MATERIAL SPECIFIC PROPERTIES FOR THE EVALUATION OF THE THERMAL STRESS RESISTANCE OF REFRACTORY PRODUCTS - COMPENDIUM AND NEW INVESTIGATION METHODS

The capacity of a refractory component to sustain thermal stresses, for instance caused by thermal shock, is a crucial characteristic for the quality and lifetime of refractory linings. However, the thermal stress resistance (TSR) is not only a material-specific parameter, but rather depends on a large number of factors, including mechanical and thermal properties (fracture strength, E-Modulus, thermal expansion coefficient and conductivity), the geometry of the component and the heat transfer conditions (heat transfer coefficient, temperature of the surrounding medium(s), thermal flux...). The impact of those factors on the TSR is discussed. New testing methods to investigate them under near service conditions of refractory linings are presented.