Hao Feng

Mullite–corundum ceramics are pivotal in heat transfer pipelines and thermal energy storage systems due to their excellent mechanical properties, thermal stability, and chemical resistance. Establishing relationships and mechanisms through traditional experiments is time-consuming and labor-intensive. In this study, gradient boosting regression (GBR), random forest (RF), and artificial neural network (ANN) models were developed to predict essential properties such as apparent porosity, bulk density, water absorption, and flexural strength of mullite–corundum ceramics. The GBR model (R² 0.91–0.95) outperformed the RF and ANN models (R² 0.83–0.89 and 0.88–0.91, respectively) in accuracy. Feature importance and partial dependence analyses revealed that sintering temperature and K₂O (~0.25%) positively affected bulk density while negatively influencing apparent porosity and water absorption. Additionally, sintering temperature, additives, and Fe₂O₃ (optimal content ~5% and 1%, respectively) were positively related to flexural strength. This approach provided new insight into the relationships between feedstock compositions and sintering process parameters and ceramic properties, and it explored the possible mechanisms involved.

Glass is one of the most common materials in society, and the float glass process is the main production method of glass used at present, which involves adopting a melting furnace with a single cooler. However, this structure has been difficult to fit to the requirements of modern glass production, such as producing multiple types of glass and large-scale production. Therefore, a large-tonnage float glass melting furnace with a double cooler is studied, which is rising in popularity in the glass sector. The aim of this paper is to clarify the characteristics of the new glass furnace. A numerical simulation technique is applied to analyze the thermal and flow characteristics of molten glass in the new structure so as to clarify the feasibility of production by checking the temperature distribution and flow field of the molten glass. The results show that the new structure also exhibits flow behavior similar to the original structure in the branch line. Due to the addition of the branch line, the stability of the temperature is improved, with a 60 K and 43 K difference between the surface and bottom in the main and branch lines, respectively. Similar stability is shown in the flow field, specifically low acceleration in the cooler (0.006 m/s²). The bubble clarification time is about 2700 s, less than the 3000 s required for flow. The parameters of the branch line meet the requirements of glass production. In theory, a glass-melting furnace with a double cooler has the capacity to produce two types of glass.

In this paper, the effect of a sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) addition on the dispersion and hydration of pure calcium aluminate cement (PCAC) was investigated, and the corresponding mechanism of effect was studied. The effects of STPP on the dispersion, rheology, and hydration processes of PCAC and its adsorption capacity on the surface of cement particles were analysed by measuring the 𝜁-potential on the surface of cement particles, the changes in the concentrations of elemental P and Ca²⁺ ions in a solution at different STPP additions. The experimental results show that STPP easily complexes with Ca²⁺ ions to produce the complex [CaP₃O₁₀]³⁻ adsorbed on the surface of cement particles, which changes the potential on the surface of cement particles and increases the electrostatic repulsive force between cement particles, thus improving the dispersion and rheology of cement. At the same time, the contact area between cement particles and water is reduced, which hinders the hydration process and makes the time of hydration process longer. A comprehensive analysis shows that the best effect of STPP on pure calcium aluminate cements is achieved when the addition of STPP is 0.2%. This study can provide a reference for the addition of water-reducing agents in refractory castables as well as improving the quality of refractory materials.