refractory

Silica bricks with identical chemical composition can have differing mineralogical compositions which can cause quite different behavior during use. Therefore, it is not always sufficient to evaluate silica bricks only by their chemical composition. It is essential to also consider the degree of transformation and the thermal expansion behavior of the bricks.

Silica brick contains cristobalite, tridymite and some residual quartz. The crystal phases each have a high and low temperature forms which can transform reversibly. The crystal structure of the individual SiO2 crystal phase can differ widely. This is of great importance during heating and cooling because of the change in the volume.

Quartz requires the smallest volume and the quartz glass the largest. During firing above approximately 900℃, quartz transforms into the other modifications and melt completely at 1725℃. It shows such a transformation at 573℃, tridymite at 117℃, and cristobalite between 225℃ and 270℃. The thermal expansion of cristobalite is considerably greater than that of the tridymite.

Because well transformed silica bricks contain little or no residual quartz, their behavior under the influence of temperature is largely determined by the ratio of cristobalite to tridymite. During heating up, silica bricks expand rapidly with the total reversible expansion being completed at around 800℃. Therefore they are insensitive to the temperature fluctuations above 800℃, but very susceptible below this temperature because of the sudden volume expansion. For this reason, sufficient time must be allowed for heating furnaces up to about 800℃.

During slow cooling , reversible volume decreases take place which are a result of the spontaneous transformation of the crystal structure from the high to the low temperature modification. The reversible and irreversible volume effects can cause considerable stress within the refractory brick structure.

During the firing process, the lime reacts with the quartzite components to form wollastonite. The matrix also contains very small quantities of calcium ferrite, hematite, magnetite, calcium olivine and hedenbergite, which are formed from impurities. These crystalline phases are the reason for the discoloration and spot formation on the silica bricks.

The degree of transformation of the bricks can be determined easily and accurately by the density of the residual quartz content. The density of a silica brick is lowest when the degree of transformation is farthest advanced.

The appearance of the bricks also indicates to the degree of transformation. The reversible thermal expansion also depends on the mineral composition. Tridymite and cristobalite do not expand linearly during heating but exhibit sudden changes in length both during heating and during cooling.

The key to production of silica bricks is to select the raw materials and the firing process in which the degree of quartz transformation is suitable for the intended application.

The raw material for silica brick is quartz which must meet certain requirements. If refractoriness or thermal expansion are the main requirements, a quartz of high chemical purity must be selected. If volume stability is the main requirement, raw materials should have good transformation properties.

The chemical composition of quartz is important in its evaluation as a raw material, in particular the content of alumina and alkali, as these lower the melting point and considerably reduce the possibilities of application. In addition the firing behavior of the quartz must be taken into account.

After the raw materials have been crushed, ground and screened to the various grain fractions, they are mixed in predetermined proportions according to the required application properties. In most cases, mixers are used for mixing and special bonding agents. Generally around 2% lime water and some sulphite solution as a temporary binder, are added at the same time. The mixture is then processed on friction presses or hydraulic presses. Complicated shapes or those where short runs are required, are still rammed by hand.

After drying, silica bricks are fired at temperature of about 1450-1500℃. Because the transformation of the silica takes place suddenly, cooling must be carried out slowly, or the brick will crack. It is necessary to maintain a carefully planned time temperature cycle during firing. A strong, well bonded high quality silica brick can be obtained only after passing through critical temperature ranges. During firing, silica brick will have about 4% linear growth.

Zhengzhou Sunrise is a refractory material supplier from China, offering high quality refractory materials including fused cast AZS block, fused cast alumina block,mullite brick, zircon brick, alumina bubble brick, magnesia brick, sillimanite brick, corundum brick, low porosity fireclay brick, high alumina brick, all kinds of glass furnace ramming masses, etc..

Refractories are the main materials used in the glass furnaces and have big influence on the service life of glass furnaces, the quality of glass, the energy consumption and the غير مجاز مي باشدt. The development of the manufacturing technology of glass greatly depends on the the development of refractory technology and improvement of the quality of refractories.

Glass is melt at more than 1600℃, so the refractories will suffer from corrosion during the manufacturing process. The corrosion resistance performance and corrosion rate of refractories determines the service life of glass furnaces. The larger the scale of glass furnaces is, the bigger the production capacity is. The quality and accuracy of refractories has direct influence on the scale of glass furnaces. The application of the oxygen-fuel technology and reduced pressure technology depends on the performance of refractories, since those technologies increase the concentration of alkali vapor and water vapor, make the refractories more serious and have more demanding performance on the performance of refractories. Since the corrosion of refractories can also cause glass defects such as stones, bubbles and stripes, the corrosion resistance performance has a big influence on the quality of glass.

According to the types of glass produced, the size and structure of furnaces, the quality of glass required and the production capacity, different refractories are selected. So far, refractories for the glass industry, especially the float glass furnaces, include fused cast refractories, silica bricks and magnesia refractories.

Fused Cast Refractories

Fused cast refractories are refractories made by melting the raw materials and then casting the melt into a mold. Fused cast refractories for glass furnaces mainly include fused cast AZS, fused cast alumina block and fused cast high zirconia block. Fused cast AZS and fused cast alumina block are the main refractories used in float glass furnaces, Electronic glass furnaces, household glass furnaces, and pharmaceutical glass furnaces. Besides glass contact areas, they are also used in demanding areas such as the beast wall and the crown.

Silica brick

Silica brick is a traditional refractory used in glass furnaces, especially in the crown and superstructure. The quality of glass furnaces will affect the normal operation and service life of glass furnaces.

Magnesia refractories

Magnesia refractories are alkali refractories, including fused cast magnesia brick, high pure magnesia brick, direct bonded magnesia chrome brick and magnesia zircon brick. Magnesia refractories are mainly used in the regenerator.

Zhengzhou Sunrise is a refractory material supplier from China, offering high quality refractory materials for glass furnaces, including fused cast AZS block, fused cast alumina block, fused cast high zirconia block, mullite brick, zircon brick, alumina bubble brick, magnesia brick, sillimanite brick, corundum brick, low porosity fireclay brick, high alumina brick, all kinds of glass furnace ramming masses, etc..