ILTEC Technology—New Pathways Towards Safe and Effective Cooling

It is the increasing demand for an economic and cost saving operation mode that requires effective cooling in order to achieve low refractory wear and good furnace lifetime, which is making cooling technology an important aspect of furnace operation. In addition, the requirements for safety are getting more and more into focus. However, the use of water—today’s standard cooling medium—has major drawbacks as it can cause problems both during furnace start-up and operation, namely hydration problems, corrosion, and explosion. Not to forget the severe risks for the operators as well as economical damage in case of a malfunctioning water cooling system. With this new and patented cooling technology ILTEC and the ionic liquid IL-B2001 as the cooling medium, it is possible to realise a water-free cooling solution, and therefore, the door is wide open to rethink existing and conventional cooling solutions. Furthermore, there is also the chance to recover heat from the process in a more efficient way. However, since the technology is novel and unique, there are a lot of concerns and doubts regarding safety for plant operators and employees. The paper is intended to cover both: highlighting the enormous potential of the technology but also eliminating concerns mainly caused by rumour and unawareness.