Metals and minerals processing company Metso Outotec is launching a robust furnace camera to reduce or even eliminate the need to switch the power off or cut the material feed to inspect the furnace.

The new camera ensures that operators can safely monitor conditions inside the furnace in real time and react immediately to situations that would otherwise not necessarily be detected. It provides continuous visibility of conditions inside the furnace regardless of fumes and dust, allowing operators to detect and react quickly to disturbances.

This increases furnace availability and significantly mitigates disruptions to production.

The furnace camera is a fully integrated solution that is fast and easy to install into new or existing furnaces, owing to the pre-tested bolt-on design solution, which enables quick installation and commissioning without disrupting production.

The camera is designed and manufactured according to the requirements of each individual customer application. In addition to the camera system, Metso Outotec can deliver high-quality hatches and cooling solutions for modern furnaces.

“The Metso Outotec furnace camera is part of our extensive range of smart digital tools designed to support customers by helping them to increase safety, improve efficiency and availability, and reduce costs in their pyrometallurgical processes,” says Metso Outotec digital solutions product manager Tapani Keronen.

The Metso Outotec furnace camera includes efficient cooling for the camera optics, which significantly reduces nitrogen consumption, effectively protects the lens, and reduces maintenance needs. This reduces operating costs compared to traditional furnace monitoring solutions.

Real-time monitoring of the furnace enables operators to identify potential issues, like water leaks, electrode breaks or hot spots, and to take action to prevent damage.

The video feed provides visibility to the condition of internal furnace components, such as electrodes and material feeding. The camera can measure accurate temperature values from user-specified locations and help the user to find hot spots. Additionally, the operator can identify refractory wear from camera images. Image clarity is not affected by fumes or dust.

The automatic retraction function protects the camera in case of a break in utilities supply. Video, snapshots, and historical trend data for specific areas of the furnace interior can be viewed on the control-room display or used for later analysis. The data can be transferred to the plant automation system or viewed from the control-room display.

Metso Outotec supports customers with the commissioning process and provides training for operators and plant management to ensure maximum benefit from the solution. Technical support is also available through an optional remote connection service.

On a Positive Note

The furnace camera forms part of Metso Outotec’s “Planet Positive” offering, which is an all-encompassing approach to sustainability launched by the company in March.

Covering the environmental, social and financial aspects of sustainability, Metso Outotec’s Planet Positive efforts enforce the company’s purpose to enable sustainable modern life.

To serve customers’ sustainability needs and to increase the size of its ecological handprint, Metso Outotec focuses on further growing its sustainable offering. The Planet Positive portfolio focuses on more than 100 of the most environmentally efficient technologies in the company’s current portfolio, responding to the sustainability requirements of its customers in the aggregates, mining and metals refining industries.

The customer requirements relate to energy or water efficiency, reduction of emissions, circularity and safety.

These developments align with the science-based targets set by Metso Outotec, which are in alignment with limiting global warming to 1.5 °C above preindustrial levels. This will be implemented through the company’s selected products and solutions, and by reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of its manufacturing, logistics and suppliers.

Metso Outotec is also focusing on minimising the environmental impact of its own operations and supply chain to diminish its ecological footprint.

To this end, the company’s target is to reduce CO2 emissions by 50% in its own production by 2030, 20% in logistics by 2025 and 20% in product use phase by 2025. Metso Outotec is also targeting that 30% of the supplier spend by the end of 2025 is with partners who have set science-based targets for emissions. The baseline year for all these targets is 2019.

Metso Outotec says that its sustainability agenda comprises focus areas for its “handprint” and “footprint”. It defines the handprint as the positive impact the company makes on the environment and people through its product and service offerings. With its sustainable offering, it helps its customers improve their environmental efficiency, productivity and reduce risks. The company’s footprint, conversely, is the impact of its own operations on the environment. Metso Outotec claims that it is aiming for its footprint to be as small and harmless as possible. 

“We have a wide Planet Positive offering available for our customers and, with a strong research and development focus, we continue to strengthen our sustainable offering for the aggregates, mining and metals refining industries. We also have high targets for sustainability in our own operations and supply chain. There is a growing demand in our industry for environmentally efficient solutions,” concludes Metso Outotec business development senior VP Piia Karhu.