In the complex and huge production system of the metallurgical industry, clay brick, as a traditional and important refractory material, plays an irreplaceable key role. Its unique physical and chemical properties make it play a vital role in many links of metallurgical production, and strongly support the efficient and stable operation of the metallurgical industry.
1. Blast furnace
In the core equipment of ironmaking blast furnace, clay brick undertakes multiple key tasks. The bottom of the blast furnace is an important part to withstand the static pressure of high temperature hot metal and slag, and the clay brick can stably support the weight of the material inside the whole blast furnace by virtue of its high pressure strength at room temperature and good thermal shock resistance, and prevent the bottom of the furnace from deformation or damage due to heavy pressure. At the same time, the furnace bottom clay bricks also need to have excellent corrosion resistance to resist the chemical erosion of high temperature hot metal and slag, to ensure that the blast furnace in the long-term high temperature, high pressure and enhanced corrosion environment, can still maintain the integrity of the structure, to ensure the continuity of iron production.
The hearth part of blast furnace is also inseparable from the application of clay bricks. The furnace cylinder is an area where molten iron and slag are stored, where the working environment is extremely harsh, not only the temperature is extremely high, but also the flow of slag and molten iron will have a strong scouring effect on the furnace lining. Clay brick with its dense structure and excellent wear resistance, effectively resist this erosion, prolonging the service life of the furnace cylinder. In addition, clay bricks can also regulate the temperature distribution in the furnace cylinder to a certain extent, creating good conditions for the smooth generation and storage of hot metal.
2.Hot blast stove
Hot blast furnace is the key equipment to provide high temperature hot air for blast furnace, and clay brick plays an indispensable role in it. The regenerator of hot blast furnace is the core part of heat storage and exchange, and clay bricks are widely used as regenerators. In the working process of hot blast furnace, clay brick can absorb and store a lot of heat when the high temperature flue gas passes through the regenerator. When the cold air passes through, the clay brick will release the stored heat, so that the cold air quickly heats up, providing continuous and stable high temperature hot air for the blast furnace. This efficient heat storage and exchange ability greatly improves the thermal efficiency of the hot blast furnace, reduces energy consumption, and then improves the energy utilization level of the entire ironmaking process.
At the same time, the high temperature resistance and structural stability of clay bricks ensure that the structure of the regenerator can be kept intact without collapse or damage during the frequent heating and cooling cycles of the hot blast furnace, ensuring the safe and stable operation of the hot blast furnace.
3. Steelmaking open hearth
In addition to blast furnaces and hot blast furnaces, clay bricks are also widely used in other metallurgical furnaces. In steelmaking open-hearth furnace, clay bricks are often used to lay the top and wall of the furnace. The furnace top needs to withstand the radiation and erosion of high temperature flame, and the change of pressure in the furnace. The high temperature resistance, anti-erosion and good heat insulation performance of clay brick effectively protect the structure of the furnace top, reduce the heat loss, and improve the thermal efficiency of the open hearth. The furnace wall part relies on the strength and erosion resistance of clay bricks to resist the erosion of slag and molten steel, maintain the sealing of the furnace body, and ensure the smooth progress of the steelmaking process.
In non-ferrous metal smelting furnaces, such as copper smelting furnaces and aluminum smelting furnaces, clay bricks also play an important role. It can adapt to complex conditions such as high temperature and chemical corrosion in the smelting process of different non-ferrous metals, provide a stable furnace lining environment for the refining of non-ferrous metals, and ensure the quality and production efficiency of non-ferrous metal products.
The wide application of clay brick in metallurgical industry fully reflects its important value as a high-quality refractory material. With the continuous development and progress of metallurgical technology, the performance requirements of clay bricks will be increasingly improved. In the future, through technological innovation and process improvement, the quality and performance of clay bricks will be continuously improved, which will provide more solid material support for the sustainable development of the metallurgical industry.
