Scrap of magnesia parts, the reasons for it, and means of reducing it

Conclusions

The most common and characteristic forms of scrap of magnesia parts differing in form, dimensions, and composition are shown. These include deviations of the dimensions from the nominal, breaking off of the corners and edges, nonuniformity, welding together, spots, voids, fire cracks, spalls, and cracks of different origin.

The reasons for formation of scrap were determined. The primary of them are the reduced quality of the raw material (chromite, magnesite) with a larger quantity of impurities containing limited silicon and calcium oxides, sometimes insufficient density, grain size, and completeness of hydration of the magnesite powders, nonconformity of the bunker, proportioning, mixing, and pressing equipment to the requirements of modern production of progressive high-quality refractories, the insufficiently high binding capacity of lignosulfonates, deviations in the quality of assembly and finishing of press equipment and automatic ejectors, of the car floor lining, and in firing conditions, a high variation in density of the green parts, and nonuniform heating and cooling in the volume of the parts and of the whole charge during firing. More than 50% of the total scrap of all forms is due to firing scrap of parts.

The primary means of reducing or eliminating scrap of parts and simultaneously increasing their quality based on the reasons for formation of different forms of it were noted. These above all else, are increasing the volumes and improving and introduction of new methods of concentration of magnesite and chromite, a successive increase in the share of chrome concentrates, chromium-containing broken parts, and powders by firing of magnesite and caustic dust in the production of magnesia refractory parts as the result of a decrease in the share of commercial natural chromite and magnesite, the use in the production of parts of high-quality type PMSP-93 powder produced in shaft kilns and used as the charge for production of fused materials, the use of the prospect of processes for production of dense periclase powders uniform in chemical analysis from recovered caustic dust, replacement of obsolete mixing and press equipment by more modern, increasing the strength of green parts by above all else improving the binding properties of LST and increasing pressing pressure, forming of the taper of parts by the side plates of the die, improving the quality of assembly and increasing the reliability of functioning of press equipment and automatic ejectors, improving car floor linings, introduction of new methods and increasing the volumes of production of progressive unfired refractories in place of certain forms of fired parts, observation of all production parameters, and a relationship of the wages of labor to the quantity of scrap and the quality of refractories.

Introduction of the new management system and the active work of the quality groups created will open up and lead to the action of unutilized reserves for reduction of scrap.