It is widely realised that large savings can be realised by extending furnace campaign lives and delaying repairs as long as possible. But, accurate and reliable information on the condition, and potential future life, of critical refractory components is required if this is to be achieved safely. Figure 1 shows that the savings from extending furnace life by only 1 year can be equivalent to 5-10 percent of the furnace campaign energy bill. Conversely, premature failure results in both under utilisation of capital assets and, usually far more costly, the potential loss of sales caused by the resultant business interruption. For the glassmaker, the ability to monitor furnace wear can be, therefore, an essential contributor to commercial success.
展开▼
