Browsing by Author "Lugoye, Ndalahwa Mathias E."

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    A study of the properties of local materials for the production of engineering refractories.
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 1998) Lugoye, Ndalahwa Mathias E.
    Refractory materials are capable of enduring high temperatures and are thus commonly used in the construction of industrial structures and appliances that function at high or fluctuating temperatures. These materials are made from high melting oxides or a combination of oxides and some trace elements or compounds. The raw materials for refractory materials such as bricks are based on the natural mineral kaolin (A12O3.2SiO2.2H2O), bauxite (A1203. 2H20), dolomite (CaC03. MgC03), and magnesite (MgC03). These materials contain high melting oxides such as SiO2, A1203, and Mg0 etc. These materials are available from different parts of Tanzania. This dissertation is about the study of production of refractory lining bricks using local materials in Tanzania. In this work, refractory materials were made from ball clay obtained from selected sources viz. Kiembe-Samaki in Zanzibar, Rungemba in Iringa Region, Matema beach and Kaporogwe falls in Mbeya and clay from Kimara in Dar es Salaam. The results show that a mixture of 80% Kaolin from Pugu and 20% ball clay from Rungemba produce bricks with a cold crushing strength of 27 N/mm2 suitable for use as general refractory fire-clay bricks. A mixture of 80% grog and raw Kaolin together with 20% clay from Kimara gave bricks with a cold crushing strength of 19 N/mm2 which is sufficient for use as insulating refractory bricks. With these two examples the author is convinced that, it is possible to produce refractory materials for use in industries and other applications operating at high temperatures.