New Luminous Bricks from Morgan Enable Non-Standard IR Gas Furnace Repair

IR gas furnaces were developed around 40 years ago to harness the cost-effectiveness of IR heating compared with the energy produced by electrical heating. They are mainly used in applications such as special heat treatment of steel, and sintering and stabilising of fluorescent lamps and tubes.

The walls of these furnaces are made from insulating fire bricks with particular properties of porosity and permeability, known as ‘luminous bricks’. The bricks ensure the entire wall acts as a burner, providing a uniform temperature throughout the furnace and no hot or cold spots, while ensuring any change in temperature is accurately controlled. A mixture of gas and air in the required proportions is generated then passed through the wall, which has a permeability level specifically designed to minimise pressure loss while ensuring the flame develops evenly on the interior surface.

While the use of these furnaces remains widespread, availability of non-standard replacement bricks to extend their service life has been poor, prompting Morgan to develop its own bricks in response to a specific customer request from Global Oven Systems (GOS).

Morgan’s Research & Development team at its facility in Casalpusterlengo, Italy, experimented with various levels of permeability – developing a dedicated system to the exacting international American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standard - and various material configurations on its production line before settling on the final formulation. The new product, known as JM25 PH, was then subjected to rigorous production trials and testing at the customer’s facility before being adopted.

Ermanno Magni of Morgan Advanced Materials explained: “The development of the new luminous bricks exemplifies our extensive industry experience, and ability to hone our material formulation and production techniques to deliver a bespoke, high-performance solution for a customer who was previously only able to select from standard products.”

Morgan’s Thermal Ceramics business is an established partner to global industry, supplying a range of high-temperature insulation wool and refractory ceramics in a variety of environments and industries.

For further information visit: http://www.morganthermalceramics.com/luminous.