 2 , Cr 2 O 3 , Y 2 O 3 , and CeO 2 , said refractory part having a thickness smaller than 300 millimeters, said method including the following steps:
a) transmitting, by means of an emitting antenna, at least one electromagnetic wave, called the “pulse”, into the refractory part to he inspected;
b) receiving, by means of a receiving antenna, said pulse after it has been reflected by a reflecting zone of the refractory part; and
c) analyzing the time shift between the two preceding steps in order to deduce therefrom the position, in the refractory part, of the reflecting zone, said pulse having a duration shorter than or equal to 0.5 nanoseconds, and the pulse being a wave train the central frequency of which is comprised between 2 GHz and 10 GHz.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the pulse is a wave train that has a central frequency between 3 GHz and 10 GHz.

Assignees

• Saint Gobain Ct Recherches

Inventors

• Bories Olivier

Classifications

• G01N22/02

  Investigating the presence of flaws · CPC title

• G01N33/388 Primary

  Ceramics · CPC title

• F27D21/0021 Primary

  Devices for monitoring linings for wear · CPC title

• C03B5/43

  Use of materials for furnace walls, e.g. fire-bricks · CPC title