Isolantes refratários avançados para alta temperatura

Abstract

The objectives of this work encompass the production of non-sintered ceramic insulating foams and their application as a hot-face lining in high-temperature furnaces. To achieve this, a specific insulating ceramic composition was developed, and its properties were evaluated in the green and post-sintering states. The results were compared with the literature and indicated that the approach adopted in this work, associating the direct foaming process with the application of green foams, allowed for an innovative approach to various issues in today's society. The in-situ sintering of ceramic foams has the potential to change the current scenario of refractory insulation, considering that this processing step is the most costly in terms of energy, economy, and environment. Furthermore, the Al2O3-CaO system of the ceramic foams in this work presents considerable advantages when compared to the current Al2O3-SiO2 fiber-based composition of commercially available materials, significantly increasing the durability of insulating linings and the thermal efficiency of high-temperature furnaces. This study confirmed these concepts by verifying the good insulating performance of the green ceramic foams installed as a hot-face lining in the Lindberg Blue M furnace at the Alcoa-GEMM laboratory as a proof of concept.