Influence of heating and cooling rate on the stress state of the brick lining in a rotary kiln using finite element simulations

Abstract Rotary kilns for iron-ore pellets production are highly dependent on a well-functioned refractory brick lining. To improve the long-term capability of the lining, in-situ observations of the bricks' performance are desired, however, the harsh environment inside the rotary kiln makes it difficult or nearly impossible to study the lining during operation. By using numerical simulations as a tool, some of the problems encountered by the brick lining can be studied without limitation of the extreme conditions. In this work, stress state of the lining was studied under the influence of different heating and cooling rates, and different brick compaction cases. A finite element model was created for conducting the numerical simulations. The numerical model was calibrated for transient heat transfer. Temperature dependent material properties of the bricks and casing were used as input. The heating and cooling was controlled by temperature prescription on the boundary of the brick lining, while brick lining compaction by defining relative position of the bricks in axial and radial directions. The conducted numerical simulations showed that considerable tensile stress may appear in a large area of the brick during initial heating stage. The large tensile area corresponds well with the typical circumferential cracks experienced by the bricks. It was demonstrated that the compressive stresses counteract the development of tensile stresses. However, the compressive stresses may become very large in the initial stage of heating. The positive effect of lower heating rate was considerable on the tensile stresses, while influence on the compressive stresses was almost unnoticed. The hypothetical cooling rates showed that very high tensile stresses may occur on the surface of the bricks, potentially leading to surface spalling. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that axial compaction is highly important on the stress development in the lining, which, may not always be followed in practice. As a general conclusion, it is recommended to always achieve a tight compaction of the brick lining and to take measures for lowering the heating and cooling rates. The conducted work exemplifies behaviour of the brick lining for realistic heat transfer and material properties. The insight into the behaviour gives possibilities to make adjustments and directed investments for lowering risk of brick lining failure.