Selecting Location of IR Cameras for Thermal Imaging of Ethylene Cracker Furnace in a Brownfield Project

Real time measurement of Tube Metal Temperature (TMT) of the coils in radiant section of the ethylene cracker furnace proves to be extremely beneficial in extending the coil life, ensuring the complete decoking, and improving overall maintenance and reliability of the furnace. Thermal image monitoring for ethylene furnace has been implemented using Ametek Near Infra-Red cameras and Linde’s Image recognition technology called Linde Virtual Furnace Coil Monitor. The cameras are fixed and permanently mounted on the furnace wall. In order to get the value and projected benefits, it is important to decide the number of cameras needed and the location of those cameras on the furnace. Based on the size of furnace, number of zones, coil geometry, the selection of location of cameras that gives the best Field of View of furnace internals is an important engineering step. Also, the number of cameras and the resolution of the images plays a vital role in determining the area of coverage provided by all cameras. This paper explains the process of determining the number and location of cameras, challenges especially on a brownfield project and lessons learned from such implementations.