In many fields of modern industrial production, the operation of equipment in high temperature environments faces severe challenges, and refractory materials have become a key factor in ensuring the stable and efficient operation of these equipment.
As a refractory material with excellent performance, magnesia carbon bricks play an irreplaceable and important role in industries such as steel, non-ferrous metal smelting, and glass manufacturing with their unique advantages. This article will explore the advantages of magnesia carbon bricks in depth and show their important value in the field of high temperature industry.
1. Basic composition and structure of magnesia carbon bricks
Magnesia carbon bricks are mainly composed of two key components: magnesium oxide (MgO) and carbon ©. Magnesium oxide has an extremely high melting point (2800°C) and is a high melting point alkaline oxide, which gives magnesium carbon bricks excellent high temperature resistance and good corrosion resistance to alkaline slag. The carbon element usually exists in magnesium carbon bricks in the form of graphite. Graphite has excellent electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, low expansion coefficient and poor wettability with slag. This unique combination makes magnesium carbon bricks have both the high melting point of magnesium oxide and the many excellent properties of carbon.
From the microstructure point of view, the magnesium oxide particles in the magnesia carbon brick are evenly distributed in the carbon matrix, forming a tightly interwoven composite structure. The magnesium oxide particles are connected to each other by a carbonaceous binder. This structure not only enhances the strength of the brick body, but also provides it with good thermal shock resistance and slag erosion resistance. The carbonaceous phase plays a role of bridge and buffer in the structure, which can effectively alleviate the stress caused by temperature changes and slag erosion, and ensure the stability of magnesia carbon bricks under complex working conditions.
2. Advantages of magnesia carbon bricks
(Ⅰ )Excellent high temperature resistance
Since both magnesium oxide and graphite have extremely high melting points, and the two do not undergo eutectic melting at high temperatures, magnesium carbon bricks have excellent high temperature resistance.
In high-temperature equipment such as converters and electric furnaces for steel smelting, the internal temperature is often as high as 1600℃ or even higher. Magnesium carbon bricks can maintain stable physical and chemical properties in such extreme high temperature environments, without softening or melting, providing reliable refractory protection for the furnace body and ensuring the smooth progress of the smelting process. Compared with some traditional refractory materials, magnesium carbon bricks have more outstanding structural stability and creep resistance at high temperatures, and can withstand long-term high temperature loads without obvious deformation or damage, greatly extending the service life of equipment such as furnace linings.
(II) Strong resistance to slag erosion
Magnesia has strong corrosion resistance to alkaline slag and high iron slag, while graphite has poor wettability with slag. The combination of these two characteristics makes magnesia carbon bricks have excellent slag corrosion resistance.
In practical applications, such as in the slag line of the converter, this area is in contact with high-temperature slag for a long time and is subject to strong slag corrosion. Magnesia carbon bricks can effectively resist the erosion of slag and slow down the loss rate of bricks due to their unique composition and structure. Compared with the old fired alkaline bricks, the penetration layer of magnesia carbon bricks is much shallower, which means that it is difficult for slag to penetrate into the interior of the brick body, thereby greatly improving the anti-corrosion life of the brick body.
In addition, magnesia carbon bricks have a strong ability to resist slag penetration, which can prevent slag from penetrating and accumulating in the pores of the brick body, and avoid the destruction of the brick structure and the reduction of strength caused by slag penetration.
(III) Good thermal shock stability
Graphite’s higher thermal conductivity, lower thermal expansion coefficient and lower elastic modulus give magnesium carbon bricks good thermal shock stability.
In the industrial production process, furnaces and other equipment often experience frequent temperature changes, such as furnace opening, furnace shutdown and temperature fluctuations during production. Such rapid temperature changes will cause thermal shock to refractory materials, which can easily lead to material cracking and peeling. Due to its advantages in thermal physical properties, magnesium carbon bricks can quickly conduct heat and reduce temperature gradients when the temperature changes sharply. At the same time, its own low expansion characteristics enable it to effectively buffer thermal stress and basically avoid tissue damage and peeling caused by thermal shock. For example, in the process of electric furnace steelmaking, frequent power-on heating and power-off cooling will cause the temperature of the furnace lining to change rapidly. The good thermal shock stability of magnesium carbon bricks ensures that it can still maintain its complete structure and performance under such conditions, providing a strong guarantee for the stable operation of the electric furnace.
(IV) High high temperature strength
Magnesium carbon bricks have high strength at high temperatures and can withstand the scouring, wear and mechanical stress of high-temperature materials and airflow in the furnace.
During the steel smelting process, the molten steel, slag and high-temperature airflow in the furnace will cause strong scouring and friction on the furnace lining. The high-temperature strength of magnesium carbon bricks enables them to resist these external forces and is not prone to wear and peeling.
This high-strength characteristic not only ensures the structural integrity of the brick body in a high-temperature environment, but also reduces the number of repairs and replacements of the furnace lining caused by brick damage, improves production efficiency and reduces production costs. At the same time, the high high-temperature strength also enables magnesium carbon bricks to adapt to some special working conditions that require stringent strength of refractory materials, broadening its application range.
(V) Good anti-peeling performance
In the past, alkaline refractory materials had poor spalling resistance and were prone to spalling during use, which affected the service life of the equipment.
Magnesium carbon bricks have effectively improved this shortcoming through reasonable raw material selection and structural design. Its carbon matrix can enhance the toughness of the brick body. When subjected to thermal shock, mechanical impact, etc., it can absorb and disperse stress, prevent the generation and expansion of cracks, and thus greatly improve the spalling resistance.
In parts such as the converter cap, due to the combined effects of rapid cooling and heating temperature changes and high-temperature airflow and dust scouring, the spalling resistance of refractory materials is extremely high. Magnesium carbon bricks, with their good spalling resistance, can serve stably in this part, reducing the workload of frequent repairs and replacement of furnace linings, reducing labor intensity, and also helping to improve the quality of molten steel and production efficiency.
(VI) Low production energy consumption
As an unfired product, compared with traditional refractory materials such as fired magnesia dolomite bricks, magnesia carbon bricks save at least 80% of fuel consumption in the production process.
This is mainly because magnesia carbon bricks do not need to go through a high-temperature firing process, avoiding a large amount of energy consumption during high-temperature firing. In today’s era of advocating energy conservation and emission reduction, the low-energy production characteristics of magnesia carbon bricks have significant advantages, which not only reduces the production costs of enterprises, but also conforms to the concept of sustainable development, and has made positive contributions to the green development of the industry. Lower production energy consumption also makes magnesia carbon bricks more economically feasible in large-scale production and application, and can meet the growing market demand.
3. The advantages of magnesia carbon bricks are reflected in various industries
(Ⅰ). Steel industry
In the steel industry, the advantages of magnesia carbon bricks have been fully reflected and widely used. In the converter, the furnace mouth is constantly impacted by cold and hot molten steel, and it also has to withstand the scouring of high-temperature slag and high-temperature exhaust gas. Magnesium carbon bricks have become the ideal refractory material for the furnace mouth due to their high temperature resistance, scouring resistance, and the characteristics of not easy to hang steel and easy to clean.
Due to the combined effects of severe slag erosion, rapid cooling and heating temperature changes, and high-temperature airflow and dust, the use of magnesia carbon bricks with strong slag erosion resistance and spalling resistance can effectively extend the life of the furnace lining. The charging side requires refractory materials to have high slag erosion resistance, high temperature strength and spalling resistance. High-strength magnesia carbon bricks with metal antioxidants can meet this demand well. The slag line is the junction of the three phases of furnace lining refractory materials, high-temperature slag and furnace gas, and is most severely slag-corroded. Magnesium carbon bricks with high carbon content are widely used in this area due to their excellent slag erosion resistance.
In electric furnaces, the furnace walls are almost all built with magnesia carbon bricks, and the life of magnesia carbon bricks directly determines the service life of electric furnaces. At present, by optimizing the raw material quality of magnesia carbon bricks, improving the production process and rationally adding antioxidants, the performance of magnesia carbon bricks in electric furnaces has been further improved, the consumption of refractory materials has been reduced, and the economic benefits of electric furnace steelmaking have been improved. In the clearance and slag line of the refining ladle furnace and ladle, magnesia carbon bricks have gradually replaced the magnesia-chromium refractory materials whose use has been reduced due to chromium pollution in the past, providing reliable refractory protection for the steel refining process.
(II) Nonferrous metal smelting industry
In the process of non-ferrous metal smelting, such as the smelting of copper, aluminum and other metals, it is also necessary to carry out in a high temperature environment, and there are various complex chemical substances and high-temperature melts in the furnace.
The advantages of magnesia carbon bricks such as high temperature resistance, slag erosion resistance and thermal shock stability make them widely used in non-ferrous metal smelting furnaces. For example, in copper smelting furnaces, magnesia carbon bricks can effectively resist the erosion of high-temperature copper liquid and slag in the furnace, ensure the stability of the furnace lining, and reduce production interruptions and maintenance costs caused by damage to the furnace lining.
In aluminum electrolytic cells, magnesia carbon bricks, as lining materials, can withstand the scouring and erosion of high-temperature electrolytes and aluminum liquids. At the same time, good thermal shock stability enables them to adapt to temperature changes during the electrolysis process, extending the service life of the electrolytic cell and improving production efficiency.
(III) Glass manufacturing industry
In the glass manufacturing process, the glass kiln needs to operate for a long time at high temperature, and the performance requirements of refractory materials are extremely high.
The high temperature resistance of magnesia carbon bricks enables them to withstand high temperatures of up to 1500℃ in glass kilns. At the same time, their slag erosion resistance can effectively resist various corrosive substances in glass liquid and kiln atmosphere. The use of magnesia carbon bricks in the heat storage chamber, pool wall and other parts of the glass kiln can significantly increase the service life of the kiln, reduce the downtime caused by kiln maintenance, and improve the continuity and output of glass production. In addition, the good thermal shock stability of magnesia carbon bricks can also adapt to the temperature changes of the glass kiln during the heating and cooling process, ensuring the integrity and stability of the kiln structure.
Magnesium carbon bricks have become an indispensable key refractory material in the modern high-temperature industry due to their excellent high-temperature resistance, strong resistance to slag erosion, good thermal shock stability, high high-temperature strength, outstanding anti-stripping performance and low production energy consumption.
In the steel, non-ferrous metal smelting, glass manufacturing and other industries, the application of magnesium carbon bricks not only improves the service life and production efficiency of equipment, but also reduces production costs, making an important contribution to the sustainable development of the industry. With the continuous advancement of science and technology and the growing demand for high-performance refractory materials in industrial production, it is believed that magnesium carbon bricks will show more excellent performance and broader application prospects through further technological innovation and performance optimization in the future, and continue to promote the development and progress of the high-temperature industry.