Research Progress and Prospect of Muon Imaging Technology in the Detection of Blast Furnace Internal Structure

Traditional monitoring methods are constrained by limitations in penetration depth, nondestructiveness, and safety, hindering their ability to meet modern blast furnace needs. Recently, muon imaging has emerged as a breakthrough technology for nondestructive probing and continuous monitoring of blast furnace internals, leveraging its strong penetration, noncontact nature, and lack of radiation. This article systematically reviews its fundamental principles, key applications, and technical challenges. Studies show transmission imaging successfully monitors hearth erosion at Nippon Steel's No. 2 blast furnace, while scattering imaging achieves 3D visualization of the cohesive zone in the EU Mu‐Blast project. However, industrial deployment still faces significant hurdles: large density inversion errors, idealized imaging algorithms, and complex internal structures. Proposed solutions include enhancing density inversion accuracy via detector array hardware optimization, developing improved algorithms for nonuniform media to overcome idealized modeling, and adopting a multimodal approach to address structural complexity. Future research will focus on near real‐time 3D imaging and high‐temperature dynamic monitoring, driving industrial adoption to provide core technical support for safer, smarter blast furnace operations.