Acoustic Monitoring: An EKG for Recovery Boilers, 1998 Engineering Conference Proceedings

Acoustic monitoring is a tool available to recovery boiler operators to help determine if there is a small leak in their boiler. In addition, acoustic systems provide information about the location of possible steam leaks, critical when deciding to ESP or perform an orderly shutdown.

The technology uses sensors and special electronic circuits to pick out the sound of a steam leak from the background noise of the boiler. Extensive research on operating recovery boilers & power boilers provided the data confirming the effectiveness of metalborne waveguide technology. Metalbome waveguides are low maintenance devices that guide the sound of a steam leak to a CPU for analysis and alarming. Many leaks have been detected in recovery boilers using acoustic monitoring systems, including an upper furnace waterwall leak, an economizer leak, a superheater leak and a screen tube leak. In each case, the acoustic data from the system provided important information that aided mill personnel in the safe operation of their recovery boilers.