Low-cement refractory castables are now considered a key direction in the development of monolithic refractories. Not only have countries like the United States, France, Japan, and the United Kingdom made significant progress, but China, India, Brazil, and others have also seen remarkable advancements in the past decade due to the evolution of new metallurgical technologies. These materials offer superior performance, including enhanced resistance to erosion and deformation, making them increasingly popular across various industrial applications.
Unfortunately, Russia has been slower to adopt these innovations. However, in recent years, Russian manufacturers have started developing processes for low-cement refractory castables. A wide range of high-performance monolithic refractories are now being successfully applied in metallurgical equipment across the CIS countries. The introduction of foreign suppliers’ low-cement castables has played a crucial role in promoting research, testing, and production in this field.
Several major companies, such as Oskol Electrometallurgical AG, Breznikov Magnesium Plant, Mitsich Machine Works, Magnitogorsk Steel Company, San Lipei Tsk Steel Corporation, and North Steel Corporation, have adopted these advanced materials. Despite the lack of standardized classification systems for these new castables in both Russian and international standards, it is advisable to follow the U.S. and European approaches, which classify based on CaO content. This method has proven effective in evaluating performance and application potential.
Low-cement and ultra-low-cement castables are now widely used in blast furnace tappets, replacing traditional coal-tar and resin-based materials. Their service life is significantly longer—up to 100,000 tons of iron without maintenance, and even more with proper care. This has generated strong interest among users. However, the use of organic binders can sometimes lead to environmental concerns.
One of the biggest advantages of these new materials is their ability to quickly build and repair iron channels, allowing for faster maintenance. In the Russian market, several well-known companies, including Basalt-Feuerfest GmbH (Germany), Veitseher (Austria), Kurosaki, Shinagawa, and Vezuuius K. R. (UK), provide high-quality solutions. These products often use specialized refractory aggregates like ALCOA’s T-60 flake alumina or ACC’s brown flake alumina, offering improved performance and versatility.
In blast furnaces, low-cement castables serve as auxiliary linings, especially in areas like spray coatings used for repairs. They help reduce downtime and extend service life. Their application in iron ladles and torpedo-type tankers has also expanded, leading to lower refractory consumption and labor costs.
The construction process involves pouring the bucket bottom, reserving grooves for injection and tapping devices, installing metal formwork, and using vibrators to compact the material. After demolding, the lining is dried for 36–48 hours before being fired at 1100–1200°C. Special attention must be given to moisture control, requiring advanced monitoring systems and sensors.
These castables are also used in various parts of electric furnaces, including the furnace top, door, steel trough, and water-cooled sections. They are widely applied in steelmaking furnaces, such as feed doors, pocket areas, and tapping troughs, offering long-lasting performance.
Burner bricks for furnaces and coke ovens made from low-cement castables exhibit better thermal shock resistance, lower porosity, higher strength, and greater resistance to gas erosion. These products are now produced in refractory plants and metallurgical enterprises using advanced casting techniques. Since the introduction of low-cement castables, there have been notable improvements in spraying processes, further enhancing their usability and efficiency.
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