Refractory Bricks - Design and Installation - PDFYAR - Engineering Notes, Documents & Lectures

1. SCOPE ……………………………………………………………2. REFERENCES
3. GENERAL
4. DESIGN …………………………………………………………..4.1 General
4.2
Support
System
4.3
Brick Arch ……………………………………………………
5. MATERIALS STORAGE
6. SURFACE PREPARATION
7. INSTALLATION ………………………………………………..7.1 General
7.2
Mortar
7.3
Placement …………………………………………………..
7.4
Vessels
7.5 Ducts
7.6
Heating Rate ……………………………………………….
8. QUALITY
ASSURANCE
FIGURE
1 Brick Support in Fired Heater
Figure 1A. Brick Support Using Lintel Plate …….Figure 1B. Brick Support Using Tie-back Bricks
2 Brick Arch Construction
3 Dimensions for Arch Calculations ……………………….4 Ring (Course) Tolerances
5 Compression Ring – Typical Detail
TABLE
I
Anchor Material Temperature Rating…………………….
II Heat-Up and Cool-Down Schedule for Bricks

1. Scope
This standard is for design and installation of refractory brick linings.
2. References
Reference is made in this standard to the following documents. The latest issues, amendments, and
supplements to these documents shall apply unless otherwise indicated.
SABIC Engineering Standards (SES)
N02-C01 Refractory Castable – Design and Installation
N02-S01 Refractories – Application and Selection
Q01-F07 Pressure Vessels – Fabrication
American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)
C 27 Classification of Fireclay and High Alumina Bricks
Steel Structures Painting Council (SSPC)
SP 6 Commercial Blast Cleaning
SP 7 Brush Blasting
3. General
See SES N02-S01.
3.1 Bricks are a shaped, solid form of refractory materials, manufactured in standard, and special shapes
and sizes for various applications. Brick can be classified into six categories based on chemical and
mineralogical nature, and their manufacturing process:
a. Fireclay Bricks – consisting of fired, hydrated aluminum silicates. There are five classes of
fireclay brick, as defined in ASTM C 27, of composition 18 to 44 percent alumina, and 50 to
80 percent silica. Five standard classes are super-duty, high-duty, medium-duty, low-duty and
semi-silica.
b. High Alumina Bricks – multi-purpose refractories containing 45 to 99+ percent alumina. Their
refractoriness is generally related to alumina content.
c. Basic Bricks – made of dead burned magnesite, beneficiated chrome ore and their mixtures, and
other magnesia mixtures with or without small additions of other materials, for example alumina and
chromia. Basic brick is used in steel making furnaces and other high temperature environments.
d. Silica Bricks – characterized by their high mechanical strength and rigidity at temperatures
almost up to their melting point, and their ability to resist the action of dust, fumes, and acid slags.
Typical silica content is from 92 to 99+ percent. Uses include linings for chemical reactors, electric
furnaces, and ceramic kilns.
e. Special Purpose Bricks – for special applications demanding the enhancement of certain
properties. Three common types are chemical resistant, silicon carbide, and zircon refractories.
f.
Insulating Fire Bricks – light weight, porous bricks with good insulating properties. Widely used
as the hot face layer in a non-abrasive, relatively clean furnace environment, and as backing material
for dense refractories.
3.2 Refractory bricks are also classified as rectangular sizes or special shapes:
3.2.1 Rectangular Sizes – bricks of simple design, produced in bulk, and less costly than larger and more
intricate shapes. The most common size is 230 x 114 x 64 mm. These shall be preferred wherever furnace
or vessel construction and operating conditions permit.
3.2.2 Special Shapes – bricks of special design in either simple or intricate form. These include key, ring,
and wedge bricks, and modifications of rectangular tiles, with the same overall dimensions. They are often
used in incinerators and arches to form no-anchor refractory linings.

3.3 Bricks are used as the hot face layer, or as the hot face and back-up layers. They are usually laid on
the floor, stacked up in vertical walls of fired heaters and boilers, or keyed/ringed in a cylindrical incinerator
or pressure vessel. Bricks are mortared together, and often tied back to the steel casing by pins or other
types of anchors.
3.4 Brick, shapes and mortar shall be specified by manufacturer and trade name in the individual job
specification.
3.5 Manufacturer’s latest published materials properties data sheets and material safety data sheets for
the refractory and mortar used shall become part of this standard.
3.6 Refractory and mortar shall meet the acceptance testing requirements of 8.3 and 8.10.
3.7 Any conflict(s) between this standard, SES and industry standards, engineering drawings, and contract
documents shall be resolved at the discretion of SABIC.
4. Design
4.1 General
4.1.1 Reference drawings and specifications (including metal structure) shall be listed in the individual job
specification.
4.1.2 Expansion joints shall be provided for brick laid in flat walls or on the floor. In a long and tall furnace
wall, horizontal and vertical expansion joints shall be provided at intervals, not at the very ends.
4.1.3 Brick lining in cylindrical vessels for high temperature and corrosive service shall be laid in rings.
Each brick ring shall be made up of individual tapered brick shapes, installed in a way that the complete
ring is keyed into place. Brick layout shall be submitted for SABIC review and approval.
4.1.4 Cylindrical vessels to be brick lined shall be fabricated in accordance with SES Q01-F07.
4.1.5 Mortars for brick linings shall be compatible with the brick with which they are used, for example a
90 percent alumina brick shall be laid with a 90 percent alumina mortar. Heat setting type shall be preferred
over cement bonded type.
4.2 Support System
4.2.1 Bricks lined in the vertical flat walls with ceramic fiber blanket, module or block as back-up layers
shall be tie-backed and supported by pins, pin holders and lintel (shelve) plates. The construction of
tie-back and support system shall be as detailed in Figures 1A and 1B.
4.2.2 The design for brick support lintel (shelve) plates shall consider the brick load, expansion and
crushing and rupture strengths at various operating conditions.
4.2.3 If lintel plates are required, they shall be welded to the furnace casing plate at an interval equivalent
to four courses of brick height, in the longitudinal direction. Provisions for thermal expansion in the lintel
plates and for differential thermal expansion between lintel plates and bricks shall be provided.
4.2.4 Tie-backs for dual layer refractory linings in process heaters shall meet the following requirements:
a. Tie-backs shall be fabricated from ASTM or ASME material
b. Low carbon grades, for example 304L and 316L, shall not be acceptable
c. Tie-backs designed to be bent after installation shall not be acceptable
d. Tie-backs which are cold formed shall be solution annealed prior to installation in the furnace
4.2.5 If tie-back pins are required, they shall be placed on every fourth course of brick in both vertical and
horizontal directions.
4.2.6 Tie-back pin shall be tapped into brick at a location not less than one-third, but not greater than
one-half of the brick lining thickness. Tie-back pins shall be 6 mm minimum in diameter.
4.2.7 The material selection of tie-back pins, pin holders and lintel plates shall be based on Table I, with
the design temperature being the calculated refractory temperature at the anchor tip, plus 56 °C.

4.2.8 Austenitic, and Incoloy anchor materials shall be supplied and installed in the fully bright, solution
annealed condition. Anchors shall be clean and free of any oxidation coatings. Anchors shall not be bent
after annealing except when the bent point on the anchor will be below 540 °C.
4.2.9 Incoloy 800 material shall be cleaned with a suitable solvent, for example methyl chloroform or
perchloroethylene, after use of a cutting oil for cutting or forming operation.
4.3 Brick Arch
4.3.1 The following considerations shall be given when designing brick arch:
a. The definition and elements of a simple sprung arch are shown in Figures 2 and 3
b. Thickness of an arch shall be determined based on the consideration of stability and span of an
arch, but shall in no circumstances be less than 5 percent of the arch span
c. The rise of an arch shall be determined by the strength and thermal properties of the brick. For
example, insulating firebrick has relatively low resistance to compression, therefore the rise of the
arch shall be designed for 167 to 250 mm per meter of arch span. Silica brick has greater strength
and the rise can be designed for 80 to 170 mm rise per meter span.
d. No tie back pins shall be provided for courses of arch bricks
e. The line of thrust shall lie within the middle third of the thickness of the arch ring
f. Special shape bricks, or straight bricks cut to fit, may be used for ring construction
g. Arch calculations shall use the following formulas:

$Refractory Bricks - Design and Installation$

4.3.2 Brick arch and skewback design shall be submitted for SABIC review and approval.
5. Materials Storage
5.1 Materials shall be received in weatherproof containers and kept dry. They shall be protected from
condensation.
5.2 Mortar and other materials that may be damaged by freezing or overheating shall be stored in
controlled areas, or otherwise suitably protected. Maximum hot and cold storage temperature shall be as
defined in the manufacturer’s data sheets. Indoor storage of materials shall be preferred.
5.3 Materials shall be at a temperature between 16 and 32 °C at the time of installation. If materials are
stored at temperatures below 16 °C or above 32 °C, they shall be placed in a storage area within this
range for a period of at least 24 hours prior to expected use.

5.4 Manufacturers’ recommendations for maximum stacking height and weight of refractory materials shall
not be exceeded. Storage area surface shall be able to support the weight of refractory materials without
subsidence or damage to palletized materials.
5.5 Contractor shall be responsible for protection, in accordance with 5.1 to 5.4, of all field-stored brick,
mortar, any other materials which they have moved to the job site, and SABIC purchased materials
released to them. Contractor shall replace at their expense materials damaged by their negligence.
6. Surface Preparation
6.1 All interior surfaces to be lined shall be free of loose rust, scale, dirt, grease, oil, or other
contamination. Cleaning shall be finished, and approved by SABIC, before any refractory or insulation is
installed. Cleaning may be done by:
a. Scraper and wire brush
b. Grit blasting in accordance with SSPC SP 6
c. Brush blasting with abrasive, in accordance with SSPC SP 7, followed by solvent wipe if required
and approved by SABIC.
6.2 Internal projections in the vessel which would interfere with installation of the refractory as designed,
shall be removed by cutting or grinding, or both.
7. Installation
7.1 General
7.1.1 Installation shall be done only by personnel experienced in industrial refractory construction.
7.1.2 Installation shall be in accordance with the job specification, required reference drawings (from
section 4), and the provisions of this standard. The contractor shall meet with SABIC at a pre-installation
meeting to discuss their method of installation and to ensure that they understand the drawings and can
fulfill the requirements of this standard. A SABIC representative will be present at all times work is in
progress.
7.1.3 Contractor shall check equipment for roundness, straightness, fit-up of welds and accuracy of
openings and support system location. If, in their opinion, any of these are out of tolerance, contractor shall
notify SABIC in writing prior to starting the job. Flatness tolerance shall be within 5 mm, and diameter
tolerance shall be a maximum of 1 percent.
7.1.4 Working points shall be established by contractor to provide a continuous check of installation.
Working points will be checked and approved by SABIC.
7.1.5 Brick installation shall not be started until contractor is certain the lining can be completed with the
materials available, without excessive cutting, hacking, or mortar joints, and that all brick can be securely
keyed.
7.1.6 Refractory materials shall not be installed when the temperature of the air or equipment is below 4 °C
or above 45 °C. Installed refractory shall be kept from freezing until dry cured or until mortar has air set. It
shall not be subjected to rain, condensation, or other forms of moisture until fired.
7.2 Mortar
7.2.1 Mortar supplied wet shall be used as supplied. Mortar supplied dry shall be mixed in accordance with
manufacturer’s instructions. In either case, addition of extra water, fillers, or other additives shall not be
permitted unless approved by SABIC.
7.2.2 Mortar shall be mixed to a uniform trowelling consistency using a mechanical mixer with a clean
stirring paddle. The mortar shall be completely free of lumps, dried mortar particles, or foreign material. The
mortar shall be capable of being spread uniformly over a brick surface without dragging; showing evidence
of unmixed or foreign material; or sagging and running.

7.3 Placement
7.3.1 Brick shall be handled carefully to avoid chipping of edges, or cracking. If brick tongs cause chipping
of edges in handling, they shall not be used. Brick shall not be dropped or thrown when handling.
7.3.2 Chipped or broken brick shall not be used unless approved by SABIC. They may be set aside and
used for cuts if damage is minor.
7.3.3 Refractory brick shall be laid tight against the shell or back up insulation, and shall be laid in bonded
or ring construction.
7.3.4 Refractory brick shall always be laid horizontally and leveled.
7.3.5 Each brick shall be installed in a way that it is keyed in place by adjacent brickwork. No brick shall be
installed which is smaller on the back face than on the exposed face.
7.3.6 If bricks are held by tie-back pins, the tie-back pins shall be tapped into brick face at specified
locations. Tapping pins into brick shall not damage or crack the brick.
7.3.7 Ledge tiles shall be laid with 2 mm fire clay or mortar joints. The front overhead section of each joint
shall be dry and only the back portion mortared. Tiles shall be lightly bedded to ensure uniform bearing on
the shelf.
7.3.8 Cuts in dense (hard-fired) refractory shall be made with a wet cut diamond masonry saw.
Lightweight insulating brick may be cut with any appropriate type of saw. No chipping or hammer work
shall be permitted. Any removal of small amounts (3 mm or less) of refractory from flat faces or ends shall
be done with a grinding wheel. No feather-edge cut shall be permitted. Minimum angle of cut shall be 45°.
Brick shall not be notch cut. No cut brick less than one-half of a full brick shall be used.
7.3.9 Shims of any kind shall not be permitted.
7.3.10 Bricks shall be laid using either dipped or lightly mortared joints. The preferred method shall be to
use dipped joints for all insulating firebrick linings.
7.3.11 Dipped joints should be held to approximately 0.5 mm thickness, and the consistency of the mortar
adjusted to suit.
7.3.12 Each brick shall be mortared on all faces that will contact a brick already in position. Sufficient
mortar shall be applied to ensure that the joint between bricks is filled completely. The interface between
brick and insulation shall not be mortared. Mortared joints between bricks in any course (ring) shall be a
maximum of 2 mm, exclusive of brick warpage. Mortared joints between courses (rings) shall not exceed
5 mm, and then only for the purpose of compensating for brick tolerances; otherwise they shall be 2 mm.
Mortared joints between fill brick and compression rings may be as much as 5 mm in some places,
however each brick shall contact the brick in the compression ring at some point throughout the full
thickness of the lining.
7.3.13 As bricks are set they shall be driven firmly into place to ensure minimum joint thickness. Adjacent
brickwork shall not be disturbed during this process. Only rawhide or dead-blow urethane-faced mallets
shall be used to drive brick into place.
7.3.14 Excess mortar shall be scraped off by trowel after a short drying period. Re-use of scraped mortar
shall not be allowed.
7.3.15 Expansion joints shall be kept free of mortar, dust and other contaminants.
7.3.16 The face of brick linings shall not be given a wash coat.
7.4 Vessels
7.4.1 Rings (courses) shall be laid up within the tolerances stated in Figure 4, measured from a plane
perpendicular to the axial centerline of the vessel, to ensure proper location and support of compression
rings, skews, and special shapes. Bricks shall be turned during installation to make warpage contours
concentric where possible. Refractory shall be laid up so that nozzle blocks match nozzle holes within
3mm.

7.4.2 Rings shall be jacked with a hydraulic jack before keying, to ensure that tight construction is
maintained. Keys shall be cut full enough to require driving, to ensure tightness of completed rings. Care
shall be exercised when jacking, so that refractory is not fractured. Keyholes (openings in the vessel shell)
will be provided by SABIC for driving of the final keys at points designated by the contractor. A maximum of
two keyholes per equipment piece shall be permitted and they shall not interfere with the structural integrity
of the equipment. Integrity of rings shall be maintained. No bonding shall be permitted unless specifically
shown on the drawings. Continuity of rings shall be interrupted only by nozzles, compression rings, or
special shapes.
7.4.3 Compression rings as illustrated in Figure 5 shall be required for openings 305 mm or larger. Brick
installation shall be planned in a way that compression rings can be installed and properly supported by
surrounding brickwork. They shall be constructed from combinations of arches, wedges, and wedge-arch
shapes. Mitre cuts shall not be permitted. Compression rings and the internal vessel brickwork shall be
completed, and approved by SABIC, before nozzle linings are installed.
7.5 Ducts
7.5.1 When lining circular ducts with bricks, ring construction shall be used. Each ring shall be tight against
the shell with a full key not less than two-thirds width of a full brick. Rings and key bricks shall be staggered
from ring to ring. If available, special shape bricks cut to the exact ring form may be used.
7.5.2 Miter joints, wherever required in elbows, shall be straight and in line with those in the shell work.
7.5.3 To accommodate branches in brick-lined duct work, a width of 114 mm shall be cut out of lining for
the full perimeter of the required hole in the duct. The edge of the cut lining shall be cut square to the shell,
and the perimeter of the hole may follow the nearest brick joint.
7.5.4 Cut out brick work shall be replaced with castable material anchored to the shell, in accordance with
SES N02-C01. Anchors shall be field installed on a maximum spacing of 178 mm center to center.
7.5.5 Rings shall not become loose during cut out and refractory replacement. If required, small stops shall
be welded to the shell, and brick rings wedged.
7.5.6 End faces and brick faces of pre-lined ducts, manways, and other units shall meet flush on assembly.
7.5.7 Corners of refractory and brick work shall be protected from damage by traffic in and out of the ducts
or unit during construction.
7.6 Heating Rate
Brick linings shall be heated at the rates shown in Table II when first fired.
8. Quality Assurance
8.1 Contractor shall have quality assurance personnel with authority separate from installation supervision
at the job site when work is in progress. Documentation of the duties and responsibilities of these
personnel shall be submitted to SABIC. Contractor shall perform whatever inspections are necessary to
ensure conformance to this standard. SABIC will audit this function.
8.2 If contractor is to purchase refractory materials, they shall only be purchased from those
manufacturers who have a statistical process control quality assurance program that meets SABIC’s
approval.
8.3 Contractor shall verify that materials conform to sections 3, 4 and 5.
8.4 Anchor supplier shall verify material quality by submitting mill test for the anchor materials.
8.5 Contractor shall verify by random checks of metal composition that the anchors being installed meet
the required specification. Minimum sampling shall be three per 1,000 anchors of each design (materials,
size).
8.6 Dimensions of bricks and special shapes shall be checked.
8.7 Documentation of physical and chemical properties testing from material suppliers shall be submitted
to SABIC.

8.8 Contractor shall ensure correct quantities are ordered and received, and shall limit damage caused by
transportation, storage and handling at the job site.
8.9 Contractor shall;
a. Use qualified masons (see 7.1.1)
b. Maintain strict adherence to installation specifications
c. Use proper tools and equipment maintained in good working order
d. Control the working environment; that is, weather protection, housekeeping and safety
8.10 Materials purchased by SABIC will be inspected by SABIC for compliance with required physical
properties, dimensions, quantities, packaging, and storage at installation site as required in the job
specification and sections 3, 4 and 5.
8.11 SABIC will inspect all stages of construction to ensure compliance with the provisions of this
standard. The contractor shall make provisions for these inspections. Inspection hold points shall be
established at the pre-installation meeting as specified in 7.1.2.
8.12 SABIC reserves the right to remove a reasonable number of installed bricks for inspection. These
shall be replaced by the contractor at no extra cost to SABIC.
8.13 Any work which does not conform to this standard shall be removed and replaced in accordance
therewith at no extra cost to SABIC.
TABLE I
Anchor Material Temperature Rating