Drying and Preheating Molten Metal Containers

With thick rigid refractory linings, there is danger of fracture from shock thermal expansion when they are cold and suddenly filled with molten liquid thus, they are usually preheated before every filling. The dryout burners also are usually used for preheating, but a different time-versus-input program should be used. It is wise to seek the advice of the refractory supplier or both dryout and preheat cycle timing. 

The need to do the preheating before every use forces most installations to build a dry/preheat station convenient to the operation. For very large ladles, this station may be a vertical wall of folded ceramic fiber, with a burner installed in the center of the wall, firing horizontally. The ladle is laid on its side on a platform on wheels on rails so that the ladle can be rolled snugly against the fiber wall. The poc flue through leaks between the ladle and the wall, mostly at the top. Different controlled/timed cycles are advised for various sizes, materials, and thicknesses. 

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