Development and Application of Andalusite-Based Bricks for the Rotary Hearth Furnace of a Wheel and Axle Plant

摘要

High alumina bricks with superior RUL (refractoriness under load), high thermal shock resistance and high volume stability have been developed as an alternate refractory material to imported semi-silica bricks to use in sprung arch type roof of rotary hearth furnace of the wheel and axle plant of Durgapur Steel Plant/IN. This has been developed at first in laboratory and then manufactured in industrial scale. Laboratory investigations reveal that adequate mullite phase content and absence of free quartz are major contributors to its superior quality. In the second phase, around 100t of developed quality bricks were produced in IFICO plant of SAIL Refractory Unit (SRU) and were applied in the furnace roof. Several field trials were conducted and finally the plant switched over to this quality bricks for its encouraging performance. In addition to this, it is being an import-substitution and in-house developed product; it leads to substantial economic benefit to the organization.