Industrial plant having safety-relevant area

Abstract

In an industrial plant for producing or processing liquid, red-hot or hot metal a safety-relevant area is formed in the direct vicinity of the liquid or red-hot metal and the presence of a person is at least periodically not allowed. A detector unit is provided for the surveillance of the area, detecting electromagnetic radiation emitted by a present person or identifying the absence of electromagnetic radiation blocked by a present person. Furthermore, an evaluation unit is able to detect the presence of a person from the output data of the detector unit, and for a control unit which is connected to the evaluation unit. If a person is present in the safety-relevant area, the control unit automatically initiates an action acting against the presence of the person. By forming a plurality of safety-relevant areas having different danger levels, gentle stopping of the industrial plant is made possible.

1 . An industrial plant for producing or processing liquid or incandescent metal in which a safety-relevant area, in which the presence of a person is not permitted at least temporarily, is formed in the direct environment of the liquid or incandescent metal, comprising a surveillance device for the safety-relevant area, comprising:
 a) a detector unit which detects electromagnetic radiation emanating from a present person or the absence of electromagnetic radiation blocked out by a present person, wherein the detector unit is based on a combination of at least two of the following detector types:   a motion detector,   a light barrier,   a video camera or a CCD camera,   a thermal camera, and   a combination of light transmitter and semiconductor matrix sensor, particularly in CMOS technology,   b) an evaluating unit which detects from output data of the detector unit the presence of a person, and   c) a control unit connected to the evaluating unit, which, when a person is present in the safety-relevant area, automatically initiates an action acting against the presence of the person, and   d) a plant control device which is connected to the control unit in such a manner that when an endangered person is detected, the plant control device can automatically carry out an intervention in the plant operation which reduces the hazard.   
   
   
       2 . The industrial plant according to  claim 1 , wherein the detector unit is based on at least one of the following detector principles:
 1-D sensor or line scan or light barrier,   2-D sensor or area scan or light curtain or 2D camera,   3-D sensor.   
   
   
       3 . The industrial plant according to  claim 1 , wherein the detector unit generates an image from the safety-relevant area and the evaluating unit carries out image processing. 
   
   
       4 . The industrial plant according to  claim 1 , wherein the image processing carries out object or pattern recognition so that a person can be distinguished from a non-human object. 
   
   
       5 . The industrial plant according to  claim 1 , wherein there are no protective grids or fences or there are fewer protective grids or fences for securing the safety-relevant area than would be necessary for ensuring adequate or prescribed safety without surveillance device. 
   
   
       6 . The industrial plant according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one further safety-relevant area is formed which differs or differ in its/their risk potential from the safety-relevant area and that the further safety-relevant area or areas can be monitored separately for the presence of a person by the surveillance device. 
   
   
       7 . The industrial plant according to  claim 6 , wherein at least one of the safety-relevant areas and the at least one further safety-relevant area has a danger level of between “maximum hazard” and “no hazard”. 
   
   
       8 . The industrial plant according to  claim 7 , wherein the intervention can be carried out with its intensity depending on the risk potential of the safety-relevant area in which the forbidden person has been detected. 
   
   
       9 . The industrial plant according to  claim 1 , wherein the intervention, in the case of a rolling mill, includes at least one of a reduction of the rate of rolling or of throughput and a stopping of the mill train. 
   
   
       10 . The industrial plant according to  claim 1 , wherein the intervention includes in the case of a steel mill or blast furnace at least one of a delay and an interruption of an opening of the furnace. 
   
   
       11 . The industrial plant according to  claim 1 , comprising an input device for establishing a locking area by the operating personnel of a control room. 
   
   
       12 . The industrial plant according to  claim 1 , wherein the industrial plant is a blast furnace installation or rolling mill. 
   
   
       13 . The industrial plant according to  claim 1 , the plant control device automatically carries out the intervention in the plant operation which reduces the hazard in real time. 
   
   
       14 . The industrial plant according to  claim 1 , wherein the detector unit is based on on a combination of several of the following detector principles:
 1-D sensor or line scan or light barrier,   2-D sensor or area scan or light curtain or 2D camera,   3-D sensor.   
   
   
       15 . The industrial plant according to  claim 14 , wherein the 3-D sensor comprises a light transmitter, a semiconductor matrix sensor with one photodiode and one capacitor per pixel for integrating the reflected transmitter light and a delay determining unit. 
   
   
       16 . The industrial plant according to  claim 2 , wherein the 3-D sensor comprises a light transmitter, a semiconductor matrix sensor with one photodiode and one capacitor per pixel for integrating the reflected transmitter light and a delay determining unit. 
   
   
       17 . The industrial plant according to  claim 4 , wherein the object or pattern recognition is carried out on the basis of a neural network. 
   
   
       18 . A method for securing a safety relevant area in an industrial plant for producing or processing liquid or incandescent metal, in which safety relevant area the presence of a person is not permitted at least temporarily, comprising the steps of:
 a) detecting electromagnetic radiation emanating from a present person or the absence of electromagnetic radiation blocked out by a present person using a detector unit which is based on a combination of at least two of the following detector types:   a motion detector,   a light barrier,   a video camera or a CCD camera,   thermal camera, and   a combination of light transmitter and semiconductor matrix sensor, particularly in CMOS technology,   b) detecting from output data of the detector unit the presence of a person, and   c) when a person is present in the safety-relevant area, automatically initiating an action acting against the presence of the person, and   d) when an endangered person is detected, automatically carrying out an intervention in the plant operation which reduces the hazard.   
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 18 , further comprising the step of generating an image from the safety-relevant area and carrying out image processing. 
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the image processing carries out object or pattern recognition so that a person can be distinguished from a non-human object.