Some of the factors that would help in choosing the correct refractory lining are temperature, chemical corrosion and price.
FREMONT, CA: Typically, refractory lining maintenance involves replacing the original material with a similar or equivalent material. Sometimes, that's enough. In order to use best practices, refractory contractors and maintenance teams often purchase refractories that have been used on similar equipment in the past, but this assumes that the equipment's process, production, or maintenance has not changed in recent years. The assumption can be dangerous because furnace equipment is designed to meet the immediate demands of thermal processors, and these demands change depending on factors like production orders and maintenance capacity.
Choosing the right refractory lining for an application isn't always easy. It is often a combination of science and art. Understanding industrial application processes, refractory performance expectations, and potential refractory service failures is essential to making an effective choice. These factors must be weighed against each other to find the best solution. It is important to consider a number of important criteria, but refractory engineers focus on a few important aspects to make an evaluation and choose the appropriate refractory material for each application: thermal, mechanical, chemical, logistics, and value – and their connections.
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Some of the factors to consider when choosing a refractory lining are noted below:
Chemical corrosion: Ceramic engineers have been concerned about chemical attacks on refractory matrices since the beginning of refractory development. A chemical reaction between the vessel's contents and the refractory at high temperatures can change the structure of the refractory matrix, affecting the lining's performance and life. The chemical or mineralogical changes occurring within the refractory lining can cause excessive volume change of the crystal structure or reduced oxide levels in the lining, causing the ceramic bonds to break down.
Value: Price: Over the life of an industrial furnace, refractory linings are one of the most significant operating costs. As a result, price is always a very important consideration when selecting a material. Value, however, cannot be reduced solely to price. Materials come in a variety of choices.
Engineers or specialists can recommend one solution over another, depending on the economics of each individual application. The real driver of price is value. Most people want a refractory product installed that is "good, fast, and inexpensive." However, achieving all three is very difficult. Each item's value is determined by its relative importance.
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