The Glass Industry's Use of Infrared Thermometer
Infrared probes are used to measure the temperature of kilns, glass in furnaces, melting pools, regenerators, clarifiers, forehearths, gobs, molds, float lines and lehrs, as well as cooling and coating areas. Effective temperature measurement reflects the condition of the heating or cooling process, such as whether the regenerator is getting too hot or too cold, whether the temperature of the tin bath and lehr area is correct, and so on. Careful monitoring from the molten state to the cooling process ensures that the glass retains its properties through each manufacturing process.
Furnace
There are two types of furnaces, one is a horizontal flame furnace, and the other is a horseshoe flame furnace. The flame in the furnace changes direction periodically and the regenerator heats the combustion air, improving fuel efficiency. The checker bricks in one side of the regenerator are heated by the hot air discharged from the furnace to heat up. When the checker bricks reach an appropriate temperature, the direction of the flame is changed, and the regenerator on this side becomes the combustion-supporting air heated into the furnace, so that it operates alternately. .
In order to ensure the best operating efficiency, pyrometers are installed at the top and bottom of each regenerator, which can start the air and flame commutation according to the optimal time. The use of probes to monitor the corrosion of checker bricks and refractory materials is crucial for scheduling hot and cold repairs to avoid a reactive situation where emergency shutdowns cause huge costs. The outside of the furnace body and regenerator is regularly tested with a portable thermometer to detect hot spots caused by refractory brick corrosion, so as to prevent glass liquid from leaking.
Measure the temperature at the small furnace sills and bridge walls to maximize the service life of the refractory materials there. The probe can accurately locate and measure the temperature of each brick, which can avoid mismeasurement caused by the furnace flame.
plate glass
In the production of flat glass, the temperature monitoring of each process is very critical. Incorrect temperature or rapid temperature change in the annealing furnace will cause uneven expansion and contraction of the glass, resulting in annealing. The annealing furnace has multiple temperature control zones. In the tin bath part, probes are installed above each area to ensure accurate glass temperature. Probes with ThermoJacketTM air-cooled protective jackets are installed in each zone to maintain a flat glass surface and consistent side-to-side lateral temperature. Then install the Mp50 line scanner between the tin bath and the annealing furnace, a specific part of the annealing furnace and its exit, to scan the temperature of each point across the width of the glass. Any lack of flame on the surface, such as cracking, partial thinning or thickening, or temperature difference in the surrounding glass due to cooling at the bubble, will be displayed in real time on the computer screen as a color image.
Bottles and containers
Molten glass flows from the furnace to one or more forehearths (depending on the scale of production), where the glass is maintained at a uniform temperature. At the end of the channel, the gob falls into the mold and is formed by blowing (with compressed air) or by pressing with a mandrel and a forming die.
Maintaining the proper temperature of the molten glass in the forehearth is critical to ensure proper glass homogeneity at the exit. When the gob forms and exits the mouth of the bowl, it must have the proper viscosity (a temperature change of 1 degree Celsius will cause a change of 1% in viscosity). Infrared fiber optic probes are installed along the material path to monitor and control the temperature of each section.
The temperature of each control zone in the annealing furnace must be strictly monitored and controlled to maintain the annealing quality of the product. If the product is too hot when it leaves the annealing furnace, it will break in subsequent processes or crack when it encounters external cold air. If the product in the annealing furnace cools too fast, it will also cause cracking or damage. If the cold end surface treatment is applied to the bottles and containers, the products at the outlet also need to maintain an appropriate temperature.
Install probes in each section of the annealing furnace to accurately monitor and control the cooling process of the product and the surface treatment of the cold end. This results in better quality control and less scrap.
glass fiber
There are two main methods of manufacturing glass wool: centrifugal glass wool and blown glass wool. The temperature of each section of the forehearth is monitored and controlled by an infrared fiber optic probe, so that engineers can keep the glass entering the fiberizer (rotary head) at the optimum temperature (or viscosity). The temperature of the fiberizer is monitored by an infrared probe, which maintains its compatibility with the filaments and prevents clogging of the outlet hole of the fiberizer. Clogging allows glass "shots" to enter the final product, the insulation. Hot glass slag can still ignite the backing paper of the insulation several days after it is made.
In the curing oven, the proper temperature must be controlled, otherwise the curing agent will not cure well. In the case of backing paper and/or aluminum foil bonded to fiberglass, the fibers must be at the correct temperature for a good bond between the materials.
Probes are installed along the conveyor belt to monitor the temperature entering and exiting the curing oven. Using this temperature feedback, engineers can monitor and adjust the temperature of the furnace and curing oven. If it is automatic adjustment, the probe signal can be connected to the control room. The MP50 line scanner is installed after the curing oven to monitor the uniformity of curing and detect potentially dangerous slag balls across the entire width. Infrared probes are distributed throughout the material path, conveyor belt, and curing furnace, which can make the entire production line more efficient and maintain the high quality of the product.
