One of the dominant factors which determine the life of refractory linings in large induction furnaces is the breakdown of the lining caused by various mechanical stresses caused by thermal expansion and contraction. While smaller induction furnace linings are inherently less prone to these issues due to the corresponding reduced scale, larger furnaces (500kg capacity and higher) will see a greater propensity for failure due to these compounding stresses. While improvements in the refractory materials to handle thermal shock are of course beneficial, the actual structure of the refractory lining can also have a great impact on how these stresses are handled. In this paper, furnace structures consisting of monolithic rammed, mortared brick, and segmented brick construction are all compared and analyzed using Finite Element Analysis techniques to determine where and why stresses are formed, and how they can be minimized.
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