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In this Issue:
Case Study: Thermbond in Steaming Environments
Sale of the Month: Grain dryer in Food Processing Industry
Welcome aboard Oliver Frings, Sales Manager, Austria
Stellar Spotlight: Groupe Réfraco
Application Report: Relining of Holder & Melter in Dubai, U.A.E.
Testimonial from a Customer in the Petrochemical Industry
"We have used Thermbond refractory quite extensively for a number of years mostly in our Sulfur Recovery Units within the furnaces. The Thermbond refractory provided the quick application, high temperature capabilities, chemical resistant properties, and quick curing capabilities that allowed us to have a quick turnaround time on our damaged furnaces."
Case Study: Thermbond in Steaming Environments
By Jens Decker, VP Engineering and Ted Hagberg, Director, Business Development
Many applications in the refining/petrochemical industry expose refractory materials to high temperature steaming conditions upon unit start up.
These applications typically require a time-consuming refractory dry-out prior to unit startup in order to eliminate the negative effects of steam on conventional refractory binder systems. In many cases, steam is the only heat source, and therefore there is no convenient, cost-effective way to dry-out a conventional refractory.
Moisture from the inside of the refractory can only be released if there is a temperature gradient between the material and the atmosphere. If the air is saturated with moisture, the moisture in the material can boil and lead to explosive spalling.
The use of Thermbond refractory technology can eliminate the need for any pre-startup thermal dry out requirement. This may provide tremendous value in meeting critical path turnaround scheduling and should be considered when evaluating all refractory options. Thermbond’s unique chemical binder system sets at ambient temperature and is resistant to water or steam after its exothermic reaction is completed.
During a recent unscheduled outage of a Fluid Coker, Stellar Materials was contracted to supply a large quantity of Formula 2125-G for an emergency repair in the transfer line section. This cold wall design application required a high strength erosion resistant material with excellent insulating properties as well as thermal shock resistance. Upon unit start up, the transfer line is exposed almost immediately to 300°F steam, and then it is exposed to the transfer of hot coke during normal operating conditions. There was no opportunity to conduct a thermal dry out during unit start, and therefore Thermbond was recognized as the best refractory solution. Formula 2125-G met all the application criteria and the unit is currently operating without problems.
Stellar Materials also conducted a test program to simulate the start up conditions of Formula 2125-G in a steaming environment.
In the initial test series, gunned samples of Thermbond Formula 2125-G were exposed to saturated steam for 24 hours to determine material integrity. In a second test series, unfired Formula 2125-G test cubes (2” x 2” x 2”) were totally submerged in boiling water for 12 hours to determine strength loss compared to green (unfired) air cured samples. This test was carried out to simulate water condensation on the lining during start-up.
All samples were then placed in a metal can containing water and placed in a drying oven (Picture 1). Picture 2 shows the gunned samples after steam exposure. The samples showed no sign of deterioration after testing.
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Picture 1: Test Set up |
Picture 2: Samples after exposure to steam |
Table 1 shows the results of the second test series. Neither exposure to steam or to boiling water impacted the strengths of Thermbond Formula 2125.
| Table 1: Test Result C.C.S of Formula 2125 Exposed to Boiling Water |
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C.C.S |
Density |
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Thermbond Formula 2125 air cured
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3900 PSI |
131 lbs/ft3 |
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Thermbond Formula 2125 in water
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5800 PSI |
134 lbs/ft3 |
It can be concluded that temperature is the determining factory for strengths of Thermbond products and that these strengths also develop in water and high humidity. Therefore the heat-up process with steam did not impact the final strengths of the installed Thermbond Formula 2125-G material in the Fluid Coker.
For answers to your questions regarding exposure of refractory in steaming environments, please contact Ted Hagberg (ted.hagberg@thermbond.com) or Jens Decker (jens.decker@thermbond.com).
Testimonial from a Contractor in the Aluminum Industry
Thermbond's use at this facility has grown over the past 10 years. We first used Thermbond for small emergency repairs and now use it for full maintenance applications. Thermbond has given us the confidence that it will perform where others have failed in the past."
Sale of the Month: Grain Dryer in Food Processing Industry
Stellar Materials was approached about a possible application for Thermbond in grain or fiber dryers. The end user required a refractory material that could be fired-in quickly and minimize downtime. The service conditions inside the grain dryer were very moderate, and hot air would be the only thing coming in contact with the refractory. The temperature range would average 1200°F with spikes as high as 1800°F so thermal shock was the only potential destructive factor.
Thermbond Thermbrake 403-G and Thermbond Formula 9-AG were specified to replace conventional materials in the grain dryer at the food processing plant. Gunning materials were selected as they provided the fastest installation method. A lining configuration of 4 1/2 inches of Thermbrake 403-G, as an insulating layer, and 4 ½ inches of Formula 9-AG, as the working lining, met the customer’s desired thermal profile. This project required approximately 12 pallets of Thermbond refractory. The entire project took ten shifts or five days. The installation time for Thermbond products was 2½ days or five shifts.
Thermbond's fast setting characteristics solved the customer's problem by getting the dryer back online faster than conventional castables and even faster than the customer anticipated. The initial projected estimate for time savings using Thermbond was two days. After the project was completed and the dryer was brought back on line, the total time saved was nearly three days. The value of those added days of production, along with saving $15,000 by not having to contract with a heat up company for conventional refractory dry out was far more than the higher material cost of Thermbond.
The end-user was extremely satisfied with their investment in Thermbond and expects to use Thermbond on future projects.
Testimonial from a Customer in the Petrochemical Industry in Texas
"We have successfully installed Thermbond products in many areas of our Ethylene furnaces since 2001.We are very pleased with its unique benefits, including cure out, which we usually base on a standard heat-up procedure. We have used a variety of Thermbond materials with the ability to withstand thermal cycling better than previously used conventional refractory."
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Welcome Aboard, Oliver Frings!
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Oliver Frings, Sales Manager Austria & Eastern Europe |
Stellar Materials is pleased to announce that Mr. Ing. Oliver Frings has joined the Stellar Team in the position of Sales Manager - Austria and Eastern Europe, effective July 1, 2009.
Oliver has a long history working with Thermbond products in sales and installations for the Austrian foundry, primary and secondary aluminum industries for the past fifteen years. His refractory knowledge and experience helps Stellar to further develop and grow the existing market and explore new markets in the region.
Oliver reports to Marcel Grootveld, Sales Director, Europe & Middle East. He can be reached by email : oliver.frings@thermbond.com and cell phone : + 43 664 253 4189
We are very excited to have him on board and we welcome Oliver as part of the Stellar family.
Testimonial from a Customer in the Aluminium Industry in Norway
"We have successfully used Thermbond products for different applications for the last 7 years. We have used Thermbond in aluminium smelters as well as in different parts in ammonia plants worldwide. The reason for choosing Thermbond is normally the benefits of fast heat up after installation."
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Stellar Spotlight:
Groupe Réfraco |
This month’s Stellar Spotlight shines on one of Stellar Materials’ newest strategic partners, Groupe Réfraco.
Groupe Réfraco offers a broad product range of products and services connected to the sector of refractory materials. They are a manufacturer of parts and refractory equipment related primarily to aluminum. They also carry out the design of new parts. The engineering capabilities of Réfraco are excellent in providing their customers turnkey installations and their quality in manufacturing is second to none.
In 2005, Stellar Materials Vice President Jean Tremblay had the pleasure of meeting with Eric Ferguson, the Director of Engineering for Groupe Réfraco at the TMS Conference & Exhibition. They became fast friends when Eric found out Jean was born in Chicoutimi and could even speak (poor) French.
Thermbond’s unique properties coupled with Réfraco’s engineering expertise and manufacturing capabilities (e.g. launder shapes), drew Réfraco to Thermbond Products.
Manufacturing blocks and precast shapes for the Aluminum, Cement and Petrochemical Industries is a large portion of Réfraco’s business. Thermbond’s fast-setting, no bake-out characteristics are very beneficial to them in these markets. Thermbond’s quick turnaround and ability to bond to old refractory is another advantage for them during furnace repair. Thermbond’s resistance to oxide penetration in Aluminum furnaces decreases daily maintenance of the furnace, saving the customer time.
In 2008, Stellar Materials and Réfraco formed a strategic partnership to supply their respective customers with the best of both worlds, utilizing Réfraco’s in-house engineering and manufacturing capabilities along with the advantages of Thermbond refractory materials.
”We at Stellar materials are very proud of achieving a strategic alliance with Groupe Réfraco. Our mutual expertise will provide great value to Réfraco’s market,” says Jean Tremblay.
Testimonial from a Maintenance Manager in Southern California:
"I have used Thermbond for seven years in my melting and casting furnaces. It is a great material for repairs because it bonds so well to the existing refractory and can be heated up quickly to get my furnaces back in service. I have used Thermbond in troughs where the non-wetting characteristics made for easy maintenance. I have used it in floors, upper and lower walls where time and time again it has saved money by providing a fast turn around and superior service life.”
Application Report
Industry: Aluminum
Description of Equipment: One melting and one holding both with 5 MT capacity.
Problem: Both furnaces had to be repaired in less than 20 days.
Solution: Install Thermbond materials. Fast setting and tenacious chemical bond capabilities of the products solved the customer’s problem by enabling them to repair rather than replace, and heat up the lining much faster than conventional refractories. The end result was the customer beat the 20 day shutdown target.
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Left hand side wall of the melting furnace
prior to repair. |
Floor being completely removed prior to
casting Thermbond Refractory. |
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Right hand side wall of the Melting Furnace
prior to installation of Thermbond Refractory. |
Floor and right hand side wall after Installation
of Thermbond Refractory. |
Products Being Replaced: Bricks
Value in Using Thermbond: Time! Saved the customer 15 days of operating time.
Products Used: 352 units of Formula 2104-L, 324 Units of Formula 4-L, and 216 Units of Formula 8-B.
Method of Installation: Cast in place by forming and pouring
Equipment Used: Jack Hammers, Wooden Shuttering, Pan Mixer, Pencil Vibrators
Scope of Work: Complete relining of the holding furnace floor and 100mm thick overlay on the holding furnace sidewalls. A 100 mm thick overlay of Formula 4-L was installed on the floor of the melting furnace. The job was executed to the utmost satisfaction of the client in terms of time and quality.
Installation Date: January 2008
Follow Up: The furnace was inspected in April 2009 and it was found to be in good shape with minor erosion on the sidewalls. The wear is due to the severe application, the same as in almost all secondary melt shops.
For additional information regarding this application report, please contact Stellar’s Sales Manager, Middle East, P.M. Sundaram Direct: +971506891327, Email: pm.sundaram@thermbond.com
To view this application report in a printable format, please click here.
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Stellar Materials Incorporated is a privately-held corporation headquartered in Boca Raton, FL with manufacturing facilities in Whitmore Lake, MI, stocking warehouses worldwide, and wholly-owned subsidiaries in Rotterdam NL and Abu Dhabi UAE., and Mongaguá -SP Brasil. |
Stellar Materials Incorporated
7777 Glades Road, Suite 200
Boca Raton, Florida 33434 USA
(561) 330-9300 |
Stellar Materials International, LLC
Nieuw Mathenesserstraat 39 - 41 Unit 1 B
3029 AV Rotterdam
The Netherlands
+31 (10) 2460264 |
Stellar Materials M.E. FZE
P.O.Box No 10559
Ras Al Khaimah
United Arab Emirates
+971506891327 |
Stellar Materials do Brasil
Avenida São Paulo
1380 sala 07 - Centro
Mongaguá - SP Brasil
11730-000
+55-13-3448-6516 |
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