Monitoring of the temperature inside a lining of a metallurgical vessel using a SAW temperature sensor

Abstract

Abstract A wireless sensor system based on surface acoustic wave (SAW) technology has been developed to measure the temperature inside a refractory lining of a metallurgical vessel. The components of the sensor unit are designed for harsh environments to withstand moisture and high temperatures. The sensor signal, which contains an identification number and the temperature, is transmitted through the steel shell of the vessel via a robust cable link from the SAW sensor to the transponder antenna. A continuous wave reader unit interrogates the sensor unit and processes the signal for the recording unit. The sensor unit has been tested in a drying sequence of a castable refractory lining. The design of the sensor unit and the results are presented in this paper.