Syllabus for the Refractories(MCR-321)

Introduction to refractories:

selection of refractories raw material, (natural, synthetic, binder, additives) for specific product:

Manufacturing equipment for different production, Batch preparation, mixing, drying and firing

Manufacturing and properties of shaped refractories, i.e. silica, alumina, alumino-silicate/fireclay, magnesite,
dolomite,carbon,zircon and Zirconia, mag-chrome, cr-mag,mgo-spinel refractories.

Manufacturing and properties of unshaped/monolithic refractories; i.e. castables (LCC ,NCC, ULCC,Self flow C), refractory
mortars, plastic mass, gunning mixes, ramming mass and insulation fire bricks .

Determination, Properties of refractories:

Physical: porosity, bulk density, water absorption, permeability, specific gravity

Chemical: wet chemical analysis, XRF, evaluation of hydration resistance

Mechanical: compressive strength, bending strength, elastic modulus, fracture toughness

Thermo-mechanical: Creep, HMOR,RUL

Thermal properties: thermal conductivity, thermal expansion, PLCR, thermal shock resistance
 The introduction to refractories:
Definition:
Refractories are inorganic and non metallic materials ,
Hard to melt at high temperature,
Refractories are shaped material , that durable at high temperature more than 1500 deg,
unshaped material , examples are mortars, plastic mass, gunning mixes,castables, ramming mass and insulation fire bricks
used to service temperature more than 800 deg c.
Refractories have higher mechanical strength
Good heat resistance property, Good thermal shock resistance
Resistance to corrosion and erosion by hot metal/molten metal, hot gases &slag
Excellent thermal stability.
Due to excellent properties refractories are used in lining of furnaces ,kilns, boiler plant ,main applications in ferrous (iron
and steel industry), non-ferrous industries ex, aluminium, copper, zinc& lead.Also used in cement, glass, ceramics, chemical
  industries and boiler plant.
All the applications involved many factors:
1. Raw materials,2. Fuels used,3.Operating condition,4.Selection of structure and shape or thermal properties.
Classification of Refractories:
1.shaped/conventional refractories:
a)acidic refractories, ex,silica, fused silica,fire clay,zircon and Zirconia refractories
b)basic refractories: ex,Magnesia, dolomite,mag-chrome,cr-mag, magnesia-spinel refractories
C)nutral refractories: ex,Carbon refractories, silicon carbide, chrome refractories
2.unshape refractories/monolithic refractories
Ex. Castables(LCC,NCC,ULCC,Self flow C),Plastic & ramming mass ,Refractory mortars,Gunning mixes.
 Raw materials for manufacturing of refractories brick:
Raw materials (Natural, synthetic, binders additives.)
1.Natural raw materials:
Zirconia, Quartzite ,pyrophylite,clay,silimanite, bauxite, chromite, magnesia and dolomite clinker,graphite (amerphous, ke,crystaline,shynthetic),

Zircon: chemical composition(ZrO2-66 %,SiO2-33 %,Other components are iron oxide, titanium oxide,CaO,MgO,,K2O,Na2O – 1%

Quartzite-collect from metamorphic rock,Composition:SiO2-99 %, other components (alumina, iron oxide, CaO, MgO,TiO2,K2O,Na2O) 1%
Pyrophylite:Al2Si4O10,it is talk mineral

Natural Clay: Al2O3,2SiO2,2H2O , after firing it called fire clay, having compo.Al2O3 and SiO2
Silimanite: Al2O3.SiO2,it also known andalusite, kayanite

Bauxite: natural mineral of Gibbsite composition: Al(OH)3

Chromite: getting from igneous rock,Comp., Cr2O3 , mixing with MgO and Fe2O3 -it for Cr2MgO4 and Cr2Fe2O4 phase

Magnesia and dolomite clinker:Magnesia clinker compo.MgO -91 percent,SiO2, alumina, CaO, B2O3, Fe2O3 -9 percent

Dolomite clinker:(CaO-63, MgO-33, SiO2, Fe2O3,Al2O3)

Amorphous graphite: Fixed carbon-90 percent, Volatile matter-2 percent,Ash-8 percent .The ash contain SiO2, alumina, iron oxide, CaO,
MgO,TiO2, K2O, Na2O.
 Synthetic raw material:
Fused silica:, Sinter mullaite, fused mullaite,Calcined alumina, fused alumina &sintered alumina, Fused Zirconia
Fused magnesia, Sintered spinel, Fused spinel, Sic

Fused silica:
Silica rock or sand fused in electric furnace at temperature range more than 1600 deg c.
Then solidified, grinding to get fused silica powder.the composition ,SiO2 having 99.5 percent,0.5 percent alumina and iron
oxide. The bulk density is 2.2 gm/cc,m.p. is 1720 deg c. Low thermal expansion and co-efficient& spalling. Used for continues
casing process in steel making progress.

Sintered mullaite:
Composition, alumina-71 percent, SiO2-21 percent, other components -9 percent
Density-2.74 gm/cc, temperature 1850 deg c, good thermal shock &corrosion resistance,

Fused mulliate,
Alumina-76 percent, SiO2-23 percent , other components 1percent. Fused in a electric furnace. ,fusion temperature is 1830
deg c. Solidified, grinding to prepare powder, bulk density-2.8 gm/cc, high strength, thermal spalling resistance is high, low
co-efficient of thermal expansion .used in steel making progress

Calcined alumina:
Bauxite treated with custic soda (NaOH) and precipitated with aluminium hydroxide (Al(OH)3) , fired at 1300 deg in a rotary
kiln to form calcined alumina. Alumina is 99.5 with other components.
Low cost, high chemical stability used for monolithic refractories.
Fused alumina:
Calcined alumina fused in electric furnace, Solidified, grinding, powder ,purity of composition 99.5 percent alumina with high hardness, high
refractoriness. Used for abrasive grain for grinding, good corrosion resistance against hot metal and slag, good volume stability .

Sintered alumina.
Having purity 99 percent alumina, sintered temperature 1850 deg c,bulk density 3.64 gm/cc

Fused Zirconia
Zro2,93-97 percent with other components 3-7percent fused in electric arc furnace,solidfication, grinding for powder preparation.density 5.5
gm/cc Zirconia stabilize with add small amount of CaO ,Y2O3 and MgO called stabilizer

Zirconia having different phases after heating at various temperature

ZrO2(M)(1100 deg c) convert to ZrO2(T) (2300 deg c) convert ZrO2 (C) (2700 deg c) change to liquid phase ZrO2 (L)

M-monoclinic
T-tetragonal
C-cubic
L-liquid
Fused magnesia:
This used for manufacturing of MgO-C bricks.
Composition :
MgO 99.8, other components 0.2 percent fused in a electric Arc furnace (EAF) 2750 deg c, Solidified, grinding, powder ,the
density 3.58 gm/cc, larger crystal growth, used for converter L/D lining. Iron and steel industry due to better thermal
conductivity and abrasion resistance
Fused magnesia-chrome:
60 percent MgO and 40 percent chrome fused in electric arc furnace Solidfied, grinding, powder preparation.
Sintered spinel:
Composition,Alumina-70-95 percent MgO 4-29 percent,1 percent other components
Temperature 1850 deg c, density 3.25 gm/cc, porosity 0.5. Percent
Fused spinel:
Composition:Alumina-73 percentMgO-26 percent, other components 1 percent
Alumina and magnesia mixing properly fused in EAF, solidification ,then grinding for different particle size preparation.
Bulk density,3.4, fusion temperature 2100 deg c
Used for ladle lining, induction furnace lining
SIC:
Silica reaction with carbon , in a electric arc furnaces to form SiC ,it have two form cubic and hexagonal two different temp
(1900,2200 deg.C)
SiC composition is 99percent.SiO2 and free C is 1 percent,Bulk density-3.1 gm/cc,Fusion temp 2230 deg c
Used for making ceramic equipment, grinding purpose, resistance heater, furnace, good semiconducting material. Used for
continue steel casting process,Good abrasion resistance against slag and molten metal
Fused magnesia:
This used for manufacturing of MgO-C bricks.
Composition .
MgO 99.8, other components 0.2 percent fused in a electric Arc furnace (EAF) 2750 deg c, Solidified, grinding, powder ,the density 3.58
gm/cc, larger crystal growth, used for converter L/D lining. Iron and steel industry due to better thermal conductivity and abrasion resistance

Fused magnesia-chrome:
60 percent MgO and 40 percent chrome fused in electric arc furnace Solidfied, grinding, powder preparation.

Sintered spinel:
Composition,Alumina-70-95 percent MgO 4-29 percent,1 percent other components
Temperature 1850 deg c, density 3.25 gm/cc, porosity 0.5. Percent

Fused spinel:
Composition:Alumina-73 percentMgO-26 percent, other components 1 percent
Alumina and magnesia mixing properly fused in EAF, solidification ,then grinding for different particle size preparation.
Bulk density,3.4, fusion temperature 2100 deg c
Used for ladle lining, induction furnace lining

SIC:
Silica reaction with carbon , in a electric arc furnaces to form SiC ,it have two form cubic and hexagonal two different temp (1900,2200 deg.C)
SiC composition is 99percent.SiO2 and free C is 1 percent,
Bulk density-3.1 gm/cc,Fusion temp 2230 deg c

Used for making ceramic equipment, grinding purpose, resistance heater, furnace, good semiconducting material.
Binders:
Dextrin- main components decomposed starch,(C6H12O6),PVA, poly vinyl alcohol,CH2CHOH)n, Resin, acrylic ester,CH2=CHCOO12
Pitch,coaltar,pitch,C10H12,Brine-MgCl2,Sodium silicate-Na2SiO3,Alumina cement, Silica-alumina sol, Phosphoric acid .

Additives:
Aluminium powder ,99.99 percent Al,
M.P- 600 deg c, density-2.7 gm/cc, used for prevent oxidation, improve stability of c refractories.

Aluminium alloy:
Composition, Al-Mg and Al-Si ,m.point-460/577 deg c, density 2.67 gm/cc, used antioxidants for MgO-C bricks.

Silicon powder:
Si content greater than 96 percent,Mpoint-1450 deg c, density 2,43 gm/cc, Used antioxidants c bricks

Boron carbide;
B4C ,95 percent, density 2.52 gm /cc,mpoint-2450 deg c,Used antioxidants for various refractories brick also low temp.

Borides compounds:
MgB2,CaB2,ZrB2, high electrical conductivity, Used antioxidants for MgO-C bricks

Nitride compounds-
Si3N4,mp-1800 deg c-3.18 gm/cc AlN, mp-2200 deg c-3.27 gm/cc
BN-3000 deg c -2.26 gm/cc
Used antioxidants , having high electrical conductivity
Manufacturing equipments:
1. Crushing and grinding For crushing the raw material used, Jaw and Gyratory crusher, The particle size range will be
prepared   from mm to micrometre range
2. Grinding the raw materials: By milling: Intermediate grinding mill,i.e Roll crusher, impact crusher, particle size range mm
to micrometre, Fine grinding mill, i.e Ball mill, rod mill, particle size range from micrometre to some nanometre .Ultrafine
mill: i.e. Vibrating mill, jet Mill, Fine particle size Particle size , coarse (mm), medium (micrometre) & fine (nm)
3. Mixing equipments:Mixing of raw material, binder, additives by pug mill or mixing by agate mortars at least one hour to
get homogeneous mixer.
4. Particle size analysis: Sieving of particle, for different sizes i.e. Mesh or micrometre.
Sedimentation:
5. Take 50 gms powder , dissolve the powder in a 250 ml beaker, The particle  will be settled bottom of the beaker different
time periods, measure the clear height of the beaker after 1,2,3....hrs .  
6. Shaping of refractory bricks by hydraulic press or vibrating press depend  on the type of refractory to manufacturing.this
only room temperature At high temperature used for shaped refractories hot press and hot isostatic press. Standard size
of refractory bricks 9"x4.5"x3.5/3.0"(inches)
7. Drying equipment: Oven - at high temperature ,350 deg c at low temperature,150 deg c
8. Firing equipments:Furnace,the furnaces may be operating low and high temperature with different atmospheric
condition, oxidizing and reducing.Shaped refractories firing by DD kiln, down draft kiln Tunnel kiln &Shuttle kiln
9. Cutting equipment: Basically shaped refractories required machining operation during installation in different industries
like glass tank furnace and blast furnaces, the bricks should have, High hardness, Mechanical strong ,High heat resistance
High wear resistance ,High corrosion resistance for cutting the bricks used diamond tools , also called diamond saw
cutters. Fig.5(2)Castable refractory mixer/monolithic
 Fig-1.Jaw crusher Fig.2(a) ball mill Fig .3.sieve shaker
Fig.2(b)Ball mill

Fig.4.(500 micrometre sieve ) Fig.5(a)-Pan mixer for

Fig.5.agate mortar pestle refractory
Fig.5(b) Castable refractory
mixer/monolithic
 Fig.7.Tunnel kiln/Firing
Fig.6. oven/Drying Fig.8-cutter/shaping