February

Praxair and Heye Glas have successfully developed an advanced oxy-fuel-fired glassmelting technology that decreases silica refractory corrosion and decreases NO_x, SO_x and particulate emissions while maintaining the high heat transfer and energy efficiency of traditional oxy-fuel-fired glassmelting technology. View Article

A systematic approach has been made to extend pot life and decrease refractory consumption of an aluminum smelter. Special attention is given to the characterization and selection of aluminosilicate refractories based on recent advances in understanding of the deterioration of cathode materials. View Article

Refractory Raw Materials in China
Ningsheng Zhou
High-Temperature Materials Institute, Henan University of Science & Technology, Luoyang, Henan, China
Jiehua Liu
Luoyang Institute of Refractories Research, Luoyang, Henan, China
Binying Lin
Gongyi No.5 Refractories Co. Ltd., Gongyi, Henan, China

Recent developments in important natural and synthesized refractory raw materials are reported. View Article

March

Innovative Shuttle Kiln Fires High-Alumina Brick at Rath
Richard Gaignon
Ceric Thermic Wistra, Köln, Germany

Aug. Rath jun GmbH, Krumminussbaum, Austria , a manufacturer of high-quality refractories, purchased a new Ceric Wistra shuttle kiln in 2003 to increase production. The requirements were that the intermittent kiln work with existing kiln cars and load/unload stations.

TCF Technology for Oxy-Fuel Glassmelting: Heye Glas Experience
H. Kobayashi, K.T. Wu, G.B. Tuson and F. Dumoulin
Praxair Inc., Danbury, Conn.
H.P. Kiewall
Heye International GmbH, Obernkirchen, Germany

Praxair and Heye Glas have successfully developed an advanced oxy-fuel-fired glassmelting technology that decreases silica refractory corrosion and decreases NOx, SOx and particulate emissions while maintaining the high heat transfer and energy efficiency of traditional oxy-fuel-fired glassmelting technology.

April

High-Strength, Lightweight Spinel Refractories
Yan Wen, Li Nan and Han Bingqiang
Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Refractories and Ceramics, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, People’s Republic of China

High-strength, lightweight refractories based on spinel with ~50% porosity and ~50 MPa crushing strength were prepared using in-situ decomposition of magnesite to form pores.

May

Hydration of Aluminum Powder in High-Carbon-Containing Refractory Castables
V.G. Domiciano, I.R. Oliveira, R. Salomão and V.C. Pandolfelli
Dept. of Materials Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos, S.P., Brazil

An investigation was made of the efficiency of various coatings in inhibiting the aluminum–water reaction in high-carbon-containing refractory castables.

June

Magnesia–Chrome Brick Wear Mechanism in Steelmaking Process
Dong-Hyun Kim, Suk-Hyun Yoo and Sung-Man Kim
Div. of Materials Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea
Chang-Soo Ha and Jong-Min Park
POSCO Co. Ltd., Korea

The mechanism of iron oxide attack of magnesia–chrome brick in the rotary-hearth top-oxygen-blowing steelmaking process as a function of carbon content in the melt is reported.

PCO Commissions Tunnel Kiln for High-Temp Refractories

July

Attack of Magnesite–Chrome Refractories by Portland Cement Clinker

A.G.M. Othman and M.A. Serry
Refractories, Ceramics & Building Materials Dept., National Research Center, Cairo, Egypt
R. Telle
Institute für Gesteinshüttenkunde, Aachen, Germany

The attack of portland cement clinker on three types of magnesite–chrome briquettes processed from Egyptian and imported magnesite and chrome ore, after firing to 1600°C, was studied using the pill test.

Decreasing Energy Intensity in Manufacturing: Assessing the Strategies and Future Directions of the Industrial Technologies Program

August

A New Raw Material Alternative for Refractories

Raymond P. Racher
Almatis Inc., Leetsdale, Pa.
Andreas Buhr, Gunter Büchel and Dagmar Gierisch
Almatis GmbH, Frankfurt/Ludwigshafen, Germany

Setting Additives Influence Thermomechanical Properties of Wet Shotcrete Refractory Castable Matrices

Y.A. Marques, R.G. Pileggi, F.A.O. Valenzuela, M.A.L. Braulio and V.C. Pandolfelli
Dept. of Materials Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos, S.P., Brazil

The effect of coagulants and setting admixtures on the thermomechanical properties of wet shotcrete refractory castable matrices was evaluated and discussed.

October

Producing Premium Alumina

Hydration Resistance of Silicon Powder in High-Carbon-Containing Refractory Castables
V.G. Domiciano, J.R. Garcia and V.C. Pandolfelli
Dept. of Materials Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil

The application of silicon powder as an antioxidant in high-carbon-containing castables was investigated as an alternative to aluminum powder.

Effect of Antioxidants in Al₂O₃–C Refractories on Carbon Pickup of ULC Steel
Guozhi Ruan, Nan Li and Xinjie Wu
Hubei Province Key Lab of Refractories & Ceramics, Wuhan University of Science & Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, People’s Republic of China

The carbon content of ULC steel heated in three types of Al₂O₃–C crucibles without antioxidant, with aluminum antioxidant addition and with silicon antioxidant addition was measured

Image Analysis Used to Predict Thermal Stability of Refractories
T. Volkov-Husovic R. Jancic and D. Mitrakovic
Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro

A water-quench test was used to measure thermal stability of alumina-based refractories, and image analysis was used to measure compressive strength, dynamic modulus of elasticity and ultrasonic velocity to validate the prediction model for thermal stability behavior.

November

Effect of Synthetic Mullite Aggregate on Clay-Based Sol-Bonded Castable
T.K. Mukhopadhyay, Ritwik Sarkar, S.K. Das, S. Ghosh and S. Ghatak
Clay and Traditional Ceramics Division, Central Glass-Ceramic Research Institute, Kolkata, India

Synthetic mullite-gel aggregates prepared using a hydroxyl–hydro gel method were used in clay-based sol-bonded castables which then were tested for glass corrosion using normal soda-lime-silica and high-lead-bearing glasses.

December

Bauxite-Based Synthetic Refractory Raw Materials
Xiangchong Zhong
High-Temperature Ceramics Institute, Zhengzhou University, People's Republic of China

A vertical all-electric melter cannot be used to melt green glass at the same pull level as flint glass because sensitive redox reactions require higher temperatures in the batch layer.

Thermal Insulating Materials for Aluminum Cell Linings
P. Bonadia and J.B. Gallo
Applications & Development Dept., Alcoa Alumínio S.A., Poços de Caldas, MG, Brazil
F.A.O. Valenzuela, D.Y. Miyaji and V.C. Pandolfelli
Materials Engineering Dept., Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil

Tests reveal that the thermomechanical performance of vermiculite-based compositions in the same range of density can vary considerably from one supplier to another.