Small scale furnace rail and sitting bricks - Physical and chemical index
Small scale furnace rail and sitting bricks, referred hereafter as SSFRBs, are commonly used for small scale heating operations in the industry. They are typically made from fired clay, and consist of a clay body, glaze and decorations. SSFRBs use different firing temperatures which are very important for their physical and chemical properties. In this paper, the physical and chemical index of SSFRBs will be presented and discussed.
Physical Properties
The physical properties of SSFRBs depend on the firing temperature employed. Firing temperatures of around 1200 ℃ produce tiles with higher mechanical strength, while firing temperatures of less than 900 ℃ give materials with lower strength. Below are brief descriptions of the physical properties of these materials:
Compactness: SSFRBs are usually compact and homogeneous in all directions of space. This is due to their clay composition, which can be shaped by compression and bonding together.
Strength: SSFRBs show a good resistance to compression, tension and transverse forces, due to their high firing temperature.
Resistance to thermal shock: SSFRBs show a good resistance to thermal shock, due to their clay and glaze composition.
Resistance to stain: SSFRBs show an excellent resistance to stain, due to their glaze and decoration.
Chemical Properties
The chemical properties of SSFRBs have been extensively studied, and depend on the clay and glaze material used. In general, SSFRBs are composed of various minerals, including: kaolinite, quartz and feldspar. The following are brief descriptions of the chemical properties of SSFRBs:
Abrasion: SSFRBs show a good resistance to abrasion, due to their dense kaolinite and quartz composition.
Alkali and acid resistance: SSFRBs show a good resistance to alkali and acid reagents, due to their feldspar and quartz composition.
Water absorption: SSFRBs show a low water absorption rate, due to their low clay content.
Conclusion
Small scale furnace rail and sitting bricks, or SSFRBs, are commonly used for small scale heating operations in the industry. Their physical and chemical properties depend on the firing temperature employed and the clay and glaze material used. In general, they show good mechanical strength, resistance to thermal shock, stain, abrasion and acid and alkali reagents. They have a low water absorption rate, and are compact and homogeneous in all directions of space.
