Silica Refractories
Reliable Foundation for High-Temperature Technologies
Silica refractories play a crucial role in industrial construction, where high temperatures and aggressive environments demand reliable and durable solutions. This unique material, made from high-quality quartzite, ensures the stability and safety of production processes in the metallurgy, coke-chemical, and glass industries.
Types of Products
Taking into account the specific requirements of our customers, we offer the manufacturing and supply of refractory products in various shapes and configurations. Our advanced production capabilities and technological expertise enable us to handle projects of any complexity, ensuring high quality and precision in every delivery.
Technical Description
Our Silica refractories are made from selected quartzite with a silicon dioxide (SiO₂) content of over 95%. Quality control is implemented at every stage – from raw material acceptance to final product inspection, ensuring compliance with both international standards and customer-specific requirements.
- Refractoriness – Silica refractory articles can withstand temperatures up to 1730°C, making them suitable for the most extreme operating conditions.
- Strength and Durability – Silica refractories have high mechanical strength and wear resistance, ensuring their longevity even in aggressive environments. This significantly reduces repair and maintenance costs.
- Format Flexibility – Advanced pressing technologies enable the production of refractories in both standard and custom sizes and shapes, tailored to meet the specific requirements of the customer’s equipment.
Erbau Industrial Group offers for delivery Silica refractory products, which according to DIN 1089 corresponds to the following quality indicators:
| Properties | Grades | Tests in accordance with | |||||
| KN | KD | KS | |||||
| Typical application | |||||||
| Regenerator | |||||||
| Oven walls | Oven walls | Ovens Underneath | |||||
| Furnace vault | |||||||
| Chemical composition | SiO2 | % | µG σ | ≥ 94,5 1,0 | ≥ 95,0 1,0 | DIN 51 070 Part 2 | |
| AL2O3 | % | µG σ | ≤ 2,0 0,3 | ≤ 1,5 0,3 | DIN 51 070 Part 3 | ||
| Fe2O3 | % | µG σ | ≤ 1,0 0,2 | ≤ 1,0 0,2 | DIN 51 070 Part 5 | ||
| CaO | % | µG σ | ≤ 3,0 0,35 | ≤ 3,0 0,35 | DIN 51 070 Part 7 | ||
| Na2O + K2O | % | µG σ | ≤ 0,35 0,02 | ≤ 0,35 0,02 | DIN 51 070 Part 8 | ||
| Residual quartz content | Raw materials type A (coarse crystalline structure) | % | µG σ | By mutual agreement 6,0 | 2 | ||
| Raw material type B (crypto crystalline structure) | % | Ts σ | 1,5 0,5 | ||||
| Cold compressive strength (KDF) | N/mm2 | µG σ Хmin | ≥ 23 10 15 | ≥ 35 10 25 | ≥ 45 10 30 | DIN 51 067 Part 1 | |
| Visible porosity (Ро) | % | µG σ | ≤ 24,5 1,3 | ≤ 22,0 1,3 | ≤ 22,0 1,3 | DIN 51 056 | |
| Refractoriness under load (DFB) initial temperature ta | °С | µG σ | ≥ 1640 25 | ≥ 1650 25 | DIN 51 064 | ||
| Refractorinesse under load T0,5 (differential method) | °С | µG σ | By mutual agreement | DIN 51 053 Part 1 | |||
| Compressive creep (DFI) | [Z5-25] | % | µG σ | ≤ 0,12 0,05 | – | DIN 51 053 Part 2 | |
| [Z25] | ≤ 0,35 0,1 | – | |||||
| Refractoriness | µG σ | ≥ 170 (SK 31) 2 (SK 1) | – | – | DIN 51 053 Part 1 | ||
| Bohme abrasion Average layer losses | mm | µG σ | – | – | ≤ 4,5 1,0 | DIN 52 108 | |
To receive the best service and quality
How the Production Process Works
Production of Silica refractories involves several critical stages to create a material with the desired properties, such as high refractoriness, strength, and durability. The main stages of silica production are outlined below:
Raw Material Preparation
Quartzite: Primary component for silica products is quartzite or other silicon dioxide-containing materials with a high SiO₂ content (typically over 95%).
Crushing: Raw materials are crushed to a specific grain size, depending on the product’s final application.
Additives Selection: Small amount of lime (CaO) and iron oxide (Fe2O3) or other binders (1–2%) are added to the raw materials to improve the regeneration of quartzite during firing.
Product Forming
Mixing: Crushed raw materials are thoroughly mixed with binding additives to produce a homogeneous mass.
Product molding: Mass is pressed into molds to create blanks for bricks, blocks, or other shapes. This process is typically carried out on hydraulic or mechanical presses with pressures up to 1000–2000 kg/cm² to ensure density and strength.
Drying
Slow Drying: Products are dried at low temperatures (50–100°C) in specialized drying chambers or tunnels. This allows the material to gain mechanical strength.
Moisture Control: Moisture content of the products is gradually reduced to a minimal level (<1%).
Firing products
High-Temperature Firing: Products are fired in tunnel or shaft kilns at temperatures of 1350–1450°C. At this stage, quartz transforms into high- or low-temperature tridymite and cristobalite, providing high refractoriness and deformation onset temperature of the products.
Slow Cooling: After firing, the products are slowly cooled to prevent internal stress and cracks.
Quality Control
Sample Selection: Samples are taken from each batch for laboratory testing.
Packaging and Transportation
Finished products are packaged to protect them from mechanical damage and environmental exposure during transportation.
Silica products are shipped to customers for industrial projects construction, such as metallurgical furnaces, glass melting baths, coke batteries, and other equipment.
Historical Background of Silica Refractories
Silica (Dinas) refractories get their name from the name of the limestone rock “Craig y Dinas” in Wales, UK. Dinas refractory Silica bricks were first produced in 1820 in the southern part of the British province of Wales thanks to the developments of the English entrepreneur, botanist, inventor, ceramic artist William Weston Young Sr. who added small doses of lime to the sand, which facilitated the sintering process.
The emergence of Silica refractories in their modern form dates back to the early 20th century, when industry began to require materials capable of functioning in conditions where temperatures reached above 1500°C. They gained popularity due to their unique properties.
In the 1920s, a technology for producing Silica refractories was developed, which involved processing quartzite or other Silica-containing materials, enabling the production of refractory bricks, blocks, and other structural elements for industry. This process included pressing and firing the semi-finished product at high temperatures to achieve the required mechanical and thermal properties.
With the advent of more efficient production methods, Silica refractories became a key material for many high-temperature industrial processes in industries such as metallurgy, the chemical industry, and glass production. It found application in environments where temperatures often exceed 1500°C and require materials that not only withstand these temperatures but also possess high chemical resistance and strength.
