A device and method for detecting the compressive strength of refractory materials

Abstract

The application provides a refractory compression resistance detection device and method, and relates to the technical field of refractory detection. The detection device comprises a detection box body and an internal positioning assembly, a first heating assembly, a pressurizing assembly and a data acquisition assembly. The positioning assembly supports both ends of the sample to achieve suspended positioning through two positioning blocks. The heating assembly comprises a first heating device that can be lifted and is in contact with the surface of the sample to heat. The pressurizing rod of the pressurizing assembly vertically penetrates the heating device to press the center of the sample. The data acquisition assembly monitors the pressure, temperature and deformation in real time. The device realizes synchronous thermal loading through the cooperative work of the heating and pressurizing assemblies, avoids the thermal history interference problem caused by the separation of heating and pressurizing in the traditional method, can truly simulate the service state of the refractory in the high-temperature industrial environment, and provides accurate data support for the high-temperature compression resistance evaluation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of refractory material testing technology, and in particular to a device and method for testing the compressive strength of refractory materials. Background Technology

[0002] Refractory materials serve as core lining materials in high-temperature industrial equipment (such as blast furnaces, steel ladles, and cement kilns), and accurate assessment of their compressive strength is crucial for the safe operation of these equipment. Currently, the industry mainly uses two testing methods: room temperature compressive strength testing and high temperature compressive strength testing, but both have significant technical limitations.

[0003] Traditional room-temperature compressive strength testing is typically conducted at 25°C. While this method is simple and inexpensive, it is severely inconsistent with actual working conditions. In real-world applications, refractory materials are often subjected to high temperatures of 1000-1800°C while also experiencing mechanical loads. Room-temperature testing cannot reflect the softening, phase transformation, and other key performance changes of materials at high temperatures, leading to significant discrepancies between test results and actual performance in actual use.

[0004] To more realistically simulate the operating environment, high-temperature compressive strength testing has emerged. This method first heats the sample to a target temperature (e.g., 1500℃) and then applies pressure for testing. Although it is closer to actual operating conditions than room-temperature testing, it still has significant drawbacks. The most prominent problem is that the heating and pressurization processes are separated, making it impossible to simulate the dynamic operating conditions where temperature and load change synchronously in actual use.

[0005] Another serious drawback of existing high-temperature compressive strength testing is thermal history interference. When a sample is kept at high temperature for a long time without load, irreversible changes such as creep and microcrack propagation will occur, leading to distorted test results. For example, when a magnesia-carbon brick sample was tested after being kept at 1500℃, a dense layer formed on its surface, and the measured strength was 20-30% higher than that under actual working conditions.

[0006] These technical limitations make it difficult for existing testing methods to accurately reflect the actual performance of refractory materials in high-temperature service environments. Especially under dynamic thermo-mechanical coupling conditions, existing methods may completely miss critical failure points of the material, posing safety hazards to industrial applications. Summary of the Invention

[0007] In view of this, this application proposes a device and method for testing the compressive strength of refractory materials to solve the problem that existing compressive strength testing methods for refractory materials cannot accurately reflect the actual compressive strength performance of refractory materials in high-temperature service environments.

[0008] The technical solution of this application is implemented as follows:

[0009] On the one hand, this application provides a device for testing the compressive strength of refractory materials, comprising:

[0010] Test chamber;

[0011] The positioning component, located inside the testing chamber, includes two positioning blocks that support both ends of the sample to achieve suspended positioning.

[0012] The first heating component is disposed inside the detection chamber and includes a first heating device and a lifting device. The first heating device is used to contact and heat the upper surface of the sample, and the lifting device is used to drive the heating element to move up and down.

[0013] The pressurization assembly, located inside the testing chamber, includes a pressurization rod and a driving element. The pressurization rod moves vertically through the first heating device, and the driving element is used to drive the pressurization rod to apply pressure to the upper surface of the sample.

[0014] The data acquisition component includes a pressure acquisition device, a temperature acquisition device, and a displacement acquisition device. The pressure acquisition device is used to acquire pressure loading data, the temperature acquisition device is used to acquire the sample temperature, and the displacement acquisition device is used to acquire the sample deformation.

[0015] Based on the above technical solution, preferably, the first heating device includes a first mounting plate and a first heating element. The first heating element is located below the first mounting plate and is used to contact and heat the upper surface of the sample. A plurality of first connecting rods are vertically fixed on the first heating element. The upper end of the first connecting rods moves through the top surface of the first mounting plate and is provided with a first limiting part. The lifting device is connected to the first mounting plate. The pressure rod moves through the first mounting plate and the first heating element. The temperature acquisition device is fixedly installed inside the first heating element.

[0016] Based on the above technical solution, preferably, the first heating element includes a plurality of first heating blocks, which are arranged at intervals along the length of the sample. Each first heating block is movably connected to a separate first connecting rod and a first mounting plate. The pressure rod moves through the first heating block and the corresponding first connecting rod at the geometric center of the sample.

[0017] Based on the above technical solution, preferably, a first elastic element is sleeved on the first connecting rod.

[0018] Based on the above technical solution, preferably, the detection chamber is divided into an upper chamber and a lower chamber, the positioning block is disposed on the bottom surface of the lower chamber, the first heating device is located in the lower chamber, and the lifting device includes a cylinder, a driven gear, a main gear, a reduction motor and a positioning seat;

[0019] The lower end of the cylinder is rotatably connected to the center of the first mounting plate, the upper end of the cylinder extends movably to the upper chamber, the outer peripheral wall of the cylinder has external threads, and the pressure rod moves coaxially through the cylinder, the first mounting plate, the first heating block located at the geometric center of the sample, and the corresponding first connecting rod.

[0020] The gear is sleeved on the outer side of the upper end of the cylinder, and the inner circumference of the gear has an internal thread that matches the outer contour;

[0021] The positioning seat is located between the driven gear and the bottom surface of the upper chamber to restrict the axial movement of the driven gear;

[0022] The geared motor is fixed in the upper chamber, and its output shaft is connected by meshing main gear and driven gear.

[0023] Based on the above technical solution, preferably, the driving end of the driving element is fixedly connected to the upper end of the pressure acquisition device and the pressure rod.

[0024] Based on the above technical solution, preferably, it also includes a second heating component, which includes a second heating device and a lifting element;

[0025] The second heating device is located between two positioning blocks, and the second heating device includes a second mounting plate and a second heating element that moves above the second mounting plate;

[0026] The second heating element includes a plurality of second heating blocks, which are spaced apart along the length of the sample. Each second heating block is movably connected by a separate second connecting rod and a second mounting plate. A second limiting part is fixedly provided at the lower end of the second connecting rod, and a second elastic element is sleeved on the second connecting rod.

[0027] The lifting element is located inside the detection box and is used to drive the second mounting plate to move up and down.

[0028] Based on the above technical solution, preferably, the displacement acquisition device includes a detection rod and a displacement sensor. One end of the detection rod is fixedly connected to a first heating block or a second heating block at the geometric center of the sample, and the other end extends horizontally out of the outer side of the detection box. The side wall of the detection box has an movable hole for the detection rod to move up and down. The displacement sensor is fixedly installed on the outer side wall of the detection box to obtain the amount of movement of the detection rod.

[0029] Based on the above technical solution, preferably, both the first heating block and the second heating block are provided with silicon molybdenum rod heating elements, and the temperature acquisition device is a tungsten-rhenium thermocouple and a platinum-rhodium thermocouple.

[0030] Secondly, this application provides a method for testing refractory materials, which utilizes the refractory material compressive strength testing device described in the first aspect, and includes the following steps:

[0031] S1. Place the test sample horizontally between the top surfaces of the two positioning blocks, so that both ends of the sample are supported and the middle is suspended.

[0032] S2. The first heating device is moved down as a whole by the lifting device, so that each first heating block comes into contact with the sample surface and the first heating block is reduced in distance relative to the first mounting plate.

[0033] S3. Drive the pressure rod downward by the driving element and make the lower end of the extrusion rod contact the center of the upper surface of the sample;

[0034] S4. Start the first heating plate to heat the sample. During the heating process, simultaneously control the pressure rod to load according to the preset pressure curve until the target temperature is reached and then maintain a constant temperature.

[0035] S5. Collect and record temperature, pressure and deformation parameters in real time until the sample fails.

[0036] This application has the following advantages over the prior art:

[0037] (1) The compressive strength testing device disclosed in this application provides a sealed high-temperature environment through the testing chamber, the positioning component realizes standardized support for the sample, the collaborative design of the first heating component and the pressurizing component realizes synchronous loading of heating and pressurization, and the data acquisition component completes dynamic monitoring of multiple parameters. This device effectively solves the problems of separation of heating and pressurization and thermal history interference in traditional testing methods, and can truly simulate the actual service state of refractory materials in high-temperature industrial equipment, providing an accurate and reliable data basis for evaluating their high-temperature compressive strength.

[0038] (2) Through the design of the floating first heating element (first connecting rod + first limiting part) and the coaxial pressure rod structure, dynamic adaptive heating of refractory materials in high temperature compressive strength test is realized: when the sample is deformed by pressure, the first heating element automatically moves down under the action of gravity and always maintains close contact with the sample surface, which solves the contact failure problem caused by sample deformation of traditional rigid heating plate; at the same time, the pressure rod independently passes through the heating component to ensure that pressure loading and heat conduction do not interfere with each other and maintain coaxial accurate loading.

[0039] (3) Through the innovative combination of a split-type multi-heating block design and an independent floating connection mechanism, full-area adaptive heating in the high-temperature compressive strength test of refractory materials is realized: multiple independent first heating blocks are distributed along the length of the sample, and each heating block achieves gravity adaptive floating through a separate first connecting rod, ensuring that all areas of the sample surface (including the center and edges) can maintain close contact when subjected to compressive deformation; in particular, although the central heating block is penetrated by the pressure rod, its floating function is not affected, and it can still accurately fit the central deformation area of ​​the sample. This design perfectly solves the contact failure problem caused by the non-uniform deformation of the sample in the integral heating plate, and at the same time, the central pressure rod ensures that the load is strictly applied along the sample axis, realizing the dual optimization of heat conduction efficiency and pressure loading accuracy, and providing a reliable technical means for the performance evaluation of refractory materials under complex thermo-mechanical coupling conditions.

[0040] (4) By adding a first elastic element to the first connecting rod, a controllable elastic preload is provided for the first heating block, which solves the problem of insufficient contact pressure or fluctuation when relying solely on gravity for self-adaptation. This design further enhances the dynamic bonding ability of the first heating block during the deformation process of the sample.

[0041] (5) Through the coaxial nested transmission structure, the mechanical decoupling and geometric coaxiality of lifting and pressurization are realized in a limited space: the lifting device precisely controls the overall height of the first heating device, and the driving force always acts on the center of the first mounting plate to ensure the smooth movement of the mechanism; the pressurizing rod strictly applies pressure along the central axis of the sample to avoid test errors caused by eccentric load; the cylinder simultaneously undertakes the transmission and guiding functions, and the structure is compact and highly reliable.

[0042] (6) By introducing a second heating component, a double-sided heating system for testing the compressive strength of refractory materials was constructed: the floating design of multiple heating blocks in the second heating element, combined with the precise drive of the lifting element, ensures that the lower surface of the sample can still maintain uniform heating during the compression deformation process. The second heating component works in conjunction with the first heating component, solving the problems of large temperature gradient and contact failure caused by traditional single-sided heating, significantly improving the temperature uniformity and data reliability of high-temperature compressive strength testing, and is especially suitable for high-end refractory material testing scenarios with stringent requirements for thermal field uniformity.

[0043] (7) Through the innovative design of an external displacement acquisition device, the detection of sample deformation is transferred from the high-temperature zone to the room temperature environment: one end of the detection rod is rigidly connected to the heating block corresponding to the center of the sample, and the other end extends horizontally to the outside of the box, so that the displacement sensor can accurately capture the displacement change of the detection rod at room temperature. This design utilizes the floating characteristics of the heating block to ensure that the movement of the detection rod is strictly synchronized with the deformation of the sample. At the same time, the external sensor avoids high-temperature interference, solving the pain points of easy failure and difficult maintenance of traditional built-in displacement elements. It realizes the high reliability acquisition of deformation data of refractory materials in high-temperature compressive strength test, and provides a stable data basis for evaluating the high-temperature creep, critical failure and other properties of materials.

[0044] (8) The refractory compressive strength testing device disclosed in this application can simulate the thermo-mechanical coupling effect under high temperature industrial scenarios, and can also switch to room temperature compressive strength testing by turning off the heating function, providing a full-condition and highly reliable testing solution for the performance evaluation of refractory materials. Attached Figure Description

[0045] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0046] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the refractory material compressive strength testing device disclosed in this application;

[0047] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the refractory material compressive strength testing device disclosed in this application;

[0048] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the testing chamber disclosed in this application;

[0049] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the pressurizing component, the first heating component, and the second heating component disclosed in this application;

[0050] Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the first heating component disclosed in this application;

[0051] Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the second heating component disclosed in this application;

[0052] Figure 7 This is a top view of the refractory material compressive strength testing device disclosed in this application;

[0053] Figure 8 for Figure 7 Planar sectional view at point AA;

[0054] Figure 9 for Figure 7 Plan view at point BB;

[0055] Figure label:

[0056] P, Sample; 1, Test chamber; 111, Upper chamber; 112, Lower chamber; 113, Bottom chamber; 11, Main body of the chamber; 12, Door; 13, Upper partition; 14, Lower partition; 121, Observation window;

[0057] 2. Positioning component; 21. Positioning block; 22. Translation component; 221. Lead screw; 222. Rotating wheel;

[0058] 3. First heating assembly; 31. First heating device; 32. Lifting device; 311. First mounting plate; 312. First heating element; 313. First connecting rod; 3131. First limiting part; 3121. First heating block; 314. First elastic element; 321. Cylinder; 3211. External thread; 322. Driven gear; 3221. Internal thread; 323. Main gear; 324. Gearbox; 325. Positioning seat; W. Silicon molybdenum rod heating element; 315. First guide rod;

[0059] 4. Pressurization assembly; 41. Pressurization rod; 42. Drive element; 5. Pressure acquisition device; 6. Temperature acquisition device; 7. Displacement acquisition device; 71. Detection rod; 72. Displacement sensor; 10. Movable hole;

[0060] 8. Second heating assembly; 81. Second heating device; 82. Lifting element; 811. Second mounting plate; 812. Second heating element; 8121. Second heating block; 813. Second connecting rod; 8131. Second limiting part; 814. Second elastic element; 815. First guide rod; 816. Clearance cover. Detailed Implementation

[0061] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the embodiments of this application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0062] like Figure 1 As shown, combined with Figure 2-9 This application discloses a device for testing the compressive strength of refractory materials, including a testing chamber 1, a positioning component 2, a first heating component 3, a pressurizing component 4, and a data acquisition component.

[0063] The test chamber 1 serves as the installation base for the device. It includes the chamber body 11 and the chamber door 12. The chamber body 11 provides a high-temperature testing environment for the refractory material sample P. The chamber door 12 can form a sealed space inside the chamber body 11 to simulate the service environment of real industrial equipment (such as blast furnace and steel ladle). The chamber door 12 is equipped with an observation window 121, which can be used to observe the test process of the compressive strength of the sample inside the chamber body 11.

[0064] Positioning component 2, located inside the testing chamber 1, includes two positioning blocks 21, which support both ends of the sample respectively, keeping the sample suspended. This design ensures that the sample only contacts the positioning blocks 21 and the heating / pressurizing components, avoiding interference from other support structures with the test results.

[0065] By using suspended positioning, on the one hand, the sample can deform during the pressure application process on its upper surface. The space between the two positioning blocks 21 provides room for sample deformation, avoiding pressure interference and ensuring standardized test conditions. On the other hand, suspended positioning facilitates simultaneous heating of the sample's bottom surface, improving heating efficiency.

[0066] In this embodiment, the top surfaces of the two positioning blocks 21 are provided with positioning grooves for placing the sample. This configuration restricts the horizontal movement of the sample when it is placed horizontally between the positioning grooves of the two positioning blocks 21, ensuring that the sample does not move during the pressurization process.

[0067] The first heating component 3 is located inside the testing chamber 1, specifically inside the chamber body 11, and includes a first heating device 31 and a lifting device 32. The first heating device 31 directly contacts the upper surface of the sample for conductive heating, and the lifting device 32 drives the first heating device 31 to move up and down. After the sample is installed on the positioning component 2, the lifting device 32 drives the first heating device 31 to move downward to contact the upper surface of the sample, so as to adapt to samples of different thicknesses or compensate for the deformation of the sample under pressure.

[0068] The pressurizing component 4 is installed inside the testing chamber 1 and includes a pressurizing rod 41 and a driving element 42. The pressurizing rod 41 moves vertically through the first heating device 31 and independently applies pressure to the upper surface of the sample. The driving element 42 is used to drive the pressurizing rod 41 to apply pressure to the upper surface of the sample. The driving element 42 can be a hydraulic cylinder.

[0069] In this embodiment, the pressure rod 41 moves vertically through the first heating device 31, realizing a spatial coupling design with the first heating device 31, and the independent pressure channel avoids motion interference with the first heating device 31.

[0070] When the lifting device 32 drives the first heating device 31 to contact the sample, the driving element 42 drives the pressure rod 41 to move relative to the first heating device 31 and contact the sample. Then the first heating device 31 starts to heat the sample. The driving element 42 continuously applies pressure load to the sample surface through the pressure rod 41, so that heating and pressurization are carried out simultaneously.

[0071] Through the coaxial integration of the first heating component 3 and the pressurizing component 4, the heating plate and the pressurizing rod 41 form a dynamic synergistic effect on the sample surface: when the heating plate continuously conducts heat, the pressurizing rod 41 simultaneously applies mechanical load, directly simulating the real working condition of refractory materials simultaneously subjected to high temperature and mechanical stress in industrial equipment (such as the state of ladle lining bricks under high temperature molten steel static pressure). This synchronous loading mechanism avoids data distortion caused by thermal history effects in traditional step-by-step testing (such as high temperature creep under no load), and can accurately capture key performance changes such as strength decay and phase transformation critical point of the material during the heating process, thereby providing scientific data consistent with actual service conditions for evaluating core indicators such as the high temperature bearing capacity and thermal shock stability of refractory materials.

[0072] The data acquisition component includes a pressure acquisition device 5, a temperature acquisition device 6, and a displacement acquisition device 7. The pressure acquisition device 5 is used to acquire pressure loading data, the temperature acquisition device 6 is used to acquire the sample temperature, and the displacement acquisition device 7 is used to acquire the sample deformation. Simultaneous acquisition of multiple parameters comprehensively reflects the performance changes of refractory materials under thermo-mechanical coupling, providing data support for analyzing high-temperature compressive strength, creep characteristics, and other properties.

[0073] The compressive strength testing device disclosed in this application provides a sealed high-temperature environment through a testing chamber 1, a positioning component 2 for standardized sample support, and a coordinated design of a first heating component 3 and a pressurizing component 4 to achieve synchronous heating and pressurization. A data acquisition component performs dynamic monitoring of multiple parameters. This device effectively solves problems such as the separation of heating and pressurization and thermal history interference in traditional testing methods. It can realistically simulate the actual service state of refractory materials in high-temperature industrial equipment, providing an accurate and reliable data basis for evaluating their high-temperature compressive strength.

[0074] In the above embodiment, the lifting device 32 is used to drive the first heating device 31 to contact the sample surface. When the first heating device 31 heats the sample, the first heating device 31 remains stationary. However, during the pressurization process, the sample will deform, specifically downward. At this time, the first heating device 31 will have a gap or detach from the upper surface of the sample, which will cause the first heating device 31 to be unable to effectively heat the sample, resulting in a problem of reduced heating efficiency.

[0075] Therefore, the following technical solution is adopted in this embodiment to solve the problem.

[0076] For details, please refer to the appendix. Figure 4 , 5 As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the first heating device 31 in this embodiment includes a first mounting plate 311 and a first heating element 312. The first mounting plate 311 serves as a support base for the first heating element 312 and is directly connected to the lifting device 32. The lifting device 32 drives the device to move up and down as a whole, thereby achieving the initial positioning and overall height adjustment of the first heating device 31.

[0077] The first heating element 312 is fixed below the first mounting plate 311 and directly contacts the upper surface of the sample for heat conduction heating. The first heating element 312 contains a heating element, preferably a silicon molybdenum rod, with a heating temperature between 1200℃ and 1700℃. Simultaneously, the first heating element 312 integrates a temperature acquisition device 6, realizing integrated heating and temperature monitoring. In this embodiment, the temperature acquisition device 6 is preferably a tungsten-rhenium thermocouple and a platinum-rhodium thermocouple, with a testing temperature reaching 1800℃.

[0078] The first heating element 312 is made of reaction-sintered silicon carbide (SiC) and can withstand temperatures up to 1800℃, or it can be made of molybdenum disilicide (MoSi2) and is suitable for ultra-high temperature testing at 1800℃.

[0079] A plurality of first connecting rods 313 are vertically fixed on the first heating element 312. The upper end of the first connecting rod 313 movably passes through the top surface of the first mounting plate 311 and is provided with a first limiting part 3131. In this embodiment, the material of the first connecting rod 313 is the same as that of the first heating element 312. The first connecting rod 313 is cylindrical. The first mounting plate 311 has a through hole that matches the first connecting rod 313, so that the first connecting rod 313 can move up and down along the through hole. The diameter of the first limiting part 3131 is larger than the inner diameter of the through hole. The first limiting part 3131 prevents the first heating element 312 from falling off or sinking excessively, ensuring safety.

[0080] In practical use, due to the gravity of the first heating element 312, the first heating element 312 falls freely, and its descent stroke is limited by the first limiting part 3131. At this time, the first heating element 312 and the first mounting plate 311 maintain the maximum distance L1. The lifting device 32 drives the entire first heating device 31 to move downward. When the first heating element 312 contacts the sample surface, the lifting device 32 continues to drive the first mounting plate 311 to move downward. At this time, the distance between the first heating element 312 and the first mounting plate 311 decreases. At this time, the lifting device 32 stops moving, so that the initial distance between the first heating element 312 and the first mounting plate 311 is L2, which is less than L1. When the sample deforms during the heating and pressurization process, the first heating element 312 moves downward adaptively under the action of gravity, always maintaining close contact with the sample, thus solving the contact failure problem caused by sample deformation of traditional rigid heating plates.

[0081] In this embodiment, the pressure rod 41 moves through the first mounting plate 311 and the first heating element 312, without mechanical linkage with the first heating element 312 or interference with the movement of the heating element, and only transmits axial pressure to maintain the stability of the heating contact.

[0082] By using a floating first heating element 312 design (first connecting rod 313 + first limiting part 3131) and a coaxially penetrating pressure rod 41 structure, dynamic adaptive heating of refractory materials in high-temperature compressive strength testing is achieved: when the sample is deformed by pressure, the first heating element 312 automatically moves down under the action of gravity, always maintaining close contact with the sample surface, solving the contact failure problem caused by sample deformation of traditional rigid heating plates; at the same time, the pressure rod 41 independently penetrates the heating assembly, ensuring that pressure loading and heat conduction do not interfere with each other, maintaining coaxial and precise loading.

[0083] As the sample undergoes downward concave deformation during the pressurization process, although the first heating element 312 can dynamically contact the sample surface under the action of gravity, the first heating element 312 is a rigid plate, which will form a large contact gap with the concave surface of the sample, making it impossible to effectively heat the central area of ​​the sample surface, resulting in uneven heating and affecting the test results.

[0084] To address this issue, this embodiment employs the following technical solution: Specifically, the first heating element 312 includes multiple first heating blocks 3121, which are spaced apart along the length of the sample. Each first heating block 3121 is movably connected to a first mounting plate 311 via a separate first connecting rod 313. This configuration allows each first heating block 3121 to float independently, precisely conforming to the concave deformation areas of the sample surface, thus avoiding uneven heating caused by localized suspension of the integral first heating element 312. By adjusting the spacing or power distribution of the first heating blocks 3121, the temperature uniformity of the sample surface can be optimized (e.g., compensating for edge heat loss). A single damaged first heating block 3121 can be replaced independently, reducing operating costs.

[0085] Each first heating block 3121 is connected to the first mounting plate 311 via a first connecting rod 313. The upper end of the connecting rod passes through the first mounting plate 311 and is provided with a first limiting part 3131, allowing the first heating block 3121 to move freely downward under the action of gravity, while limiting the maximum displacement. Each first heating block 3121 floats independently without interfering with each other, ensuring full contact under complex deformation.

[0086] The pressure rod 41 moves through the first heating block 3121 at the geometric center of the sample and the corresponding first connecting rod 313. No pressure rod 41 passes through the other first heating blocks 3121, ensuring that while the center is loaded, the edge first heating blocks 3121 remain completely free-floating. It should be noted that although the pressure rod 41 passes through the center first heating block 3121, it does not affect the independent floating of the first heating block 3121. The first heating block 3121 can still contact the center surface of the sample, thereby achieving effective heating of various areas of the sample surface.

[0087] In this embodiment, the pressure is applied strictly to the central axis of the sample to avoid test errors caused by eccentric loads.

[0088] Through an innovative combination of a split-type multi-heating block design and an independent floating connection mechanism, full-area adaptive heating is achieved in the high-temperature compressive strength test of refractory materials. Multiple independent first heating blocks 3121 are distributed along the length of the sample, and each heating block achieves gravity-adaptive floating through a separate first connecting rod 313, ensuring that all areas of the sample surface (including the center and edges) maintain close contact under compressive deformation. In particular, although the central heating block is penetrated by the pressure rod 41, its floating function is not affected, and it can still accurately fit the central deformation area of ​​the sample. This design perfectly solves the contact failure problem caused by the non-uniform deformation of the sample in the integral heating plate. At the same time, the central pressure rod 41 ensures that the load is strictly applied along the sample axis, achieving dual optimization of heat conduction efficiency and pressure loading accuracy, providing a reliable technical means for the performance evaluation of refractory materials under complex thermo-mechanical coupling conditions.

[0089] In some embodiments, a first elastic element 314 (such as a high-temperature alloy spring or an elastic washer) is sleeved on the first connecting rod 313, and the first elastic element 314 is located between the first heating block 3121 and the first mounting plate 311. When the sample is deformed by pressure, the first elastic element 314 dynamically adjusts the downward pressure of the first heating block 3121 by compression or rebound, ensuring that it maintains stable contact with the sample surface.

[0090] In this embodiment, the first elastic element 314 provides a controllable preload force to avoid insufficient or excessive contact pressure caused by relying solely on gravity; it buffers the impact caused by sample deformation or equipment vibration, maintains stable contact between the heating block and the sample, and the elastic element can absorb the displacement difference between the first connecting rod 313 and the mounting plate due to the different coefficients of thermal expansion to prevent jamming.

[0091] When the first heating element 312 is a single plate structure, the first elastic element 314 supplements the lack of gravity self-adaptation and ensures contact reliability under complex deformation conditions.

[0092] In the design of the split first heating block 3121, the first elastic element 314 can independently adjust the downward pressure of each first heating block 3121, solving the problem of poor local contact caused by inconsistent deformation in multiple areas.

[0093] By adding a first elastic element 314 to the first connecting rod 313, a controllable elastic preload is provided to the first heating block 3121, which solves the problem of insufficient contact pressure or fluctuation that may exist when relying solely on gravity for self-adaptation. This design further improves the dynamic bonding ability of the first heating block 3121 during the sample deformation process.

[0094] In this embodiment, the pressure rod 41 must be strictly aligned with the geometric center of the sample to ensure that the load is not eccentric. At the same time, the driving force of the lifting device 32 must act on the center of the first mounting plate 311 to avoid eccentric loading and jamming. As a conventional design method, the lifting device 32 can be set as a hydraulic cylinder. If the pressure rod 41 and the hydraulic cylinder are coaxial, it will cause structural interference, and the two cannot be arranged.

[0095] Therefore, the following technical solution is adopted in this embodiment to solve the problem.

[0096] For details, please refer to the appendix. Figure 2 , 3 As shown in Figure 8, the detection chamber 1 of this embodiment is defined with an upper chamber and a lower chamber 112. An upper partition 13 is horizontally arranged inside the detection chamber 1, which divides the internal height of the detection chamber 1 into an upper chamber 111 and a lower chamber 112.

[0097] The lower chamber 112 is used to accommodate the positioning block 21, the first heating device 31 and the sample, while the upper chamber 111 is used to arrange the lifting device 32. The two chambers are physically isolated by the upper partition 13. The lower chamber 112 generates high temperature during the test. By placing the lifting device 32 in the upper chamber 111, the high temperature can be blocked from being conducted to the driving components in the lifting device 32, thus avoiding overheating failure.

[0098] See attached document Figure 5 As shown, the lifting device 32 in this embodiment includes a cylinder 321, a driven gear 322, a main gear 323, a reduction motor 324, and a positioning seat 325.

[0099] The cylinder 321 is made of high-temperature resistant metal. The lower end of the cylinder 321 is rotatably connected to the first mounting plate 311, and the upper end extends to the upper chamber 111. The outer wall is provided with an external thread 3211. The driven gear 322 is sleeved on the outer side of the upper end of the cylinder 321. The inner circumference of the driven gear 322 has an internal thread 3221 that matches the outer contour. The positioning seat 325 is disposed between the driven gear 322 and the inner bottom surface of the upper chamber 111 to restrict the axial movement of the driven gear 322. The reduction motor 324 is fixed in the upper chamber 111, and its output shaft is connected to the driven gear 322 through the meshing of the main gear 323 and the driven gear 322.

[0100] The working principle of the lifting device 32 in this embodiment is as follows: the reduction motor 324 drives the main gear 323 to rotate, and the main gear 323 meshes with the driven gear 322 to rotate. Since the driven gear 322 and the cylinder 321 are threadedly connected, the driven gear 322 converts the rotational motion into the linear lifting of the cylinder 321. The driving force is directly transmitted to the center of the first mounting plate 311. The lifting of the cylinder 321 can drive the first heating device 31 to move up and down. The positioning seat 325 limits the axial movement of the driven gear 322, so that the gear only transmits torque.

[0101] In this embodiment, a plurality of first guide rods 815 are vertically fixedly connected to the top surface of the first mounting plate 311. The first guide rods 815 move upward through the upper partition 13. Thus, when the cylinder 321 rotates and moves linearly up and down, the first mounting plate 311 can move up and down relative to the upper partition 13 through the first guide rods 815, and the first mounting plate 311 will not rotate horizontally due to the rotation of the cylinder 321.

[0102] It is worth noting that the pressure rod 41 coaxially moves through the cylinder 321, the first mounting plate 311, the first heating block 3121 located at the geometric center of the sample, and the corresponding first connecting rod 313.

[0103] In this embodiment, the cylindrical body 321 is configured such that the upper end of the first connecting rod 313 can move up and down along the internal axis of the cylindrical body 321. The pressure rod 41 passes through the first heating block 3121 and the first connecting rod 313, and passes through the interior of the cylindrical body 321. The pressure rod 41 moves up and down freely without interfering with the rotation of the cylindrical body 321. The pressure rod 41 passes through the central through hole of the cylindrical body 321, and its pressure loading is controlled by an independent driving element 42 (such as a hydraulic cylinder), without mechanical linkage with the rotational movement of the cylindrical body 321.

[0104] The lifting power is transmitted by the cylinder 321-gear set, and the lifting driving force is transmitted along the center of the first mounting plate 311 to avoid the mechanism jamming caused by the off-center load. At the same time, the pressure rod 41 is aligned with the axis of the cylinder 321 to ensure that the load is strictly applied to the center of the sample. The pressure is provided by the independent driving element 42. The pressure rod 41 uses the inner hole of the cylinder 321 as the movement channel, and the axes of the two are forced to coincide.

[0105] Through a coaxial nested transmission structure, mechanical decoupling and geometric coaxiality of lifting and pressurization are achieved in a limited space: the lifting device 32 precisely controls the overall height of the first heating device 31, and the driving force always acts on the center of the first mounting plate 311 to ensure smooth movement of the mechanism; the pressurizing rod 41 applies pressure strictly along the central axis of the sample to avoid test errors caused by eccentric loads; the cylinder 321 simultaneously undertakes the functions of transmission and guidance, with a compact structure and high reliability.

[0106] The positioning component 2 in this embodiment also includes a translation component 22. The translation component 22 includes a lead screw 221 and a rotating wheel 222. One end of the lead screw 221 is rotatably connected to the positioning block 21, and the other end passes through the outside of the box body 11 and is threadedly connected to the nut seat on the box body 11. The rotating wheel 222 is fixedly connected to the lead screw 221. By rotating the lead screw to translate the positioning block 21, the distance between the two positioning blocks 21 can be adjusted, which facilitates the placement of the sample and can adapt to the testing of samples of different lengths.

[0107] In this embodiment, the driving end of the driving element 42 is fixedly connected to the upper end of the pressure rod 41 via the pressure acquisition device 5. Thus, the pressure acquisition device 5 (such as a strain gauge force sensor) is positioned at the upper end of the pressure rod 41, and is rigidly connected to the sensor via the driving end of the driving element 42 (such as a servo motor or hydraulic cylinder), indirectly measuring the pressure applied to the sample.

[0108] In this embodiment, the sensor is moved from the high-temperature hazardous area to the ambient temperature driving end, and indirect pressure measurement is achieved using the force transmission chain of the driving element 42. This design effectively solves the technical problems of sensor fragility and data drift in high-temperature environments, while retaining real-time load monitoring capabilities, significantly improving the data reliability and equipment durability of refractory material compressive strength testing.

[0109] The refractory material compressive strength testing device of this application also includes a second heating component 8, which includes a second heating device 81 and a lifting element 82.

[0110] See attached document Figure 4 and 6 As shown, the second heating device 81 includes a second mounting plate 811 and a second heating element 812. The second heating element 812 is composed of multiple independent second heating blocks 8121, which are arranged at intervals along the length of the sample. Each heating block is movably connected to the second mounting plate 811 through a separate second connecting rod 813. A second limiting part 8131 is fixedly provided at the lower end of the second connecting rod 813, and a second elastic element 814 is sleeved on the second connecting rod 813.

[0111] The second elastic element 814 is made of the same material as the first elastic element 314 and provides preload to ensure that the second heating block 8121 is in close contact with the lower surface of the sample. The second limiting part 8131 prevents the second heating block 8121 from disengaging during vibration or rapid lifting and lowering, and the second elastic element 814 absorbs the difference in thermal expansion to prevent the second connecting rod 813 from jamming.

[0112] Multiple second heating blocks 8121 can float independently to adapt to the deformation of the lower surface of the sample and maintain close contact. Specifically, under the action of the second elastic member 814, the second heating blocks 8121 always maintain abutting contact with the lower surface of the sample. When the sample is deformed downward under pressure, each second heating block 8121 moves slightly downward and compresses the second elastic member 814. At this time, the second connecting rod 813 moves downward relative to the second mounting plate 811, while the second elastic member 814 maintains a pre-tightening force, so that the second heating blocks 8121 always contact the lower surface of the sample and provide a stable contact heating effect.

[0113] The lifting element 82 drives the second mounting plate 811 to rise and fall as a whole, thereby causing the second heating element 812 to move up and down. In this embodiment, after the sample is placed on the positioning block 21, the lifting element 82 drives the second heating device 81 to move upward, so that the top surface of the second heating block 8121 contacts the lower surface of the sample. The lifting element 82 can be set as a hydraulic cylinder. The lifting element 82 can precisely control the height of the second heating element 812 to adapt to samples of different thicknesses.

[0114] In this embodiment, a lower partition 14 is also provided inside the detection box 1, which divides the inside of the detection box 1 into a lower chamber 112 and a bottom chamber 113. The lifting element is installed in the bottom chamber 113, which can prevent the high temperature environment in the lower chamber 112 from damaging the lifting element, such as the hydraulic cylinder.

[0115] In this embodiment, a plurality of second guide rods are also provided between the second mounting plate 811 and the lower partition plate 14. The upper end of the second guide rod is fixedly connected to the second mounting plate 811, and the lower end of the second guide rod moves through the lower partition plate 14. Thus, when the entire second heating device 81 moves up and down, the second guide rods can guide it to avoid swaying.

[0116] It is worth noting that a clearance cover 816 is also fixedly installed at the center of the bottom surface of the second mounting plate 811. The second connecting rod 813 at the center of the second mounting plate 811 can move up and down inside the clearance cover. The driving end of the lifting element 82 is fixedly connected to the bottom of the clearance cover 816. In this way, the driving force of the lifting element 82 can be applied to the center of the second mounting plate 811 through the clearance cover 816, avoiding the problem of movement eccentricity. At the same time, the clearance cover 816 provides movement space for the second connecting rod 813, without affecting the up and down floating of the second heating block 8121 at the center.

[0117] In this embodiment, the second heating component 8 works in conjunction with the first heating component 3 to achieve synchronous heating of the upper and lower surfaces of the sample, eliminating temperature unevenness caused by unilateral heating. Both the upper and lower heating blocks can float independently, fully adapting to the bidirectional deformation of the sample (such as dents or warping).

[0118] In this embodiment, a temperature acquisition device 6 is also provided in the second heating block 8121, and the double-sided temperature monitoring can more accurately evaluate the overall thermal performance of the sample.

[0119] In this embodiment, the second heating device 81 and the components in the first heating device 31 are made of the same material, and the second heating block 8121 is also provided with a silicon molybdenum rod heating element W.

[0120] By introducing a second heating component 8, a double-sided heating system for testing the compressive strength of refractory materials is constructed. The floating design of the multi-heating blocks in the second heating element 812, combined with the precise drive of the lifting element 82, ensures that the lower surface of the sample remains uniformly heated during compressive deformation. The second heating component 8 works in conjunction with the first heating component 3, solving problems such as large temperature gradients and contact failures caused by traditional single-sided heating. This significantly improves the temperature uniformity and data reliability of high-temperature compressive strength testing, making it particularly suitable for high-end refractory material testing scenarios with stringent requirements for thermal field uniformity.

[0121] In order to accurately measure the deformation of the sample during the heating and pressurization process, this embodiment uses a displacement acquisition device 7. However, the displacement acquisition device 7 uses a displacement sensor 72 installed in the lower chamber 112. On the one hand, the high temperature inside the lower chamber 112 may cause the displacement sensor 72 to fail. On the other hand, since heating components are provided on both the upper and lower surfaces of the sample, and there are positioning blocks 21 at both ends of the sample, the displacement sensor 72 does not have an effective installation position.

[0122] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this embodiment adopts a solution that involves structural design of the displacement acquisition device 7. For details, please refer to the attached document. Figure 6 and 9 As shown, the displacement acquisition device 7 includes a detection rod 71 and a displacement sensor 72. One end of the detection rod 71 is fixedly connected to the first heating block 3121 or the second heating block 8121 at the geometric center of the sample, and the other end extends horizontally out of the outer side of the detection box 1. The side wall of the detection box 1 has an movable hole 10 for the detection rod 71 to move up and down. The displacement sensor 72 is fixedly installed on the outer side wall of the detection box 1 to obtain the amount of movement of the detection rod 71.

[0123] With this configuration, the detection rod 71 is fixedly connected to the central heating block (first or second heating block 8121). The floating adaptive characteristics of the heating block are synchronously transmitted to the detection rod 71, ensuring that its displacement is strictly synchronized with the sample deformation. The displacement sensor 72 is placed outside the chamber in a normal temperature environment, which can avoid high temperature damage and improve lifespan and accuracy. The detection rod 71 is rigidly connected to the heating block, directly reflecting the amount of deformation at the center of the sample, resulting in more accurate data.

[0124] Through the innovative design of the external displacement acquisition device 7, the detection of sample deformation is transferred from the high-temperature zone to the room-temperature environment: one end of the detection rod 71 is rigidly connected to the heating block corresponding to the center of the sample, and the other end extends horizontally to the outside of the chamber, allowing the displacement sensor 72 to accurately capture the displacement changes of the detection rod 71 at room temperature. This design utilizes the floating characteristics of the heating block to ensure that the movement of the detection rod 71 is strictly synchronized with the sample deformation. At the same time, the external sensor avoids high-temperature interference, solving the pain points of easy failure and difficult maintenance of traditional built-in displacement elements. This achieves highly reliable acquisition of deformation data in high-temperature compressive strength testing of refractory materials, providing a stable data foundation for evaluating the high-temperature creep, critical failure, and other properties of materials.

[0125] This application also discloses a method for testing refractory materials, including the following steps:

[0126] S1. Place the test sample horizontally between the top surfaces of the two positioning blocks 21, so that the two ends of the sample are supported and the middle is suspended, ensuring that the loading area (middle) of the sample is not disturbed by the support, simulating the free deformation state of refractory materials in actual industrial equipment, and providing a stable test benchmark for subsequent heating and pressurization.

[0127] S2. The lifting device 32 drives the first heating device 31 to move down as a whole, so that each first heating block 3121 contacts the sample surface and reduces the distance between the first heating block 3121 and the first mounting plate 311 by a certain amount, thereby providing a floating base for the first heating block 3121, that is, under the action of gravity, it adaptively contacts the upper surface of the sample, improving the heat conduction efficiency.

[0128] S3. The driving element 42 drives the pressure rod 41 downward, bringing the lower end of the pressure rod into contact with the center of the upper surface of the sample. This ensures that the pressure is applied strictly along the central axis of the sample, avoiding test errors caused by eccentric loads.

[0129] S4. Start the first heating plate to heat the sample. During the heating process, simultaneously control the pressure rod 41 to load according to the preset pressure curve until the target temperature is reached and then maintain a constant temperature.

[0130] It simulates the dynamic process of refractory materials rising in temperature and load simultaneously under actual working conditions (such as the state of steel ladle lining bricks when molten steel is injected), avoiding data distortion caused by thermal history effects in traditional step loading (such as high-temperature creep under no load), and can accurately capture the sudden changes in strength of materials in a specific temperature range (such as phase transition points).

[0131] In this step, the refractory materials in industrial equipment (such as ladles and blast furnaces) operate at continuous high temperatures. The isothermal stage can simulate the long-term load-bearing state of the material in a stable temperature environment, capturing the evolution of its properties such as high-temperature creep and strength decay. Under isothermal conditions (such as 1500℃±10℃), the temperature gradient caused by thermal inertia during the heating process can be eliminated, ensuring that the overall temperature of the sample is uniform, so that the pressure loading data only reflects the material properties rather than the influence of temperature fluctuations.

[0132] S5. Real-time acquisition and recording of temperature, pressure, and deformation parameters until sample failure. This reveals the coupling relationship between temperature, pressure, and deformation, providing a comprehensive assessment of the material's compressive strength.

[0133] It is worth noting that the refractory material compressive strength testing device disclosed in this application can not only perform compressive strength testing of refractory materials simultaneously under high temperature and pressure, but also perform compressive strength testing under normal temperature conditions, simply by turning off the heating function of the first heating block 3121 and the second heating block 8121.

[0134] The refractory material testing method disclosed in this application achieves accurate testing of compressive strength under both high-temperature and ambient-temperature environments: suspended sample positioning ensures interference-free loading area; a floating heating block adaptively conforms to the sample surface to guarantee heat transfer efficiency; the pressure rod 41 is centrally loaded to avoid eccentricity errors; synchronous thermal loading realistically simulates the dynamic process of the working condition; and real-time monitoring of multiple parameters comprehensively captures material failure behavior. This method innovatively solves problems such as asynchronous heating and pressurization, contact failure, and data distortion in traditional testing. It can simulate the thermo-mechanical coupling effect under high-temperature industrial scenarios and can switch to ambient-temperature compressive strength testing by turning off the heating function, providing a comprehensive and highly reliable testing solution for the performance evaluation of refractory materials.

[0135] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A device for testing the compressive strength of refractory materials, characterized in that, include: Test chamber; The positioning component, located inside the testing chamber, includes two positioning blocks that support both ends of the sample to achieve suspended positioning. The first heating component is disposed inside the detection chamber and includes a first heating device and a lifting device. The first heating device is used to contact and heat the upper surface of the sample, and the lifting device is used to drive the heating element to move up and down. The pressurization assembly, located inside the testing chamber, includes a pressurization rod and a driving element. The pressurization rod moves vertically through the first heating device, and the driving element is used to drive the pressurization rod to apply pressure to the upper surface of the sample. The data acquisition component includes a pressure acquisition device, a temperature acquisition device, and a displacement acquisition device. The pressure acquisition device is used to acquire pressure loading data, the temperature acquisition device is used to acquire the sample temperature, and the displacement acquisition device is used to acquire the sample deformation. The first heating device includes a first mounting plate and a first heating element. The first heating element is located below the first mounting plate and is used to contact and heat the upper surface of the sample. A plurality of first connecting rods are vertically fixed on the first heating element. The upper end of the first connecting rods moves through the top surface of the first mounting plate and is provided with a first limiting part. The lifting device is connected to the first mounting plate. The pressure rod moves through the first mounting plate and the first heating element. The temperature acquisition device is fixedly installed inside the first heating element. The first heating element includes a plurality of first heating blocks, which are spaced apart along the length of the sample. Each first heating block is movably connected to a first connecting rod and a first mounting plate. The pressure rod moves through the first heating block and the corresponding first connecting rod at the geometric center of the sample. A first elastic element is sleeved on the first connecting rod; The detection chamber is divided into an upper chamber and a lower chamber. The positioning block is disposed on the bottom surface of the lower chamber. The first heating device is located in the lower chamber. The lifting device includes a cylinder, a driven gear, a main gear, a reduction motor, and a positioning seat. The lower end of the cylinder is rotatably connected to the center of the first mounting plate, the upper end of the cylinder extends movably to the upper chamber, the outer peripheral wall of the cylinder has external threads, and the pressure rod moves coaxially through the cylinder, the first mounting plate, the first heating block located at the geometric center of the sample, and the corresponding first connecting rod. The gear is sleeved on the outer side of the upper end of the cylinder, and the inner circumference of the gear has an internal thread that matches the outer contour; The positioning seat is located between the driven gear and the bottom surface of the upper chamber to restrict the axial movement of the driven gear; The geared motor is fixed in the upper chamber, and its output shaft is connected by a main gear and a driven gear. It also includes a second heating assembly, which includes a second heating device and a lifting element; The second heating device is located between two positioning blocks, and the second heating device includes a second mounting plate and a second heating element located above the second mounting plate; The second heating element includes multiple second heating blocks, which are spaced apart along the length of the sample. Each second heating block is movably connected to a second mounting plate via a separate second connecting rod. A second limiting part is fixedly provided at the lower end of the second connecting rod, and a second elastic element is sleeved on the second connecting rod. A lifting element is provided inside the detection chamber to drive the second mounting plate to move up and down. The displacement acquisition device includes a detection rod and a displacement sensor. One end of the detection rod is fixedly connected to a first heating block or a second heating block at the geometric center of the sample, and the other end extends horizontally out of the outer side of the detection box. The side wall of the detection box has a movable hole for the detection rod to move up and down. The displacement sensor is fixedly installed on the outer side wall of the detection box to obtain the amount of movement of the detection rod.

2. The refractory material compressive strength testing device as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The driving end of the driving element is fixedly connected to the upper end of the pressure acquisition device and the pressure rod.

3. The refractory material compressive strength testing device as described in claim 1, characterized in that: Both the first and second heating blocks are equipped with silicon molybdenum rod heating elements, and the temperature acquisition device is a tungsten-rhenium thermocouple or a platinum-rhodium thermocouple.

4. A method for testing refractory materials, which utilizes the refractory material compressive strength testing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The steps include the following: S1. Place the test sample horizontally between the top surfaces of the two positioning blocks, so that both ends of the sample are supported and the middle is suspended. S2. The first heating device is moved down as a whole by the lifting device, so that each first heating block comes into contact with the sample surface and the first heating block is reduced in distance relative to the first mounting plate. S3. Drive the pressure rod downward by the driving element and make the lower end of the extrusion rod contact the center of the upper surface of the sample; S4. Start the first heating plate to heat the sample. During the heating process, simultaneously control the pressure rod to load according to the preset pressure curve until the target temperature is reached and then maintain a constant temperature. S5. Collect and record temperature, pressure and deformation parameters in real time until the sample fails.

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