Optical monitoring system for observing internal conditions in the tuyere zone of a blast furnace

Abstract

The invention relates to an optical monitoring system () for monitoring operating conditions in a tuyere zone of a blast furnace. This system comprises a light deflecting device () with a peep sight () arranged in a first face () of the light deflecting device () and an optical sensor () arranged in a second face () of the light deflecting device (). A light deflector () is arranged within the light deflecting device () for directing incident light from the tuyere zone towards the peep sight () and towards the optical sensor (). The light deflecting device () comprises a housing () with a spherical body () rotatably arranged therein. The spherical body () comprises three passages: a first passage () which is, when the light deflecting device () is connected to the rear portion of the blowpipe (), facing the tuyere for allowing incident light from the tuyere zone to enter the spherical body (); a second passage () facing the peep sight (); a third passage () facing the optical sensor (). The first, second and third passages () are configured so as to meet each other within the spherical body (). The light deflector () is arranged within the spherical body () at the intersection of the first, second and third passages (). Furthermore, the light deflecting device () comprises an opening () in a third face () of the housing () for accessing the spherical body () for allowing rotation of the spherical body () within the housing (). The spherical body () comprises a socket () facing the opening () in the third face (). The opening () is a guiding slot () whose width is substantially the same as a diameter of the socket ().