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INTERNATIONALE FEUERFESTKOLLOQIUM, AACHEN 1998

Dewatering Refractory Castable Monoliths

Ing. Molin Adam, Deputy Director, R&D, Refrasil,s.r.o. Czech Republic


Sznapkova Petra, student, VSB Ostrava Czech Republic
Josiek Bogdan, R&D, Refrasil,s.r.o. Czech Republic

Abstract:

This paper deals with the investigations carried out on the field of dewatering of
refractory castable precast shapes. Several grades of refractory castables have been prepared
with diffrent cement content (CC,LCC,ULCC,NCC) including a selflevelling grade.Based on
permeability measurements, DTA curves, apperent porosity values and strength of the
investigated specimens depending on temperature in the range between 100-600 C the most
critical dewatering areas for particular types of refractory castables have been found. The
paper provides us with a clue how to dry out and heat up refractory castables to make the
process effective and safer.

1. Introduction.

Since the early days of 80th we have been following the falling interest in using shaped
refractory materials , a part of which has been gradualy replaced by precast shapes, mostly
made of refractory castables. This trend towards monoliths has been brought about by both
changes of user technologies and by the advantage itself of newly developped and
sophisticated refractory castable formulations. These are based on a very dense structure with
extremely low porosity due to the employment of continuous aggregate grading schemes by
introducing particles finer than the cementitous components. Water demand has fallen down,
in some cases down to a half of the value of conventional castables, previously used. In spite
of the fact that water content has been decreased significantly, explosive spalling tendency
has even increased. Judging from experience it is just the fear of explosive spalling that in
many cases and unfortunately causes that bricks are used for linings where monoliths are
expected to perform better.

Lot of work has been already done in the field of dewatering of refractory castable
monoliths, heaps of paper have been typed. We seem to have solved it, because key factors
have been described, computer modelling has been introduced, lot of laboratory and on-sitetrials have been carried out, but still much to our consternation we come accrosss situations in
practice where we are almost helpless and we in fact do not know how to go about
dewatering. Despite all these work already done there is still a long way to go.
The aim of this paper is to contribute a bit to better understanding of dewatering
process of refractory castable monoliths in view of cement contents, flowability and fiber
addition effect.

2. Dewatering of Refractory Castable Precast Shapes

In the coarse of drying and heating of monoliths cast of refractory castables a physically
bonded water and consequently a chemically bonded one is dehydrated from the material.
The water content and the ratio between the two types of water bonded in the material
depends also on cement content ( type ) of refractory castable. Dewatering process is
usually finished around the temperature of 600C. There is a number of variables that
influence the process (1) :
Texture

Moisture Content

Mix Constitution

Casting and Curing Practice

Permeability

Binder Level and Type

Strength

Dryout Practice and Schedule

Thermal Conductivity

Installation Geometry

For the purpose of this work permeability measurements, cold crushing strength
developments and weight losses avaluations have been selected as they directly relate to how
a certain amount of steam can be led out throgh refractory body with a certain permeability
and strength. If permeability and strength is high, water or steam can be driven through
refractory body almost irrespective of how quick the material is dried. It goes without saying
that there are limits. There is a narrow relationship between permeability (porosity) and
corrossion media penetration. We are looking for a solution to make the refractory body both
permeable for moisture and resistant against corrossion penetration. But this is hehind the
frame of this paper. As organic fiber addition increases permeability and thus the explosive
spalling resistance, fiber additions have been investigated.

3. Experimental Procedure

Laboratory tests were carried out on(with?) cylinders, dimensions of which were 50 x
50 mm. CC, LCC, ULCC and NCC bauxite based mixes were vibration cast, SFLC
cylindrical specimens were cast without vibration. Specimens were dried at 110C and
subsequently tempered at 200, 300, 400, 500, 600C/4hours. One cylindrical specimen was
used for permeability study, another one was used for porosity testing and one more for cold
crushing strength tests. Cylinders weight was recorded so weight losses could be measured
after every stage (heating at a temperature). Tests were suplemented by DTA and GTA for all
the types of castable used. These tests were conducted with samples of crushed and ground
cylinders having been previously cured at ambient temperature.
A study on organic fiber adition to castable were carried out using polypropylene
fibers to SFLC as a baseline formulation. Since fibers incorporation into a castable causes a
change in casting behavior of the material, an aditional water had to be involved to obtain the

same flowability. A simple flow test was carried out to determine the apropriate water content
for each fiber loading such that the flow degree remained constant regardless of fiber
concentration. Cylindrical specimens cast with different fiber contents ( 0; 0.03; 0.06; 0.1;
0.2 wt%) were heated at 300C/4hours, then the same procedure was used as described
previously.

4, Results and Discussion


Results on cold crushing strength after heat treatment at temperatures 100 600C for
studied castables with differennt cement contents are ilustarated in Figure 1. It was evident
that cold crushing strength development after heating indicated no significant difference in the
range of 100 600C. CC formulations displayed obviously lower strength values after
drying at 100C and moreover this strength decreased slightly with the temperature growing
due to decomposition of high alumina cements. NCC formulations followed the similar run
with just strength values being higher. SFLC formulation showed very high strength values
after drying at 110C and further heat treatments up to 600C did not indicate any significant
change. LCC and ULCC specimens showed slight strength increase upon heating while the
ULCC values were lower.
Results on permeability testing versus temperature of heat treatment,coupled by
weight losses, are ilustrated in Figures 2,3. There is a huge difference between CC
permeability values and those cast of the others formulations. Permeability data of CC
specimens were five fold higher and moreover these values increase as a function of heat
treatment was more noticable. The higher the density of the castable the lower permeability of
the monolith As far as weight losses of CC monoliths are concerned the most significant
change occured at around 300C. With cement content dropping in monoliths the value of
weight losses was decreasing and the temperature of a maximum loss mooved from 300C to

200C, whereas NCC mix displayed again the maximum at about 300C like CC mix but with
permeability values being considerably lower. Figure4 ilustrates the relation between
cumulative weight losses and temperature. During the heat treatment 100 600C weight
values were dropping, obviously the most significant change showed CC material (around
300C.) Other mixes showed a slight weight decrease at temperatures up to 500C, values of
these changes were dropping with cement content going down. Above 500C there was no
significant weight loss for all the types of castable.
DTA and GTA curves are not listed in the paper due to limited space. CC mix showed
two endothermic reactions at 150 and 300C. LCC showed a flat endothermic reaction at
200C, ULCC showed no significant change. DTA curve of NCC displayed slow endothermic
reactions at 150 and 540C.
Polypropylene fibers addition tests showed generally the decrease in properties once
polypropylene fibers were added to castable. Figure5 indicates that the addition rate of
0,03wt.% caused water demand increase by 0,5wt.%. Fiber content 0,1wt.% seemed to be a
limited value from selfflowability standpoint of the castable under investigation. Castable
with 0,2wt.% fibers loading was vibration cast, because no selfflowability was observed. Cold
crushing strength values also decreased with fibers addition. The most significant drop in
CCS was observed when 0,1wt.% of fibers was added. Figure6 showes porosity and
permeability development when polypropylene fibers were incorporated to selfflowing
bauxite based castable. It was evident that fiber addition to castable resulted in conduits being
created within refractory body, these conduits connected particular pores making the body
permeable. Fiber adition of 0,2wt.% caused 1,7 fold porosity increase, whereas permeability
values raised by almost 50 times. The most noticeable permeability increase was indicated
when 0,3 0,6wt.% of fibers were added.

5. Summary

Results of this work on dewatering of refractory castable precast shapes showed on


some of the existing relations between explosive spalling tendency and permeability, porosity,
weight losses, strength. Investigations were conducted with refractory castables based on
bauxite aggregate with different cement content (CC, LCC, ULCC, NCC) and workability
(SFLC). Polypropylene fiber addition to selfflowing bauxite based castable was also
investigated.
There was a huge difference between CC properties and those of low cement and
moisture content. This difference resulted from the principle itself of low moisture
formulations,i.e. from the dense structure and low permeability. Apparent porosity values
seemed to be of a less importance unlike permeability values that indicate how particular
pores in the refractory body are connected and how monoliths are permeable for steam going
through. With cement dropping in castables under investigation the explosive spalling
tendency during dewatering increases, critical temoerature moves from300 to 200C (CCLCC- ULCC), whereas NCC critical temperatureseems being again around 300C.
In view of the fact that organic fiber aditions result in property decrease, particularly
as far as selfflowing mixes are concerned , an optimum adition of 0,06wt.% to SFLC has been
found out.
For limited space of the paper and for the subject itself that is more complex it was
impossible to deal with some of the aspects that would contribute to better understanding of
dewatering processes.

References:
1)Moore,R.E. Severinn N. : Dewatering Monolithic Refractory Castables: Experimental and
Practical

Experience.

University

of

Missouri-Rolla,

Department

of

Ceramic

Engineering,p.573-582

2)Jason M.Canon, Todd P. Sander: Effect of Organic Fiber Additions on Permeability of


Refractory Concrete, UNITECR Proceedings1997, p.583

FIG. 1. COLD CRUSHING STRENGTH AS A FUNCTION OF HEAT TREATMENT TEMPERATURE


FIG. 2. PERMEABILITY AND WEIGHT LOSSES VERSUS HEAT TREATMENT TEMPERATURE OF CC
SPECIMENS
FIG. 3. PERMEABILITY AND WEIGHT LOSSES VERSUS HEAT TREATMENT TEMPERATURE
FIG. 4. CUMULATIVE WEIGHT LOSSES VERSUS TEMPERATURE
FIG. 5. WATER DEMAND AND COLD CRUSHING STRENGTH AS A FUNCTION OF
POLYPROPYLENE FIBER ADDITION
FIG. 6. APPARENT POROSITY AND PERMEABILITY AS A FUNCTION OF POLYPROPYLENE FIBER
ADDITION

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