When the Raytek MI3 series infrared temperature sensors were introduced to engineers at the Hot Mill instrumentation department at Columbus Stainless Steel in Middleburg, they immediately saw a possible solution to an existing problem.
Some of the problems that were encountered with the non-Raytek system that was in use at the time were: expense, turnaround times of up to a year for repairs and the fact that the fibre optic cable between the head and control box could not withstand the high ambient temperatures.
The environment
The infrared temperature sensors are used to measure the strip temperature from the Steckel mill to the down coiler, which in turn, controls the amount of water applied to get the correct coiling temperature, which is critical for quality control. The temperatures can vary between 200 and 900°C with a lot of water and steam present.
The sensors are mounted below and between the table rollers facing upwards towards the underside of the strip and the biggest challenge was to protect the heads from the high temperatures and to keep the lenses free from dirt and water.
The solution
The Raytek MI31002MSF3 infrared temperature sensor with a range of 250 to 1400°C was selected and put on trial. Installation did not come without teething problems, but a specially designed air purge/cooling system to keep the head and cable safe and the lens clean solved the problem.
The benefits
The change over from the old system to the Raytek MI3 System has resulted in a cost saving of tens of thousands of rands. The relative low cost of the Raytek system made it possible to be treated as a consumable item, so if it does fail, it can be replaced from stock instead of being sent back to the factory for repair.
The first of three systems was installed in July 2013 and still performing well.
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