Determination of the corrosion progress of zirconium oxide containing refractories based on the natural intrinsic gamma radiation of the material

The determination of the corrosion progress of refractory blocks is interes ting for the operation of glass furnace tanks under safety and economic asp ects. The measuring principle, based on the very small natural radiation of impurities of the zirconium raw materials for refractory production. has b een known since the beginning of the seventies of the last century and coul d now be developed through improvements of measuring technology and sensors . Smaller changes to a laboratory test setup from medical technology were m ade both in the hardware and the software. to enable measurements of the in trinsic radiation of fused-cast AZS refractory materials in hot and dusty e nvironment on glass melting furnaces during operation. A measuring schedule was developed and calibrating measurements were carrie d out with blocks of different zirconia content. First practical tests were made on cold glass furnaces. The final adaptation of the equipment was don e with measurements on operating glass furnaces. The measurements of the co rrosion progress and/or the residual thickness of refractory blocks based o n the natural intrinsic gamma radiation could be done with the expected acc uracy and can be used to support the operator of glass melting tanks.