Sidewall leak containment and detection system for a furnace

A metallurgical furnace, comprising:

• a hearth;
• a plurality of refractory bricks lining a portion of the hearth;
• and
• a sidewall disposed on the hearth, the sidewall comprising:
• an upper wall;
• an outer wall coupled to the upper wall and extending downward from the upper wall;
• an inner wall coupled to the upper wall, the inner wall extending downward from the upper wall, the inner wall having an inner surface facing and circumscribed by the outer wall;
• a bottom wall coupled to the inner wall, the bottom wall having a bottom extension wall extending away from the inner wall;
• and
• a liner wall attached to the bottom extension wall and extending upward in a spaced apart relationship to the inner wall, the liner wall disposed along a portion the plurality of refractory bricks;
• and
• a spray cooling assembly disposed between the inner wall and the outer wall, the spray cooling assembly configured to spray coolant on the inner surface of the inner wall.

A method for monitoring operation of a metallurgical furnace, the method comprising:

• disposing a sidewall on a hearth of the furnace, the sidewall including:
• an upper wall;
• an outer wall coupled to the upper wall and extending downward from the upper wall;
• an inner wall coupled to the upper wall, the inner wall extending downward from the upper wall, the inner wall having an inner surface facing and circumscribed by the outer wall;
• a bottom wall coupled to the inner wall, the bottom wall having a bottom extension wall extending away from the inner wall;
• and
• a liner wall attached to the bottom extension wall and extending upward in a spaced apart relationship to the inner wall, the liner wall disposed along a portion a plurality of refractory bricks lining the hearth;
• spraying coolant on the inner surface of the inner wall;
• detecting a moisture on the bottom wall of the sidewall;
• and
• identifying a location of the detected moisture.