Production and Characterization of Aluminosilicate Refractory Brick Using Unwana Beach Silica Sand, Ekebedi and Unwana Clays

Production and characterization of aluminosilicate refractory brick using Unwana beach silica sand, Ekebedi and Unwana clays has been carried out with a view to determining the suitability of localy available raw materials for refractory bricks production. The sand was used to compose six (with 65%, 60%, 55%, 50%, 45%, and 40% of Unwana beach silica sand) refractory brick body together with Ekebedi and Unwana clays. The properties of the produced bricks investigated after firing shows that samples A - F had total shrinkage ranging from 3.2% to 8.3% with % porosity of 16.58 to 18.66 respectively. The bulk density result revealed that Samples A- F had 1.63g/cm3 to 1.53g/cm3 with compressive strength ranging from 7.90Mpa to 21.49Mpa respectively. The estimated refractoriness result indicated that the samples A-F had values ranging from 16080C to 16300C. The percentage shrinkage, percentage porosity and compressive strength increased progressively with decrease in Unwana beach silica sand contents, while bulk density decreased with decrease in Unwana beach silica sand content. The refractoriness of the bricks increased by 40C or 50C with decrease in Unwana beach silica sand content and increase in Ekebedi and Unwana clays content. However, all the samples were good refractory bricks; Sample F was the best in terms of refractoriness and compressive strength. But Sample A was the best in terms of lower shrinkage and porosity with higher bulk density and moderate refractoriness of 16080C. Therefore, Unwana beach sand can be used for (aluminosilicate) refractory brick production.