Process: A proess for the production of foam insulation refractories from indigenous fireclay, kyanite, sillimanite, bauxite technical alumina, silica etc.

Uses: Used as hot face lining of process heaters and not as a backup lining. Alumina foam insulation refractories are specially used in the bridge of secondary reformer in the coal/naphtha based fertilizer industry.

Salient Features: Fine refractory aggregate is foamed with the aid of chemicals and water. This foamed slip is cast, dried and fired. The firing temperature depends on the material chosen and varies between 1250oC to 1550oC. The fired blocks are cut to standard size bricks. The finished foam insulation refractory attains as low as 0.5 gm/cc b.d. and porosity between 73-83%.

Environmental Considerations: The process is environmental friendly as no material is left out except water.

Scale of Development: The process has been developed on semipilot plant scale.

Commercialisation Status: Licensed to M/s Mahavir Insulation Pvt.

Major Raw Materials: (I) Refractory agregates (ii) Chemicals, one of that is imported at present.

Major Plant Equipment/ Machinery: Crushing/Grinding units, Storage bins, Plunger, Former, Moulds, Driers and Sintering Furnace, preferably Tunnel Kiln

Techno-Economics: A plant 900 tpa (six lakh bricks/ annum on single shift basis per day, 300 working days/ annum) costs Rs. 75.00 lakhs. ROI being 40% at a sale price of Rs. 18/- per brick.

Technology Package: Includes (i) Process know-how (ii) Details of equipment (iii) Plant lay-out (iv) Quality as-surance methods. Assistance in setting up the plant on separate terms.

Released Through: NML/CSIR

Contact:

Director
National Metallurgical Laboratory
Jamshedpur - 831007, India