Practical Experience with an Energy-Efficient, Micro-Porous Refractory Castable in Various Molten Aluminum Contact Applications

摘要

Development of a Micro-Porous Refractory Aggregate. In 2003, Westmoreland Advanced Materials (WAM) initiated a research study under the Department of Energy Small Business Innovative Research Grant DE-FG02-04ER841181 to develop a new type of micro-porous refractory aggregate and castable for use in molten aluminum contact applications. The desired characteristics of the aggregate included a very fine pore structure small enough to prevent molten aluminum from penetrating into the refractory, a large volume of very fine pores well-distributed throughout the aggregate to provide improved insulating capability, a low coefficient of thermal conductivity to reduce heat loss, and a chemistry and mineralogy that were non-wetting to aluminum and would significantly reduce the attachment and growth of corundum and spinel. Several different aggregates were evaluated, and the physical and chemical properties for the preferred aggregate are listed in Table 1.