Information on thermal repairs for glass furnaces
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The glass furnace that our company is using currently is used for producing sodium silicate. When the furnace was built by the manufacturer, the gap left at the top of the furnace for expansion was too large, around 8 centimeters; as a result, the heat-resistant material poured in there was burned away very quickly.
It’s 8 mm, right? An 8-centimeter expansion joint – it’s unimaginable.
Repairing expansion joints using siliceous hot-injection materials is possible; one can contact various manufacturers, as this is a well-established method.
It is acceptable for the expansion joint at the top of the furnace to reach a design size of 80 mm, and this is quite common in the industry. There are various reasons why the expansion joints burn out so quickly. One reason is the quality of the siliceous thermal filler, as well as the storage time – prolonged storage can significantly affect its performance. Another reason is the construction methods; due to the high temperature at the top of the furnace and the harsh operating conditions, there can be significant issues with the quality of the construction. Thirdly, in terms of operation, whether the kiln pressure is too high also directly affects the lifespan of the expansion joint materials. It is recommended to use special siliceous heat-melting materials. During installation, clean the alkali ash around the expansion joints, carry out a reaction using phosphoric acid, and proceed with the work swiftly. During construction, it must be compacted to avoid a tofu-like texture; it should be applied in two to three layers. The hot feedstock must be thoroughly mixed; if it is too dry, a small amount of phosphoric acid can be added to improve its fluidity. This is my practical experience from work.
Could you send a picture of the current situation? I work on thermal repairs of coke ovens; I’m not very familiar with glass furnaces, but I think I can help you!