What Are Refractories?
- Protecting the outside of furnaces and kiln shells from high temperatures
- Retaining internal heat to reduce energy loss
- Preventing leakage and damage to ensure safe operation
Refractories are generally classified into shaped refractories and monolithic refractories according to their form.
Shaped refractories are fired bricks that are pre‑formed at the manufacturing plant and then laid on site to build the lining walls.
Monolithic refractories are supplied as powder or granular materials without a fixed shape. On site, they are mixed, cast into forms, or applied by gunning to create linings in the required shapes.
Refractories
Pre-shaped and fired Shaped Refractories
- Fire bricks
- Insulating fire bricks
- Shaped insulating materials
Installed on site Monolithic Refractories
- Plastic refractories
- Castable refractories
- Refractory mortars
- Insulating materials
What Are Monolithic Refractories?
Monolithic refractories are refractory materials that can be formed freely on site. Compared with brick linings (shaped refractories), they offer the following advantages.
- No need for highly skilled workers: unlike fired brick linings, monolithic refractories can be installed without relying on highly skilled workers for complex furnace wall shapes.
- Reduced workload: there is no need to carry and lay heavy refractory bricks, which helps ease the physical burden on workers.
- Shorter construction time: lining work can be completed in a shorter period than when using shaped refractories.
- Easy installation of complex shapes: areas with complex geometries, such as boiler walls and burner surrounds, can be lined more easily and flexibly.
- Monolithic linings with fewer joints: compared with brick linings, monolithic refractories reduce the number of joints, helping to minimize spalling and joint erosion.
Installation Methods
At AGC Plibrico, we not only focus on improving installation efficiency and lining quality, but also develop proprietary installation methods tailored to monolithic refractories. By transforming what was once considered difficult or time‑consuming work into practical solutions,
we help customers achieve both excellent lining performance and improved on‑site productivity.
HYRATE Installation Method (Plastic refractory gunning method)
The HYRATE Installation Method is a high‑speed gunning technique for plastic refractories originally developed by Plibrico for furnace linings.
Conventional plastic ramming materials are highly workable but require labor‑intensive ramming by hand or with pneumatic tools. In contrast, the HYRATE method enables plastic refractories to be pneumatically conveyed and gunned onto the lining surface, significantly reducing installation time and physical workload. Because the material is applied in a plastic state and compacted on impact, the resulting lining achieves high density and excellent adhesion.
This method is particularly effective for large vertical surfaces and overhead areas, where traditional ramming is difficult. By making it practical to use plastic refractories in locations that were previously dominated by castables, the HYRATE method contributes to longer lining life, improved reliability, and reduced maintenance.
Pli-JET‑AD Installation Method (P・JET-AD installation method)
The Pli‑JET‑AD Installation Method adds a setting accelerator using the continuous material feeder PLIMATE® II. This achieves handling and ease of operation comparable to conventional dry‑gunning methods, while providing high‑quality linings equivalent to those obtained with wet gunning. As a result, the method has been widely adopted in cement plants, CFB boilers, and many other applications.
Pli‑JET‑AD was developed to reduce furnace maintenance workload and improve working environments.
Unlike conventional wet gunning, it does not require large material tanks or complex pumping systems, and can be operated with relatively simple equipment and piping using compressed air. Because very little rebound material or wash water remains inside the furnace after cleaning, the method is also environmentally friendly.
Refractories are high‑temperature, non‑metallic materials used in furnaces and kilns.
They do not easily melt or deform at high temperatures and have sufficient strength to withstand thermal shock, enabling them to endure rapid temperature changes. In simple terms, they are specialized ceramic products designed to withstand high temperatures.
Core industrial equipment such as boilers, power generation facilities, and incinerators in industries like steel, cement, glass, and oil refining cannot operate without refractories. Refractories are essential, behind‑the‑scenes materials that support these fundamental industries.