The refractory lining within a tapping channel experiences extreme mechanical and thermal abuses. This wear and tear could result in exposure of the copper block to the molten metal, which could cause catastrophic tapblock failure. A new taphole monitoring system was developed based on acoustic signal characterization pattern recognition and Neural Network principles. The Taphole Acoustic Monitoring (TAM) system provides real-time, continuous coverage of the tapblock performance in operating metallurgical furnaces. The TAM system automatically provides warnings/alarms as the tapping and lancing causes deterioration of the inner refractory lining. This paper describes the principles of the TAM system, its development, present research in progress, and limitations.
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