As the heat is applied to your refractory linings it causes chemical changes and removes the free water from within the material. A slow, controlled heating rate allows for boiling off of internal moisture at low enough temperatures to prevent damage to your refractory materials. This process is critical to the longevity of your refractory systems.
What is the dry out process?
It is also a great way to test your equipment. If your refractory linings are not fully dried out they can develop thermal shock related damage (fissures, spalling, cracking, etc). Refractory dry out is extremely important that you follow the recommended drying schedule provided by the refractory supplier and or refractory installation contractor. Failure to do so can lead to expensive repairs for your plant as well as safety risks.
A professional refractory dry out is conducted with a high velocity air burner system that provides accurate controlled rates of heating in line with your dry out schedule. The air burner has a turn down ratio of gas to air that ensures that the evolving moisture is carried away by the hot work gas stream and not localized overheating.
It is also important to consider the ambient conditions during the refractory drying out process. Cold, wet weather can impact the ability of your refractory to reach its full strength.