Materials systems resistant to penetration of molten salts and may be present within a molten-salt-facing wall of a device for containing a molten salt bath at an elevated temperature, and molten-salt-facing walls and devices formed by such materials systems. A first layer of such a system defines an outer surface for direct contact with the molten salt bath, and resists erosion and corrosion and is penetrable by the molten salt at the elevated temperature. A second layer is located adjacent to the first layer and exhibits little or no wetting by the molten salt so that at least a portion of a thickness of the second layer is not penetrable by the molten salt. A third layer is located adjacent to the second layer and is porous and exhibits a low thermal conductivity at the elevated temperature.

A dry substance mixture for a batch, preferably a refractory batch, for the production of a coarse ceramic, refractory, non-basic, shaped or unshaped product, such a refractory batch, such a product as well as a method for its production and a lining of an industrial furnace for the aluminum industry, and such an industrial furnace as well as a lining of a launder transport system or a mobile transport vessel for the aluminum industry, and such a launder transport system and such a transport vessel.

A refractory composition for forming a working lining in a metallurgical vessel contains a coarse-grain refractory particle fraction and a fine-grain refractory particle fraction, or at least 0.25% additive calcium oxide, or at least 0.25% titanium dioxide. The coarse-grain refractory particles can include alumina particles, magnesia particles, magnesium aluminate spinel particles, zirconia particles, or doloma particles, or a combination of any of these particles. The fine-grain refractory particles can be comprised of any low-magnesia refractory oxide. The refractory composition can be applied to a metallurgical vessel by spraying, gunning, shotcreting, vibrating, casting, troweling, or positioning preformed refractory shapes, or a combination of any of these techniques. When contacted by molten metal, the molten metal penetrates into the refractory material, wetting the coarse-grain refractory particles, and forming a refractory-metal composite barrier layer that decreases or blocks oxygen transport through the refractory lining.

Systems and methods for fabrication of ceramics from celestial materials using microwave sintering and mechanical compression for space mining applications are disclosed. In one aspect, a chamber for sintering loose mineral material into solid ceramic shapes includes a plurality of zirconia insulting plates configured to clamp the mineral material and forming a cavity in which the mineral loose material is contained, and at least one dipole array configured to generate microwave energy and apply the microwave energy to the mineral material.

A unitary refractory ring having a sidewall surrounding and spaced from a center axis, and one or more lifting lugs distributed around the center axis. The lifting lugs extend from an inner face of the sidewall towards the center axis, and are located between lower and upper axial faces of the sidewall. Each lifting lug has a lower lug face extending radially towards the center axis from the inner face of the sidewall, and a backing structure extending upwards along an axial direction from the lower lug face towards the upper axial face of the sidewall. An assembly of refractory rings, and methods for making and assembling refractory rings are also provided.

A metallurgical vessel structure and method is provided for producing low-impurity Magnesia-Carbon reclaimed aggregate suitable for reuse in the production of high purity Magnesia-Carbon refractory. A metallurgical vessel is assembled with a non-reactive or chemically similar backup lining. The entire height of the working lining wall is Magnesia-Carbon brick suitable for reuse. The working lining is exposed to a metal making high temperature process, and the working lining is sequentially demolished. Due to the assembly of vessel, metallurgical practice, and ease of demolishing the vessel, there is little to no need for sorting, such that the used Magnesia-Carbon brick are easily converted into low impurity Magnesia-Carbon reclaimed aggregate. A refractory composed of low-impurity Magnesia aggregate reclaimed from the method is also contemplated.

A refractory ring structure for forming a section of an inner wall or liner of a metallurgical vessel is provided. The refractory ring structure comprises a continuous top surface; a continuous bottom surface; a continuous arcuate inner surface extending from the top surface to the bottom surface and defining a cavity; a continuous arcuate outer surface opposite the inner surface and extending between the top surface and the bottom surface; and a continuous protrusion or a plurality of protrusions extending from the inner surface for lifting the ring structure. The refractory ring structure comprises a heat resistant, refractory material suitable for use in the inner wall of a metallurgical vessel. Also provided herein are a metallurgical vessel comprising a refractory ring structure as disclosed herein, and a method for providing or replacing all or a section of a refractory inner wall or liner of a metallurgical vessel.

A modular dome structure (5) for a masonry oven, which includes a plurality of interlocking wall modules (60) abutting one another to form a wall of the dome and a base (7) upon which the wall modules are mounted. Each wall module (60) is formed of a plurality of blocks (63) hingedly interconnected together and shaped so as to form an arch segment of the dome wall when facing surfaces of adjacent blocks (63) of the wall module (60) abut and interlock with one another.

Thermal storage unit including: a receptacle including orifices allowing a heat-transfer fluid to be introduced into and extracted, and a stack of bricks, arranged in the receptacle in superposed strata, each stratum having lower and upper large faces and defining a plurality of ducts opening via lower and upper openings, the stack including a pair of strata of a lower and upper stratum, the upper and lower large faces of the lower and upper stratum being separated to define a passage, placing an upper opening of a lower duct of the lower stratum in fluidic communication with at least one lower opening, entirely offset with respect to the upper opening, of at least one upper duct of the upper stratum, the lower large face of the upper stratum closing off, at least partially, the upper opening, when the upper opening is observed, along its axis, from the lower duct.

A furnace stave comprising a plurality of internal channels or conduits for circulating cooling fluid through the stave; an inlet and an outlet channel associated with each internal channel or conduit; wherein one of the internal channels or conduits is disposed in a protrusion from the stave.