Ceramic fiber

Because of the limitations in temperature with respect to metallic fibers, ceramic fibers were developed for use at higher temperatures. These are made with a diameter of 2-5 p. There are problems associated with the use of ceramic fibers because they are  

The reaction occurs at high temperatures fibers become a part of the matrix due to the formation of a ceramic bond. 

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With the exception of glass fiber, asbestos (qv), and the specialty metallic and ceramic fibers, textile fibers are a class of soHd organic polymers distinguishable from other polymers by their physical properties and characteristic geometric dimensions (see Glass Refractory fibers). The physical properties of textile fibers, and indeed of all materials, are a reflection of molecular stmcture and intermolecular organization. The abiUty of certain polymers to form fibers can be traced to several stmctural features at different levels of organization rather than to any one particular molecular property. 

C or higher for the kaolin-based products to 1425°C and above for the zirconium-containing materials. At temperatures above 1000°C these ceramic fibers tend to devitrify and partially crystallize. Specially prepared ceramic fibers are used to protect space vehicles on re-entry and can withstand temperatures above 1250°C (see Ablative materials Refractory fibers). 

Aluminosilicate Fibers. Vitreous alurninosihcate fibers, more commonly known as refractory ceramic fibers (RCF), belong to a class of materials known as synthetic vitreous fibers. Fiber glass and mineral wool are also classified as synthetic vitreous fibers, and together represent 98% of this product group. RCFs were discovered in 1942 (18) but were not used commercially until 1953. Typical chemical and physical properties of these materials are shown in Table 3. 

Table 3. Typical Physical and Chemical Properties of Refractory Ceramic Fibers...

Sihca and aluminosihcate fibers that have been exposed to temperatures above 1100°C undergo partial conversion to mullite and cristobaUte (1). Cristobahte is a form of crystalline siUca that can cause siUcosis, a form of pneumoconiosis. lARC has deterrnined that cristobaUte should be classified as 2A, a probable carcinogen. The amount of cristobahte formed, the size of the crystals, and the nature of the vitreous matrix in which they are embedded are time- and temperature-dependent. Under normal use conditions, refractory ceramic fibers are exposed to a temperature gradient, thus only the hottest surfaces of the material may contain appreciable cristobahte. Manufacturers Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) should be consulted prior to handling RCF materials. 

The Epidemio/ogy and Toxico/ogy of Exposure to Eefractory Ceramic Fibers RCF Coalition, Washington, D.C., Dec. 1993. 

Friction and Adhesion. The coefficient of friction p. is the constant of proportionality between the normal force P between two materials in contact and the perpendicular force F required to move one of the materials relative to the other. Macroscopic friction occurs from the contact of asperities on opposing surfaces as they sHde past each other. On the atomic level friction occurs from the formation of bonds between adjacent atoms as they sHde past one another. Friction coefficients are usually measured using a sliding pin on a disk arrangement. Friction coefficients for ceramic fibers in a matrix have been measured using fiber pushout tests (53). For various material combinations (43) ... 

Surface combustion devices are designed for fully premixing the gaseous fuel and air and burning it on a porous radiant surface. The close coupling of the combustion process with the burner surface results in low flame temperatures and, consequently, low NO formation. Surface materials can include ceramic fibers, reticulated ceramics, and metal alloy mats. This approach allows the burner shape to be customized to match the heat transfer profile with the application. 

Refractories are available in three general physical forms solids in the form of brick and monohthic castable ceramics and as ceramic fibers. 

Thermal oxidizers must be built to provide the residence time and temperatures to achieve the desired destruction efficiency (DE). As such, thermal oxidizers are comparatively larger than catalytic oxidizers since their residence time is two to four times greater. Historical designs of thermal oxidizers were comprised of carbon steel for the outer shell and castable refractory or brick as the thermal liner (a refractory is like a cement, which is put on the inside of the rector shell to act as a thermal insulation barrier). Modern units are designed and built using ceramic fiber insulation on the inside, which is a lightweight material, and has a relatively long life. Old refractory would tend to fail over a period of years by attrition of expansion and contraction. 

Dust filter of special ceramic-fiber mat with special pressure-wave absorbing coils... 

Fibers in which the basic chemical units have been formed by chemical synthesis, followed by fiber formation, are called synthetic fibers. Examples include nylon, carbon, boron fibers, organic fibers, ceramic fibers, and metallic fibers. Among all commercially available fibers, Kevlar fibers exhibit high strength and modulus. (Kevlar is a DuPont trademark for poly [p-phenylene diamine terephthalamide].) It is an aromatic polyamide (aramid) in which at least 85% of the... 

Newer fabrics, not in common use but in development, test, and field trials, are described for higher temperature applications by Reference [50]. Application to 400°F—2100°F are potentially available using ceramic fibers Nextel 312 , laminated membrane of expanded PTFE on a substrate, polyimid fiber P-84, Ryton polyphenylene sulfide, and woven fiberglass. The heat and acid resistance of these new materials... 

As with mineral wools, there are different types of ceramic fiber, but they are all made from a combination of alumina, silica and china clay and may be made by blowing or extruding the liquid melt. 

Ceramic fibers are used at temperatures up to 1600°C but their melting point can be in excess of 2000°C. 

Modern low-density insulation such as those based on ceramic fibers can be used to save energy in plant operating on a batch basis. The low thermal mass permits a rapid heating and cooling period that can save a substantial amount of energy. With continuously operating plant the advantages are not so pronounced. 

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