Authors:
Túlio Mumic Cunha | Federal University of Sao Carlos, Graduate Program in Materials Science and Engineering | Brazil
Murilo Henrique Moreira | Federal University of Sao Carlos, Graduate Program in Materials Science and Engineering | Brazil
Matheus Felipe Santos | Federal University of Sao Carlos, Graduate Program in Materials Science and Engineering | Brazil
Ricardo Afonso Angélico | University of São Paulo (USP), Department of Aeronautical Engineering | Brazil
Victor Carlos Pandolfelli | Federal University of Sao Carlos, Graduate Program in Materials Science and Engineering | Brazil
Refractory castable drying is a key processing step where explosive spalling can happen if the combination of generated vapor pressure within the material's pores and the thermomechanical stresses exceeds its mechanical strength. Therefore, to avoid major problems, refractory producers usually select conservative heating schedules. To attain lower energy consumption and faster drying, deeper analysis considering the material's composition and heating profiles can be carried out via computational simulations. Additionally, the drying process can be improved with the help of weep holes in the metallic shells of steel ladles. To the authors` knowledge, studies considering the effectiveness of weep holes in the decision-making involving this equipment have not been reported in the accessed literature. Nevertheless, refractory producers commonly adopt them based on experimental observations and their practical efficiency. In this context, this study aims to carry out computational simulations to highlight the behavior of a steel ladle lining drying designed with weep holes, where the effects of their sizes, distance and distribution were analysed. The simulations enabled a better understanding of the pressure build-up and moisture transport to optimize the drying step without detrimental side effects.