Basic principles of refractory installation

Refractory installation is a major concern at least as the right material selection. If the material does not spread equally or fill the gaps, a weak point will occur in the structure of the furnace and molten metal or heat will attack here first. To increase the lifetime of industrial furnaces, the size of the refractory bricks should be well calculated and connection points on inner walls must be completely isolated. Refractory installation is a construction job that requires an expertise and a special certification. Before the start of the construction job, the following points should be considered:

-          Before starting the work; measure, control and compare the job with the project drawings.  For example, the number of layers between sections, expansion joints, and anchors need to be measured, controlled and compared carefully. 

-          The first layers must be placed in a very precise manner and must be aligned carefully to avoid unnecessary cutting efforts and to achieve a uniform thickness between joints. In special cases, it may be necessary to place several layers beforehand. 

-          When refractory bricks are composed of multiple layers, the best solution would be to work in parts. This style of work is recommended especially if refractory bricks with different thickness are necessary. 

-          Ensuring that everything is kept very clean during the process is very important. The dirt can easily damage the mortar stability and should be prevented at all costs. 

If the steel structure of the oven is not aligned, the refractory bricks must be adjusted according to the shape of the structure. If, however, a straight alignment is mandatory, the deformation on the surface must be filled with monolithic refractory materials.