Damage mechanism of Si3N4-bonded SiC bricks in sloped zone of dry quenching coke ovens under N2–CO2–CO–H2–O2 atmosphere
摘要
The Si3N4-bonded silicon carbide (SiC) bricks in the sloped zone of dry quenching coke ovens support the weight of upper refractory materials and equipment. These bricks endure frequent temperature fluctuations and intense abrasion from coke dust, demanding extremely high performance. After three years of service, an analysis of the Si3N4-bonded SiC bricks revealed that oxidation, which reduces thermal shock resistance, is the primary cause of degradation. In the unused Si3N4-bonded SiC bricks, short columnar β-Si3N4 forms an interwoven network around SiC particles and contains a small amount of plate-like Si2N2O. Under the complex N2 (84.42 vol.%)–CO2 (10.44 vol.%)–CO (4.43 vol.%)–H2 (0.56 vol.%)–O2 (0.15 vol.%) atmosphere in the dry quenching coke oven, O2 (0.15 vol.%) exhibits a stronger oxidizing effect than CO2 (10.44 vol.%) and CO (4.43 vol.%), making it the primary oxidizing agent. The short columnar β-Si3N4 is more susceptible to oxidation than the particulate SiC. Based on thermodynamic and kinetic analyses, the chemical stability of the phases in Si3N4-bonded SiC bricks ranks from strongest to weakest as follows: Si2N2O, SiC, Si3N4. Future development of Si2N2O-bonded SiC bricks could improve the longevity of refractory materials in the sloped zone of dry quenching coke ovens.