Production of Refractory Lining for Diesel Fired Rotary Furnace, from Locally Sourced Kaolin and Potter’s Clay

This research was conducted to formulate a refractory lining recipe for lining diesel fired rotary furnace from locally sourced kaolin, using locally sourced potter’s clay as binder. Six samples (A-F) of kaolin clay mined locally from Apata II area, Ondo road, in Ile-Ife,Nigeria, were roasted at 1200oC held for 8 hours, mixed with different percentages of raw kaolin and appropriately made into briquettes using potter’s clay of good plasticity as binder. The samples were tested for various refractory properties. The result showed that sample mixes A (100% chamotte), B (80% chamotte, 20% rawkaolin) and C (60% chamotte, 40% raw kaolin) are considered to have good properties. However, the optimum material-mix for the refractory bricks lining, with particular reference to the highest thermal shock resistance was found to be 80% chamotte mixed with 20% raw kaolin.