Refractories

Question 1

What commodities are produced using refractories?

Answer 1

> iron, steel, aluminum, copper, glass, cement, gasoline, other commoditites

Question 2

What do refractories mainly fabricate?

Answer 2

> iron/steel (65-75%)
cement clinker (8-12%)
glass/non-ferrous alloys, etc.

Question 3

When did China exceed US and Japan in terms of steel production? How much of the world’s steel do they make today?

Answer 3

> 1996
50%

Question 4

What were refractories historically? Why did that change?

Answer 4

> fired clay bricks
increasing CAMPAIGN TIMES (lifetime of a furnace)

Question 5

What are the different forms of refractories?

Answer 5

1. shaped fired bricks (shaped as cantenary arches)
2. monolithics: applied on site as a cement (gunning mix)
   –> used over bricks
   –> must first be dried, then fired in-situ
3. fibers
   –> cloth or board for high temp lab furnaces