What Refractory Materials Are Used in Aluminum Plants?

Non-stick aluminum castable is a commonly used unshaped refractory material in aluminum smelting equipment.

First, let’s introduce what are the main influencing factors on unshaped refractory materials during the aluminum smelting process.

First of all, liquid aluminum easily penetrates refractory materials.

Secondly, liquid aluminum and alloying elements have a strong reducing ability to some oxides, which eventually leads to the deterioration of refractory materials, loose structure, and damage.

Third, the addition of aluminum ingots and alloy blocks will impact and wear the furnace bottom and furnace wall, and finally, the temperature fluctuation in the furnace will cause thermal shock damage to the refractory lining. It is required that the non-stick aluminum castable has better resistance to aluminum liquid and corrosion, wear, and thermal shock of alloy elements.

Non-stick aluminum castables add components that can effectively limit the penetration of aluminum liquid in the material design, such as graphite silicon carbide, silicon nitride, and aluminum borate, etc., through the optimization of corundum refractory materials, improve its density and optimize the matrix part The use of composite artificial synthetic materials from universities can effectively control the infiltration of aluminum liquid and improve the penetration resistance and corrosion resistance of non-stick aluminum castables.

Non-stick aluminum castables include high-aluminum and high-aluminum mullite, aluminum-silicon carbide and silicon nitride, alumino-calcium, and high-purity corundum. In the aluminum smelting process, the higher the purity of the aluminum, the higher the composition of the castable required.