Magnesia-Carbon Vessel Lining for Low-Impurity Refractory Recycling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing Magnesia-Carbon brick linings from metallurgical vessels are difficult to recycle due to contamination from various refractory materials and metallurgical slags, leading to low-quality reclaimed aggregates with limited usability.
Innovation Solution
A refractory lining design using high purity Magnesia-Carbon bricks, separated from other brick components, with methods to minimize contamination by mechanical, chemical, and thermal de-slagging processes, followed by magnetic separation and screening to produce low-impurity reclaimed aggregates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If Magnesia-Carbon bricks are used for lining metallurgical vessels, then high refractoriness and corrosion resistance are achieved, but the bricks become difficult to recycle due to contamination from other refractory materials and metallurgical slags
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the refractory lining system into distinct segments: a working lining made exclusively of Magnesia-Carbon bricks and a backup lining made of different materials. This segmentation allows the Magnesia-Carbon bricks to be reclaimed separately without contamination from other refractory materials, resolving the recyclability issue while maintaining the high corrosion resistance needed for reliable operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the Magnesia-Carbon bricks from the mixed refractory lining system by using only these bricks for the working lining portion that contacts molten steel and slag. This extraction ensures that when bricks are demolished for recycling, only pure Magnesia-Carbon material is recovered, eliminating contamination from other refractory types and enabling effective reuse.
2Loss of substance
If conventional refractory linings are demolished and reclaimed, then material recovery is attempted, but the reclaimed aggregate contains significant impurities limiting its usability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by designing the lining system beforehand to use only Magnesia-Carbon bricks in the working lining zone. This pre-planned material uniformity ensures that when demolition and reclamation occur, the aggregate recovered is already purified by design, eliminating the need for complex separation processes and enabling direct reuse in new refractory products.
3Adaptability or versatility
If mixed refractory materials are used in the vessel lining, then various functional requirements are met, but post-sorting is required after tear-out which complicates the recycling process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the refractory lining into a working lining made of Magnesia-Carbon bricks and a backup lining made of other materials. This segmentation allows functional requirements to be met by assigning appropriate materials to different zones, while the working lining's exclusive use of Magnesia-Carbon bricks enables simple recycling without post-sorting, as the bricks can be directly reclaimed and reused.
4Duration of action of stationary object
If Magnesia-Carbon bricks are exposed to high temperature metal making processes, then they provide necessary service life, but metallurgical slag adheres to the bricks creating contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of slag adherence into a benefit by using the slag coating as an indicator of proper service. The adhered slag protects the Magnesia-Carbon bricks during their service life, and when the lining is demolished, the bricks with slag adhering are directly reused as aggregate for new refractory products. The slag becomes part of the recycled material system rather than a contaminant to be removed.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Produces contamination-free Magnesia-Carbon aggregates with properties comparable to virgin materials, suitable for high-quality refractory products, reducing waste and increasing recyclability.
Implementation Method 1
followed by magnetic separation and screening to produce low-impurity reclaimed aggregates
Data Source
AI summary
A metallurgical vessel structure and method is provided for producing low-impurity Magnesia-Carbon reclaimed aggregate suitable for reuse in the production of high purity Magnesia-Carbon refractory. A metallurgical vessel is assembled with a non-reactive or chemically similar backup lining. The entire height of the working lining wall is Magnesia-Carbon brick suitable for reuse. The working lining is exposed to a metal making high temperature process, and the working lining is sequentially demolished. Due to the assembly of vessel, metallurgical practice, and ease of demolishing the vessel, there is little to no need for sorting, such that the used Magnesia-Carbon brick are easily converted into low impurity Magnesia-Carbon reclaimed aggregate. A refractory composed of low-impurity Magnesia aggregate reclaimed from the method is also contemplated.