One of the most important pieces of equipment in the paper is mill is the Recovery Boiler. This specialized boiler burns black liquor, a by product of paper making and turns it into a smelt of Sodium carbonate. This chemical is then used to reform sodium hydroxide an important chemical in the Kraft Paper making process. (link to Kraft paper making page)

Imaging the recovery boiler interior takes one of the most specialized cameras Bass Electronics offers. The black liquor which is actually is sprayed into the boiler from above makes imaging the smelt bed impossible for a normal visible light camera. In order to image the recovery boiler’s bed a camera that is able to see heat energy alone is needed. Infrared energy (IR light) is the energy given off by heat and it is unaffected by such things as smoke, fog, or steam making it the perfect light to resolve the recovery boiler interior. Bass Electronics CFSIR line of furnace cameras uses IR light and proprietary technology to produce detailed live images of recovery boiler’s interior in particular the level of the smelt bed. With the addition of computer software, the actual temperatures of the smelt can be measured.