Evaluation of thermal shock resistance of alumina‒silica refractories based on Buckingham Π theorem

Abstract

Thermal shock resistance represents a pivotal service property of refractories, with a correlation to a multitude of physical performance parameters. In this study, thermal conductivity, thermal expansion coefficient, elastic modulus, and other parameters of alumina‒silica refractories were tested, and the thermal shock resistance of alumina‒silica refractories was evaluated using the values of the dimensionless parameters Π and R_Π calculated based on the Buckingham Π theorem of dimensional analysis. The results demonstrate that the order of magnitude of R_Π values of clay and high-alumina bricks with alumina contents of 45%–65% is consistent with residual strength ratios. Due to higher proportion of glass phase and quartz, the lower work of fracture for clay bricks (38% alumina content) resulted in a relatively high value of the dimensionless parameter R_Π. Nevertheless, the trajectory of R_Π value remains aligned with its resistance to thermal shocks of other samples. The interrelationships among multiple physical parameters and their contributions to thermal shock resistance were revealed by the dimensional analysis, which lays a theoretical foundation for the expedited assessment of thermal shock resistance and the design of high-performance refractories.