Method and apparatus for real time video imaging of the snout interior on a hot dip coating line

A method for imaging the interior of the melt pot snout of a hot dip steel coating line comprising the steps of:

• providing a hot dip steel coating line melt pot;
• providing a melt pot snout;
• providing an infrared camera which detects images within 0.7 to 3 microns infrared wavelengths;
• providing a view port which is transparent at least to said infrared wavelengths;
• positioning said view port to allow view of the interior of said melt pot snout;
• positioning said infrared camera relative to said view port and to said melt pot snout such that said infrared camera can image said interior of said melt pot snout at said 0.7 to 3 microns infrared wavelengths without external illumination;
• providing a monitoring device upon which the captured infrared images from said infrared camera may be projected;
• capturing images of said interior of said melt pot snout at said infrared wavelengths;
• and
• displaying said captured images in a visible form on said monitoring device.

An apparatus including:

• a hot dip steel coating line melt pot;
• a melt pot snout;
• and
• an imaging system for imaging the interior of said melt pot snout, said imaging system comprising:
• an infrared camera which detects images within a range of infrared wavelengths within an electromagnetic spectrum;
• a view port transparent at least to said range of infrared wavelengths;
• said view port positioned to allow view of a region within the interior of said melt pot snout;
• said infrared camera positioned relative to said view port and to said melt pot snout such that said infrared camera can image the interior of said melt pot snout at said range of infrared wavelengths without external illumination;
• and
• a monitoring device upon which the detected infrared images from said infrared camera may be projected.

A method for imaging the interior of the melt pot snout of a hot dip steel coating line comprising the steps of:

• providing a hot dip steel coating line melt pot;
• providing a melt pot snout;
• providing an infrared camera;
• providing a view port which is transparent to infrared wavelengths of the images detected by the infrared camera;
• positioning said view port to allow view interior of said melt pot snout;
• positioning said infrared camera relative to said view port and to said melt pot snout such that said infrared camera can image said interior of said melt pot snout;
• providing a monitoring device upon which the captured infrared images from said infrared camera may be projected;
• capturing images of said interior of said melt pot snout without external illumination;
• and
• displaying said captured images in a visible form on said monitoring device.