FIRE CLAY BRICK REFACTORY

Manufacturing Process
Manufacturing of refractory bricks from fire-clay is an interesting feature. The clay mined is stacked in the factory yard and allowed to weather for about a year. For daily production of different types of refractories, this weathered clay is taken and mixed in different percentages with grog.

The mixture is sent to the grinding mill from where it is transferred to the pug mill. In the pug mill a suitable proportion of water is added so as to give it proper plasticity. The mould is supplied to different machines for making standard bricks or shapes. Intricate shapes are made by hand. The bricks thus made are then dried in hot floor driers and after drying they are loaded in kilns for firing. The firing ranges are, of course, different for different grades of refractories. After firing, the kilns are allowed to cool; then the bricks are unloaded. By burning fireclay is converted into a stone-like material, highly resistant to acid, water and most other solutions. While manufacturing high aluminous fire-bricks bauxite is added along with grog in suitable proportions.

Industrial Applications
Because of the abundant supply of fireclay and its comparative cheapness, the refractory bricks made out of it are the most common and extensively used in all places of heat generation, like:

* in boiler furnaces
* glass melting furnaces
* chimney linings
* pottery kilnsblast furnaces
* reheating furnaces

They are used for instance for building cooking chamber in wood fired ovens, for creating fireplaces, all sorts of fire boxes and wood heaters’ lining, linings in a small or the hugest industrial furnaces, you name it.

Fireclay is classified under acid refractories. Acid refractories are those which are not attacked by acid slag. In blast furnaces, the lining is done almost entirely with fireclay bricks. Pouring refractories like sleeves, nozzles, stoppers and tuyers are made of fireclay.

Neutralization Number

As lubricants degrade from oxidation they form a number of acids.
These acids are corrosive to
Babbitt, yellow metals, carbon steel, cast iron, and if left uncorrected for a period of time will begin a corrosion process and possibly eventual bearing failure.
While small increases in the Total Acid Number (TAN) usually indicate oxidation and lubricant degradation, contaminants with acidic constituents can also be a factor. Monitoring the oil's Total Acid Number should be an important part of your lubricant maintenance program. Generally when a lubricant's acid number reaches a condemning limit, replacement or sweetening is your best option.

Total Acid Number (TAN) is the standard neutralization number test for industrial lubricating oils. It is performed by titrating a solution of oil and diluent with an alcohol/potassium hydroxide (KOH) solution, a base, until all the acids present are neutralized. The results are reported as milligrams of potassium-hydroxide per gram of sample, or mg/Gm

Strong Acid Number (SAN) is similar to TAN, except the 'strong' acids are first extracted from the lubricant. That extract is then titrated with KOH and the SAN reported as mg/gm.


Total Base Number (TBN) is a standard test for engine lubricants. It is a measurement of the amount of protection in the lubricant remaining to neutralize acids formed as a result of combustion. A solution of oil and diluent is titrated with an alcohol/Hydrochloric Acid (HCl) solution until all the alkaline or base constituents in the oil are neutralized. Results are reported as milligrams of HCl per gram of sample, or mg/gm.

Most lubricating oils have a baseline Acid Number as a result of additives. R&O (rust and oxidation) industrial oils generally have a baseline in the 0.03 to 0.06 mg/gm range. AW (anti-wear) and EP (extreme pressure) industrial oils will have much higher baselines because of the additional additives that give them their AW or EP qualities.

Cloud Point vs Pour Point

Cloud Point vs Pour Point

• Pour point and cloud point are two important physical properties of any fuel or lubricant.

• While cloud point refers to the temperature at which there is a presence of a wax cloud in the fuel, pour point is the lowest temperature at which the fuel can flow and below which the fuel tends to freeze or ceases to flow.

• In cold weather conditions, certain additives are added to the fuel to keep its pour point and cloud point higher.

What is Cloud Point?

In the industry, cloud point is taken as the temperature below which wax in fuel tends to form a cloudy appearance. This is a condition which is detrimental for any engine as solidified wax makes the fuel thick and it clogs the fuel filters and injectors. This wax also gets applied on the pipeline and has a tendency to form an emulsion with water. This is a property that holds great significance in cold weathers. Cloud point is also referred to as Wax Appearance Temperature (WAT).


What is Pour Point?


pour point can also be described as the lowest temperature at which a fuel performs satisfactorily and beyond this temperature, the fuel stops flowing and starts to freeze.

Read more: http://www.differencebetween.com/difference-between-cloud-point-and-vs-pour-point/#ixzz1aRTWvBXE

As oil cools to temperatures in the 40's and below, waxes in the oil will crystallize. As the oil is cooled further to freezing or below, moisture in the oil will form ice. The temperature at which these crystals form and are visible is called the Cloud Point. The greater the quantity of wax present, the higher the cloud point. Wax crystals have a different appearance than ice crystals and will form above 32° F.

If you continue to chill the oil, eventually the oil will not flow out of the test tube when turned upside down. Remember, viscosity of oil is inversely proportional to temperature. The temperature at which this occurs is call the Pour Point.

Procedure (Titration of Blank)

Use a volumetric pipet to dispense 25.00 mL of deionized water (DI) into a 250 mL flask.
Add 5 mL of pH 10 buffer, 2 drops of Eriochrome Black T indicator, and 15 drops of 0.03 M MgCl2.
Titrate the solution with EDTA from your buret. As you near the endpoint, the solution will turn purple. Continue to slowly add EDTA until the solution turns blue, with no trace of red.

Water Hardness: Determination with EDTA

Carefully release liquid from the pipet until the bottom of the meniscus is on the calibration line.
Release your finger and allow the liquid in the pipet to drain into a beaker or flask. Touch the tip of the pipet to the side of the beaker or flask to completely drain the pipet.
Using a Buret
Clean the buret with a buret brush, water, and a small amount of detergent. Rinse it twice with deionized water. Be sure to drain deionized water through the tip.
Rinse the buret again with two 10 mL portions of the titrant (EDTA in this experiment).
Fill the buret with titrant and drain a small amount from the buret to dispel any air bubbles that might be in the tip.

Titration of EDTA

In today’s experiment, you will determine the total concentration of calcium and magnesium ions in a hard water sample using EDTA in a solution buffered to a pH of 10.
Water Hardness: Determination with EDTA
Using a Volumetric Pipet
Squeeze the pipet bulb and do not force the pipet into the bulb.
Squeeze the pipet bulb and place the silicone end over the top of the pipet. Do not force the pipet into the bulb.

EDTA Reaction with metal ions

H2EDTA2- binds to a Ca2+ ion by forming four special covalent bonds called coordinate covalent bonds.

EDTA Structure

General Chemistry 101/102 Laboratory Manual University of North Carolina at Wilmington

Water Hardness: Determination with EDTA
• Purpose
• To determine the “hardness” of a water sample using an EDTA titration.
 To learn and practice quantitative techniques for determining the concentrations of solutionTo determine the “hardness” of a water sample using an EDTA titration.
 Safety Considerations
 Keep the pH 10 buffer in the hood. Avoid breathing ammonia vapors from the buffer.
 Eriochrome Black T will stain skin and clothes.
 All waste materials can be safely rinsed down the sink.
 Water Hardness: Determination with EDTA
 Water is said to be “hard” when it contains Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions. These ions react with soap to form an insoluble substance called “soap scum”.
Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions along with other metal ions such as Fe3+ and Pb2+ can be removed from hard water by the addition of EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid)
 EDTA has a greater affinity for Ca2+ and Mg2+ when it is in the form of the dihydrogen anion H2EDTA2-. This is the ionic form of EDTA at pH 10.