New Variant Acid Lining Refractory

For Modern CIF Conditions

Andrew Fowler
Senior Market Manager Foundry

Prepared by Andrew Fowler

Refractory Choice for CIF What is Required?

Resistance to Corrosion and Erosion
Flexibility Multiple alloys, temperature range
Stability Thermally and Mechanically
Good Refractoriness
Easy Application Installation time
Economics cost effectiveness kg refractory per ton metal
Reliability predictable life

QUARTZITE Refractories are normally OUR 1st Choice.

Prepared by Andrew Fowler

Why Swedish Quartzite ?

Swedish QUARTZITE (Dalsland) is Considered Unique and is NOT QUARTZ !

Typical QUARTZ

Not Modified by Nature

Crystal Size: 0,5-1mm

Micrograph of One Quartz Grain

(Crystalline structure of one Grain)

Crystallites
Few Large Grains joints

Micrograph of One Quartzite Grain

(Crystalline structure of one Grain)

Swedish Micro-Crystalline QUARTZITE.

Metamorphically Formed 900M years ago from Sandstones
Following Volcanic eruptions and Cooling under high pressure (ICE AGE),
Giving a Unique Re-Crystallization of Quartz

In line crystals normally below 30 microns

Crystal size of 0.02 0.05mm

Many Crystallites
Many Small Grains joints

Resulting raw material is of High grade and extreme purity 98-99% SiO2

Uniform hardness,

Good refractoriness

Thermal stability

Slow crystal transformation
Prepared by Andrew Fowler

Thermal Stability Comparison of Quartz and Swedish Quartzite

BEFORE

Dense NO GRAIN Appearance of Swedish Quartzite

Prepared by Andrew Fowler

AFTER
Firing to 1500oC over 10hrs

Structure Maintained with Swedish Quartzite

Main Reason for QUARTZITE Suitability in CIF

Low Permanent Expansion

Good Thermal Stability (Red and Black Heat)
Prepared by Andrew Fowler

Refractory Stress of Yesterday ?

Traditional Furnaces used HEEL MELTING
Low Power Density Line Frequency
& Dump Charging

Large Slow Melting Units =

High Erosion
High Corrosion
Low Thermal Shock
Low Mechanical Stress
PROVED LININGS
Natural Quartzite

Prepared by Andrew Fowler

Refractory Stress Today ?

Modern Furnaces Today use BATCH MELTING
High Power Density Medium Frequency Auto Charging with
Push out Systems
Fast Melting Units =
Lower Erosion
Lower Corrosion
Higher Thermal Shock
Higher Mechanical Stress
TRADITIONAL
RECOMMENDED LININGS
Fused Quartzite

Prepared by Andrew Fowler

Main Weakness Today

THERMO-MECHANICAL AGING of Natural Quartzite

Reduced
THERMO-MECHANICAL AGING
with Fused Quartzite
But
Considered Expensive in Some Cases

Prepared by Andrew Fowler

Design Aim for a NEW Material for Modern CIF Conditions

Bring an Intermediate Suitable Lining to fit between

Natural and Fused Quartzite

Target Applications

All Power Density and Size CIF

Specific Character Targets over Natural Quartzite

Increased Lining Reliability & Predictability

Increased Flexibility with Reduced Thermal Aging Effects

Good Mechanical Impact Resistance

Compatible with other Swedish Quartzite materials

Cost Effective Solution for Modern CIF

Prepared by Andrew Fowler

Full Lab Testing Fired Properties Evaluated

Linear Change
Cold Crushing Strengths
Volume Change
Density Change
Mass Change
..etc
Linear change

C.C.S. (MPa)

10%
9%
8%
7%

NewQ

NewQ

NewQz

NewQz

SM 7

SM 7

SM 5

SM 5

SM 5 (R1)

SM 5 (R1)

SM 5 Pure (R1)

SM 5 Pure (R1)

NewFS

NewFS

6%
5%
4%
3%

SM QVF

2%

SM Q (R1)

SM QVF
SM Q (R1)

1%
0%
-1%
1200C

Prepared by Andrew Fowler

1300C

1400C

1500C

1600C

Full Lab Testing Physical Properties Evaluated

Densification Evaluated (with & without Load)

Speed of Compaction

Level of Compaction

Selected

Prepared by Andrew Fowler

Special Industrial Site Testing

Fused Quartzite
NEW Quartzite
In same CIF to compare

Prepared by Andrew Fowler

Special Industrial Site Testing

Visibly Different GSD

NEW Quartzite
Fused Quartzite

Prepared by Andrew Fowler

Special Industrial Site Testing

Traditional Inductive Sinter

Prepared by Andrew Fowler

Zoning Combinations / Recommendations

Low to Medium
Power (<500Kw/t)
NEW Quartzite

Medium Power
(500 to 750Kw/t)
NEW Quartzite

Natural Quartzite

Improved Value in Use !!!

Prepared by Andrew Fowler

Medium to High
Power (>750Kw/t)
Fused Quartzite
NEW Quartzite

Large CIF Trial

Sweden (6t MF CIF)
205 heats 150 more possible
Base Perfect
Well Defined Zones
Soft Powder for Push out

Prepared by Andrew Fowler

Optimised Benefits Brought by Technical Design

Swedish Micro-Crystalline Darsland Quartzite

Market Leading Corrosion Resistance

Improved Thermal Stability Over Natural Quartzite Products

Reduced Thermal Aging Tendency
Optimised Grain Size Distribution (GSD)

Reduced Sensitivity to Segregation

Consistent and High Compaction

Low Porosity

Small Pore Size Distribution (PSD)

High Impact Strength

Full Zoning Compatibility with Other Swedish Quartzite Products

Cost Effective Solutions for the Foundry Operator

Prepared by Andrew Fowler

Launch Name

(value)

SILICA MIX V**

SILICA MIX V14

SILICA MIX V15

SILICA MIX V16

SILICA MIX V17

Please Test it !!!

Thank you for your attention!
Installations (YTD2013-11):
Sweden x 4 sites (6 CIF)
UK x 1 site (2 CIF)
Germany x 1 site
(150kg to 8000kg CIF upto 850KW/T iron)
Prepared by Andrew Fowler

Inspiring Growth
New Acid Lining Material for Modern Ferrous Melting Coreless Induction
Furnaces

Andrew Fowler,
Senior Foundry Market Manager,
Market & Product Development Department,
Calderys Refractory Solutions
+44 (0) 777 55 000 25
andrew.fowler@calderys.com
www.calderys.com
Abstract
In a Coreless Induction Furnace it is desirable to have a refractory lining that is able to cope with the high thermal mechanical
stresses involved.
This means that the refractory has to have sufficient hot face strength to withstand the mechanical impact of the furnace
charge medium whilst having sufficient forgiveness to withstand the thermal cycles involved during the melt down processes.
Whilst the back lining zone should remain flexible during the full lining campaign so that it can move efficiently according to
the furnace coil cooled and un-cooled zones.
These factors in some ways oppose each other during the formation of a ceramic lining.
However Acid Lining materials are normally the first choice for these furnaces unless the melted alloy is not compatible since
they give a close match to the required demands at a relatively low cost.
Due to the advancement of coreless induction furnace melting efficiency and the need of the foundry operator to optimize
melt speed the conditions in modern furnaces has changed from traditional heel melting (minimum 30% metal capacity
maintained at all times) to batch melting (full emptying of the metal during each furnace tapping) practices and so the
refractory is now subjected to new stresses reducing production reliability.
This paper sets out why and how these conditions have changed and how a new acid lining refractory has been developed to
cover these new stresses at a more affordable rate for the operator as well as techniques to give best value in use.
Subjects discussed are lab development and considerations, special new site evaluation methods and the initial results seen
for the new Acid Lining material.
Key Words: Thermo-Mechanical Aging, Modern Coreless Induction Furnace, Swedish Quartzite, Zoning

Introduction
Historically Natural High Grade Quartzite based
refractories have been able to meet the demands of a
coreless induction furnace:
Resistance to Corrosion and Erosion
Flexibility Multiple alloys, temperature range
Stability Thermally and Mechanically
Good Refractoriness
Easy Application Installation time
Economics cost effectiveness kg
refractory per ton metal
Reliability predictable life

Quartzite refractories are preferred to quartz refractories

due to the smaller crystal sizing which helps to contain
stresses within the refractory. This is further advanced by
the use of considered unique micro-crystalline Swedish
quartzite. For this reason all tested acid lining variants were
based fundamentally on this raw material.

However with advancing furnace technology where power

rates per ton of liquid metal are increasing together with
reducing refractory thickness dimensions in order to gain
faster melt down rates, the stresses have increased
considerably.

Fig 2. Comparison of Quartz and Swedish Microcrystalline Quartzite crystal sizing.

Refractories are now subjected to very high levels of

thermal cycling (Cold
Hot
Cold) every 40 to 90 minutes
owing to the high inductive power and super cooling effects
of the electrical coils. In addition mechanical impact has also
increased due to fast automated charging techniques on to
cool linings to maintain the new furnace demands.

Likewise there are many variants of materials which have

been designed over time with specific properties in mind
such as fast free filling compaction, compaction
completeness, low segregation, small pore size etc.
To fully understand these characters and to optimise the
properties of the final product many samples were
constructed and fully tested in the lab for fired and physical
properties and rationalized down to a final product ready for
industrial testing.

These stresses have led to a new condition known as

Thermo-mechanical Aging and reduced lining reliability due
to sudden metal penetrations to the furnace coils, disrupting
foundry production.

1200C

1300C

1400C

Fig 1. Example of Thermo-mechanical Aging

Fig 3. Lab Creation of New Quartzite
In order to adapt to these increasingly demanding conditions
Fused High Grade Quartzite based refractories have been
developed with excellent success. However these linings
can be considered as high cost in some cases.

Industrial Testing
Although it is possible to design a good material within the
lab environment, its true potential is not known until
industrial trials have been conducted. However since every
furnace charge may be considered unique it is sometimes
difficult to judge the performance until many trials later.

Experimental
It was decided to develop an Intermediate Refractory which
bridged the gap between Natural Quartzite and Fused
Quartzite refractories whilst being fully compatible with
these materials to allow for Zoning and fully Optimized lining
configurations to give best Value in Use for the Foundry.

For this reason a new testing method was used for the first
industrial trials, where the furnace lining was split vertically
from front to back with the new material on one side and the
traditional material on the other.

Specific Character Targets over Natural Quartzite

Increased Lining Reliability & Predictability
Increased Flexibility with Reduced Thermal
Aging Effects
Good Mechanical Impact Resistance
Compatible with other Quartzite products
Cost Effective Solution for Modern CIF

In this way it could be guaranteed that both materials were

subjected to the same stresses as each other and a full
direct comparison be made and concluded on.
The following pictures show how this was done.

performance evaluation and the operator estimated that at

least an additional 150 heats was possible.

Fig 4
Fig 4. Special Industrial Site Testing Procedure of New
Quartzite
These initial industrial tests demonstrated suitable
performance of the new material in comparison to the
traditional material and gave positive indications to the
required lining character desired.
Discussions
In order to optimise the full concept of not only achieving the
desired material character but also achieving the best value
in use a concept of material zoning was devised.
Although the New Quartzite material can be used anywhere
in most iron melting furnaces, it is recommended to use it as
a zoned material alongside other Swedish Quartzite
materials with its positioning based on the furnace character
and specifically power factor per ton of metal.
Suggestions are given in Fig 5.

Low Power

Medium Power

Fig 6. CIF after 205 heats

High Power

Conclusions
This new material has been branded as SILICA MIX V and
is now available in a full range of temperature variations to
cover for all grades of iron melting. This New Quartzite
material should give the foundry a step forward in lining
reliability over natural quartzite materials and can be
installed in combinations with other Swedish Quartzite
materials to fully optimize value in use.

Natural Quartzite
New Quartzite
Fused Quartzite
Fig 5. Zoning Combinations Envisaged
Additional Industrial Test Results
The New Quartzite material has been installed in larger
coreless furnaces since its first launch point in October 2013
and the results have shown excellent hot and cold
strengths, low wear rates and with well-defined internal
structural zones.
The following pictures show the material after 205 heats in a
6 ton coreless induction furnace. The lining was removed for
3