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Refractories · Process Route Map

Refractory failure is measured in downtime, not dollars.

A ladle relined early costs money. A ladle that fails in service costs a shift. This page walks five process routes, from formulating a castable through installing it and running it to the end of a campaign, and names the raw materials used at every step and the job each one is doing.

Request a Quote Start With a Failure Mode
5Process routes mapped
34Steps from batch to reline
179Raw materials mapped to a step

Walk the process

Pick a route. Then pick a step.

Five process routes, 34 steps between them. The first three follow the product from formulation through installation and service. The last two follow it into the vessels that consume it.

Select a step to see the chemistry. Arrow keys move forward and back through the process.

Step 1 of 7 · Monolithic Manufacture

Aggregate selection & sizing

The coarse fraction carrying the service duty. Everything else in the mix exists to bind it and fill the space between the grains.

What goes wrong hereAn aggregate lot with different porosity or grading, which changes water demand and installed density on a recipe nobody touched.

What gets used and why

  • Tabular aluminaSintered aggregate with very low porosity, so slag and metal have nothing to penetrate.
  • Brown fused aluminaHard aggregate for abrasion service, the backbone of FCC and erosion resistant linings.
  • Bauxite and andalusiteAlumina sources setting refractoriness and creep resistance at lower cost than tabular.
  • Silicon carbideThermal conductivity and abrasion resistance in trough, runner, and waterwall service.
  • Dead burned and fused magnesiaBasic aggregate for steel contact, chosen by lime to silica ratio and crystal size.
  • Fireclay and chamotteCost control in lower duty linings where premium aggregate is more than the service requires.
6 raw materials at this step
Step 2 of 7 · Monolithic Manufacture

Matrix fines & particle packing

The submicron fraction that fills the gaps between aggregate grains. This is where flow, water demand, and fired density are actually decided.

What goes wrong herePoor packing means more water to reach placeable flow, and every extra point of water is porosity in the fired lining.

What gets used and why

  • MicrosilicaSpherical submicron particles that lubricate the matrix like ball bearings, then react with alumina on first heat to form mullite in place.
  • Reactive aluminaFills the finest fraction of the packing curve and raises the purity of the matrix.
  • Calcined aluminaCoarser alumina fines for packing where reactive grade is more than the product needs.
  • Fumed silicaVery high surface area for specialty rheology control.
  • Magnesia and spinel finesMatrix chemistry in basic and spinel forming castables.
5 raw materials at this step
Step 3 of 7 · Monolithic Manufacture

Binder selection

The system that holds the lining together before it ever sees heat, and in most cases well after.

What goes wrong hereA binder that develops strength fast enough for the install but traps moisture, which becomes a steam spalling problem on first heat.

What gets used and why

  • Calcium aluminate cement, 70 and 80 percentHydraulic bond. The 70 grade is general purpose, the 80 grade lowers lime and raises purity for demanding service.
  • Colloidal silicaSol bond with no cement at all. Gels for green strength and leaves an open pore structure, so moisture leaves on first heat without spalling.
  • Monoaluminum phosphateChemical bond giving high green and fired strength without waiting on hydration, the standard in plastics and ram mixes.
  • Phosphoric acidReacts directly with alumina and clay to form the phosphate bond in place.
  • Sodium and potassium silicateAir setting bond for mortars and gunning products, developing strength on drying.
  • Ball clay and bentonitePlastic bonding for rammed, troweled, and extruded products.
6 raw materials at this step
Step 4 of 7 · Monolithic Manufacture

Dispersants & set control

Under one percent of the mix, and the single biggest lever on installed density. This is where a distributor earns the account or loses it.

What goes wrong hereA deflocculant drifting lot to lot changes water demand, which changes installed density, which changes lining life. The plant blames the aggregate.

What gets used and why

  • Polycarboxylate ethersSteric dispersion with long flow retention. The default in modern low cement and self flowing products.
  • Sodium polyacrylateElectrostatic dispersion, often blended with PCE to broaden the working window.
  • Sodium hexametaphosphateClassic deflocculant, effective and inexpensive, more sensitive to water chemistry.
  • Lithium carbonatePowerful accelerator for cold weather installs and gunning applications.
  • Citric acidThe standard retarder, buying working time in hot conditions or on long pours.
  • Boric acid and tartaric acidExtended retardation and fine adjustment of the set window without changing the binder.
6 raw materials at this step
Step 5 of 7 · Monolithic Manufacture

Functional additives

Small dose materials solving specific failure modes rather than contributing to the body of the lining.

What goes wrong hereFirst heat is when new linings fail. More are lost to steam spalling during dryout than to any service condition.

What gets used and why

  • Polypropylene fibersMelt at low temperature and leave a capillary network that vents steam before pressure spalls the lining.
  • Aluminum powderGenerates permeability for dryout, and separately acts as an antioxidant in carbon bonded products.
  • Silicon metal and boron carbideAntioxidants forming dense and glassy phases that seal porosity against oxygen ingress.
  • Stainless steel needlesReinforce thin abrasion linings in hex mesh and anchor supported service.
  • Silicone and organic defoamersEntrained air control during mixing, since trapped air is porosity you did not design for.
  • Wetting agentsUniform water distribution through the dry mix, cutting mixing time and improving consistency.
6 raw materials at this step
Step 6 of 7 · Monolithic Manufacture

Dry blending, QC & packaging

Producing a bagged product that performs identically at a customer's site months later, in whatever humidity that site has.

What goes wrong hereSegregation in the bag or moisture pickup in storage, both of which show up as a placement problem the installer will blame on the mix design.

What gets used and why

  • Anticaking agentsFree flow through blending, bagging, and humid storage.
  • Moisture control materialsPackage and warehouse protection for hydraulically bonded product.
  • Lab reagents and standardsBatch release testing supporting the COA that ships with the material.
  • Dust suppressantsRespirable silica control across blending and bagging operations.
4 raw materials at this step
Step 7 of 7 · Monolithic Manufacture

Gunning & shotcrete variants

The same formulation family reworked for pneumatic placement, where the set chemistry has to work at the nozzle in about a second.

What goes wrong hereRebound. Material on the floor instead of on the wall, which is the number that decides whether gunning is economic at all.

What gets used and why

  • Sodium silicateFlashes to a set on impact so material stays overhead instead of falling.
  • Aluminum sulfate and lithium acceleratorsInstant stiffening at the nozzle, cutting rebound and letting the lining build in one pass.
  • Ball clay and bentonitePlasticity and green adhesion so the mix builds thickness rather than sliding.
  • Anti-rebound additivesImprove stick rate and recover material that would otherwise be swept up and thrown away.
  • Polycarboxylate dispersantsKeep shotcrete pumpable at low water through long hose runs, protecting fired density.
5 raw materials at this step

Or start with the failure mode

Nobody calls about a dispersant. They call about a lining that let go.

The call is never a request for a polycarboxylate. It is spalling on first heat, slag cutting the working lining, buildup restricting a cyclone, or a campaign that came up short. Pick what you are seeing and the steps that address it will light up across every route.

Select a failure mode to highlight the relevant process steps in every route.

How Lowe helps

Consistency matters more than price on a dispersant.

A deflocculant that behaves differently lot to lot changes water demand, which changes installed density, which changes lining life. The savings on that line item disappear the first time a batch is scrapped or a campaign runs short. We source for repeatability first and say so plainly when the cheaper option is the wrong call.

1
Tell us the step and the systemWhere it goes, the binder system it feeds, annual volume, package size, ship-to point, and timing.
2
We check the sourcing pathAvailability, grade and lot consistency, COA history, freight on heavy materials, and practical alternates when a grade runs tight.
3
You get a clear answerA quote, a trial quantity for qualification, or a straight explanation of what is realistic. No runaround either way.
Where a distributor is actually worth having.

Bauxite, tabular alumina, magnesia, and silicon carbide are bought on tonnage and freight, usually direct from the producer or an importer. There is very little a distributor adds to that transaction, and we will say so rather than pretend otherwise.

The additive package is the opposite. Dispersants, set modifiers, antioxidants, anti-explosion fibers, binders, and defoamers are under a few percent of the mix and they decide installed density, working time, dryout safety, and carbon life. A polycarboxylate that drifts between lots is a week of a plant chasing a problem that was never in the aggregate. That is the part of the list worth a real sourcing conversation.

Full reference

Every process step on one page.

The complete list, in process order, for anyone who would rather scan than click.

Monolithic Manufacture · step 1

Aggregate selection & sizing

  • Tabular aluminaSintered aggregate with very low porosity, so slag and metal have nothing to penetrate.
  • Brown fused aluminaHard aggregate for abrasion service, the backbone of FCC and erosion resistant linings.
  • Bauxite and andalusiteAlumina sources setting refractoriness and creep resistance at lower cost than tabular.
  • Silicon carbideThermal conductivity and abrasion resistance in trough, runner, and waterwall service.
  • Dead burned and fused magnesiaBasic aggregate for steel contact, chosen by lime to silica ratio and crystal size.
  • Fireclay and chamotteCost control in lower duty linings where premium aggregate is more than the service requires.
Monolithic Manufacture · step 2

Matrix fines & particle packing

  • MicrosilicaSpherical submicron particles that lubricate the matrix like ball bearings, then react with alumina on first heat to form mullite in place.
  • Reactive aluminaFills the finest fraction of the packing curve and raises the purity of the matrix.
  • Calcined aluminaCoarser alumina fines for packing where reactive grade is more than the product needs.
  • Fumed silicaVery high surface area for specialty rheology control.
  • Magnesia and spinel finesMatrix chemistry in basic and spinel forming castables.
Monolithic Manufacture · step 3

Binder selection

  • Calcium aluminate cement, 70 and 80 percentHydraulic bond. The 70 grade is general purpose, the 80 grade lowers lime and raises purity for demanding service.
  • Colloidal silicaSol bond with no cement at all. Gels for green strength and leaves an open pore structure, so moisture leaves on first heat without spalling.
  • Monoaluminum phosphateChemical bond giving high green and fired strength without waiting on hydration, the standard in plastics and ram mixes.
  • Phosphoric acidReacts directly with alumina and clay to form the phosphate bond in place.
  • Sodium and potassium silicateAir setting bond for mortars and gunning products, developing strength on drying.
  • Ball clay and bentonitePlastic bonding for rammed, troweled, and extruded products.
Monolithic Manufacture · step 4

Dispersants & set control

  • Polycarboxylate ethersSteric dispersion with long flow retention. The default in modern low cement and self flowing products.
  • Sodium polyacrylateElectrostatic dispersion, often blended with PCE to broaden the working window.
  • Sodium hexametaphosphateClassic deflocculant, effective and inexpensive, more sensitive to water chemistry.
  • Lithium carbonatePowerful accelerator for cold weather installs and gunning applications.
  • Citric acidThe standard retarder, buying working time in hot conditions or on long pours.
  • Boric acid and tartaric acidExtended retardation and fine adjustment of the set window without changing the binder.
Monolithic Manufacture · step 5

Functional additives

  • Polypropylene fibersMelt at low temperature and leave a capillary network that vents steam before pressure spalls the lining.
  • Aluminum powderGenerates permeability for dryout, and separately acts as an antioxidant in carbon bonded products.
  • Silicon metal and boron carbideAntioxidants forming dense and glassy phases that seal porosity against oxygen ingress.
  • Stainless steel needlesReinforce thin abrasion linings in hex mesh and anchor supported service.
  • Silicone and organic defoamersEntrained air control during mixing, since trapped air is porosity you did not design for.
  • Wetting agentsUniform water distribution through the dry mix, cutting mixing time and improving consistency.
Monolithic Manufacture · step 6

Dry blending, QC & packaging

  • Anticaking agentsFree flow through blending, bagging, and humid storage.
  • Moisture control materialsPackage and warehouse protection for hydraulically bonded product.
  • Lab reagents and standardsBatch release testing supporting the COA that ships with the material.
  • Dust suppressantsRespirable silica control across blending and bagging operations.
Monolithic Manufacture · step 7

Gunning & shotcrete variants

  • Sodium silicateFlashes to a set on impact so material stays overhead instead of falling.
  • Aluminum sulfate and lithium acceleratorsInstant stiffening at the nozzle, cutting rebound and letting the lining build in one pass.
  • Ball clay and bentonitePlasticity and green adhesion so the mix builds thickness rather than sliding.
  • Anti-rebound additivesImprove stick rate and recover material that would otherwise be swept up and thrown away.
  • Polycarboxylate dispersantsKeep shotcrete pumpable at low water through long hose runs, protecting fired density.
Shaped Refractory Manufacture · step 1

Brick raw material preparation

  • Bauxite and andalusiteAlumina sources for high alumina brick, setting refractoriness and creep resistance.
  • Dead burned and fused magnesiaBasic brick base for steel and cement contact service.
  • QuartziteSilica brick raw material, converted deliberately to tridymite and cristobalite during firing.
  • Flake graphiteNon-wetting carbon network in carbon bonded brick, plus thermal shock resistance.
  • Fireclay and chamotteGeneral duty alumina base at commodity cost.
Shaped Refractory Manufacture · step 2

Temporary binders & pressing aids

  • LignosulfonateThe default green binder. Inexpensive, effective, and burns out predictably.
  • Dextrin and molassesHigher green strength for complex or thin walled shapes.
  • Polyvinyl alcoholCleaner burnout with less residual ash where purity matters.
  • Wax emulsionsDie lubrication reducing press wear and letting shapes release without cracking.
  • Zinc and calcium stearateInternal and die lubricants improving compaction uniformity.
Shaped Refractory Manufacture · step 3

Carbon bonded systems

  • Phenolic novolacSolid resin requiring a hardener, giving high carbon yield in pressed carbon bonded brick.
  • Phenolic resoleLiquid and self curing, used where a pumpable or castable system is needed.
  • HexamineCrosslinker for novolac systems, setting the cure profile.
  • Aluminum and silicon metal powderAntioxidants oxidizing preferentially and forming dense phases that seal the surface.
  • Boron carbideLow addition, high impact antioxidant forming a glassy protective layer.
  • Carbon black and calcined anthraciteCarbon network density and structural carbon in trough and taphole products.
Shaped Refractory Manufacture · step 4

Pore formers & insulating brick

  • Organic pore formersBurn out during firing and leave the controlled pore structure the product is sold on.
  • Sawdust and starchTraditional low cost burnout media, selected by particle size to target pore size.
  • Ball clay and kaolinThe ceramic bond holding a very porous body together.
  • Bubble aluminaHollow spheres carrying hot face insulation to very high service temperature.
  • Temporary bindersGreen strength so a fragile pressed shape survives handling before firing.
Shaped Refractory Manufacture · step 5

Pressing, drying & firing

  • Kiln furniture washAlumina and zircon coatings preventing ware sticking to setters and kiln cars.
  • Setter and separator materialsPrevent reaction between adjacent shapes at firing temperature.
  • Drying aidsEven moisture removal through thick sections without surface skinning.
  • Kiln refractory and coatingsThe furnace lining and its maintenance, which is a refractory purchase of its own.
  • Scrubber chemistryOff-gas treatment where fluoride and sulfur emissions are regulated.
Shaped Refractory Manufacture · step 6

Ceramic fiber & modules

  • Colloidal silica rigidizerSprayed on the hot face to stiffen the surface against gas velocity erosion.
  • Fabrication bindersHold blanket and board together through cutting, folding, and installation.
  • Alumina and zircon coating fillersRefractory solids in surface coatings carrying the temperature duty.
  • Surface coatingsReduce fiber shedding and improve chemical resistance on the exposed face.
Installation & Service Life · step 1

Mixing water & batching

  • Treated mixing waterHardness and dissolved solids change dispersant performance and set time measurably.
  • Supplemental dispersantOn-site correction when water chemistry varies by site or season.
  • Citric acid and lithium carbonateField adjustment when ambient temperature falls outside the design window.
  • Ice and cooling supportMix temperature control on hot weather placements.
Installation & Service Life · step 2

Placement

  • Polycarboxylate dispersantsFlow retention long enough to place a full lining without adding water.
  • Liquid acceleratorsNozzle set in shotcrete and gunning, injected at the point of placement.
  • RetardersExtended working time on large pours and hot weather placements.
  • PlasticizersWorkability in rammed and troweled products without adding water.
  • Form release agentsClean stripping on cast and precast shapes.
Installation & Service Life · step 3

Anchoring & expansion

  • Anchor slip coatingsAllow controlled movement so anchors and lining expand at different rates without cracking.
  • Compressible expansion materialsAbsorb thermal growth instead of transmitting it into the lining.
  • Protective primersCorrosion protection on anchors before the lining goes on.
  • Stainless needles and meshReinforcement in thin anchor supported linings.
Installation & Service Life · step 4

Curing & dryout

  • Polypropylene fibersVent steam before pressure exceeds the green strength of the lining. The single most effective dryout additive.
  • Aluminum powderGenerates permeability where fibers are unsuitable for the service.
  • Curing compoundsHold moisture during cure so hydration completes before heat is applied.
  • Permeability enhancersOpen the pore structure so the dryout schedule can be shortened safely.
  • Moisture control materialsHumidity and surface drying management on large placements.
Installation & Service Life · step 5

Mortars, patching & hot repair

  • Sodium silicateAir setting bond in mortars, developing strength on drying before any heat is applied.
  • Ball clayTrowel feel and workability, which decides whether a bricklayer can hold a thin uniform joint.
  • Monoaluminum phosphateChemical bond in patching and ramming products, developing strength without hydration.
  • Dead burned magnesiaThe base material in most hot gunning repair on steel contact linings.
  • Aluminum sulfate and lithium acceleratorsInstant adhesion on a hot surface with no cure time available.
  • In-can preservativesWet mortars are water based and will spoil, so biocide protects shelf life through a season.
Installation & Service Life · step 6

Demolition, dust & QC

  • Dust suppressantsControl respirable silica and refractory dust during breakout and handling.
  • Wetting agentsMake water actually wet fine dry dust instead of beading off it.
  • Cleaning chemistryPrepare the shell and anchors for the new lining.
  • Waste handling supportSegregation and disposal, which matters most with chrome bearing linings.
  • Lab reagents and standardsInstalled lining verification and incoming material inspection.
Iron & Steel Service · step 1

Blast furnace trough & runner

  • Silicon carbide, coarse and fineAbrasion resistance and high thermal conductivity against flowing iron and slag.
  • Brown fused and tabular aluminaRefractory aggregate backbone of the castable.
  • Calcined anthracite and carbon blackCarbon content keeping iron from wetting the matrix.
  • Phenolic resinCarbon yielding bond that survives repeated casts.
  • Silicon and aluminum metal powderAntioxidants protecting that carbon through every heat cycle.
  • Polycarboxylate dispersant and microsilicaPlace the mix at low water so fired density is high enough to resist erosion.
Iron & Steel Service · step 2

Taphole clay

  • Phenolic resole resinLiquid binder providing extrusion plasticity plus carbon yield after pyrolysis.
  • Silicon carbideErosion resistance in the taphole channel against flowing iron.
  • Calcined anthracite and cokeCarbon content controlling sintering rate, which sets how easily the hole drills next cast.
  • Ball clayPlasticity and extrusion behavior that the mud gun depends on.
  • Alumina and ferro silicon nitrideRefractory body and bonding phases holding against tap pressure.
Iron & Steel Service · step 3

Ladle linings

  • Dead burned and fused magnesiaSlag line base resisting basic slag attack.
  • Flake graphiteNon-wetting carbon network at the slag line where penetration would end the campaign.
  • Phenolic novolac and hexamineCarbon bond system for the pressed brick.
  • Tabular alumina and magnesia alumina spinelBarrel and bottom castable aggregate resisting steel and slag penetration.
  • Calcium aluminate cement and microsilicaBond and matrix packing for the castable sections.
  • Aluminum and silicon metalAntioxidants extending carbon life across a long ladle campaign.
Iron & Steel Service · step 4

Tundish linings & boards

  • Dead burned magnesiaWorking lining base resisting slag and giving clean deskulling.
  • Silica and fused silicaLower cost working linings and board bodies where steel grade allows.
  • Sodium silicate and organic bindersGreen strength for sprayed and board product handling.
  • Ball clay and bentoniteSuspension and adhesion in sprayable mixes.
  • Aluminum sulfate acceleratorsFast set so the tundish returns to the caster quickly.
  • Cellulose and organic fibersBoard strength and controlled burnout on first heat.
Iron & Steel Service · step 5

Flow control & nozzles

  • Tabular and fused aluminaRefractory body with thermal shock resistance to go from ambient to steel temperature instantly.
  • Flake graphiteThermal shock resistance and non-wetting behavior at the bore.
  • ZirconiaErosion resistant inserts at the bore where steel velocity is highest.
  • Phenolic novolac resinCarbon bond surviving preheat and casting.
  • Silicon metal and boron carbideAntioxidants protecting carbon during preheat, before the piece ever sees steel.
Iron & Steel Service · step 6

Electric arc furnace & delta roof

  • Fused and dead burned magnesiaBrick and gunning base for the most severe slag duty.
  • Flake graphiteSlag resistance through non-wetting carbon.
  • Phenolic resin and hexamineCarbon bond in the pressed brick.
  • Aluminum and silicon metalAntioxidants that make that carbon last through the campaign.
  • Sodium silicate and lithium acceleratorsGunning bond and instant stick on a hot surface with the furnace waiting.
  • Ball clayPlasticity and adhesion so gunning builds thickness in one pass.
Iron & Steel Service · step 7

Slag conditioning & lance protection

  • Magnesia and dolomitic limeSaturate the slag with MgO so it stops dissolving the lining.
  • Fluorspar and alumina fluxesAdjust slag chemistry toward metallurgical and refractory targets at once.
  • Lignosulfonate and molasses bindersHold briquettes and granules together through handling.
  • Zircon and alumina coating fillersSacrificial refractory layer on equipment immersed in steel and slag.
  • Colloidal silicaBinder holding the coating on the lance through immersion.
Iron & Steel Service · step 8

Reheat furnaces & rolling

  • Bubble alumina and expanded aggregateLightweight refractory base cutting shell temperature and fuel consumption.
  • Calcium aluminate cementBond for insulating castable sections.
  • Colloidal silica rigidizerHot face hardening on fiber modules against gas velocity.
  • Anchor coatingsControlled slip so anchors and lining move at different rates without cracking.
  • Polypropylene fibersDryout protection across very large castable placements.
Kilns, Glass & Nonferrous · step 1

Rotary cement kilns

  • Dead burned and fused magnesiaBurning zone base resisting clinker and thermal shock.
  • Magnesia alumina spinelThermal shock resistance and flexibility in the brick matrix.
  • Bauxite and andalusiteAlumina sources for transition and upper zone brick.
  • Ball clay and sodium silicateMortar system holding joints across a lining that flexes with every rotation.
  • Anchor coatingsSlip layer on anchors in castable sections so thermal growth does not crack the lining.
Kilns, Glass & Nonferrous · step 2

Preheater, precalciner & cooler

  • Bauxite and andalusite aggregateAlkali resistant refractory base for the upstream sections.
  • Calcium aluminate cementBond for the general castable lining.
  • Microsilica and reactive aluminaMatrix density resisting alkali penetration.
  • Polycarboxylate dispersantLow water placement across very large volumes.
  • Alumina and colloidal silica coatingsAnti-buildup layer in cyclones and riser ducts.
  • Polypropylene fibersSafe dryout on large placements against a tight restart schedule.
Kilns, Glass & Nonferrous · step 3

Lime kilns

  • Bauxite and high alumina aggregateRefractory base for both brick and castable sections.
  • Calcium aluminate cementBond for nose ring, hood, and transition castables.
  • Ball clay and sodium silicateMortar chemistry matched to the brick and the alkali environment.
  • Alumina and zircon coatingsReduce ring formation and buildup on the lining surface.
  • Dispersants and set controlPlacement of castable sections during short planned outages.
Kilns, Glass & Nonferrous · step 4

Glass furnace crown & regenerator

  • QuartziteSilica brick base for crown construction, stable under long term high temperature load.
  • Hydrated lime and sulfite liquorBonding and green strength system in silica brick manufacture.
  • Zirconia and aluminaFused cast AZS raw materials for the most aggressive attack zones.
  • Dead burned magnesiaRegenerator checker work resisting alkali and sulfate attack.
  • Zircon and silicate mortarsSealing systems holding through years of thermal cycling.
Kilns, Glass & Nonferrous · step 5

Glass contact & forehearth

  • Zirconia and zirconMinimal dissolution into the glass, which is the entire specification.
  • High purity aluminaStructural body in cast and pressed contact shapes.
  • Fused silicaLow expansion body for thermal shock exposed pieces.
  • Colloidal silicaBinder in pressed and coated components.
  • Alumina and silicate sealing compoundsPrevent glass ingress at joints where it would freeze and lift the block.
Kilns, Glass & Nonferrous · step 6

Aluminum & nonferrous melting

  • Tabular aluminaAggregate with very low porosity, giving molten metal nothing to enter.
  • Barium sulfateThe classic non-wetting additive preventing aluminum penetration into the matrix.
  • Calcium fluorideAdditional non-wetting behavior and reduced buildup on the hot face.
  • Calcium aluminate cementHydraulic bond, with silica bearing fines deliberately limited because molten aluminum reduces silica.
  • Silicon carbideThermal conductivity and erosion resistance in copper alloy launders and channels.
  • Polycarboxylate dispersantDense placement at low water, which is the first defense against penetration.
Kilns, Glass & Nonferrous · step 7

Incineration & petrochemical

  • Silicon carbideCorrosion and abrasion resistance plus the conductivity waterwall service needs.
  • Brown fused and tabular aluminaHard aggregate resisting catalyst erosion in risers, cyclones, and transfer lines.
  • Monoaluminum phosphate and phosphoric acidChemical bond resisting acidic attack better than hydraulic systems.
  • Microsilica and polycarboxylate dispersantMatrix density, which is what abrasion resistance actually depends on.
  • Stainless steel needlesReinforce thin linings against heavy thermal cycling.
  • Bubble alumina and lightweight aggregateInsulating backup cutting shell temperature and fuel use.

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