47-7 Mineralogical Drivers of Non-Linear Wear Rates in Chrome-Alumina Refractories

Session: Minerals in Motion: Tracking Mineral Reactions Using In Situ and Synchrotron Techniques, A Celebration of the Career of Peter Heaney

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Chrome-alumina refractories experience complex mineralogical and microstructural transformations under high-temperature, glass-contact conditions. This study investigates a degradation sequence involving the recrystallization of the composite into discrete eskolaite (Cr₂O₃) and corundum (Al₂O₃), followed by preferential dissolution of alumina and subsequent attack on the remaining chrome oxide. These reactions, coupled with microstructural factors such as grain size and porosity, result in a non-linear wear profile that conventional laboratory tests fail to capture. Post-mortem analysis of service-exposed refractories, alongside laboratory-scale experiments, reveals that mineral phase evolution and porosity development are central to understanding wear progression. These insights not only inform the design of more representative testing protocols but also enhance the accuracy of computational furnace models. By incorporating mineralogical transformations and microstructural evolution into simulation inputs, such models can better predict refractory performance and optimize furnace operation under realistic service conditions.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 57, No. 6, 2025

doi: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-6630

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