Abstract: When the wall and bottom of a steel casting and handling ladle are provided at the same time with a refractory monolithic lining, the lining in the lower area of the wall is often damaged during intermediate repairs of the bottom. According to a new process, wall and bottom are lined one after the other. A hose-like inflatable sealing body is secured to the bottom part of the template 4 when beginning to introduce the casting mass in the wall area and is inflated so that it seals the template 4 up to the height that corresponds to the desired thickness of the bottom. As soon as the casting mass in the lower wall area is sufficiently set, the sealing body 2 is deflated and removed, then the refractory casting mass is introduced into the bottom area up to the desired height. This process is suitable for steel casting and handling ladles and for similar metallurgical vessels.

Abstract: It was difficult until now to carry out intermediate repairs of monolithic refractory lining walls of steel casting and handling ladles when the slag area of the lining was worn before other areas. According to this new process for reconstructing the refractory lining in the upper area of the wall, repairs may be economically carried out in that the gap between the lower end of the template and the lining that projects under the area to be reconstructed is sealed by inflating a hose-like sealing body and by deflating again the sealing body before removing the template. This process is useful for steel casting and handling ladles and for similar metallurgical vessels.

Abstract: A process for the production of refractory materials containing SiALON and carbon or SiALON/SiC and carbon. The process for producing a refractory material containing SiALON and carbon includes heating a molding containing silicon, aluminum, aluminum oxide and carbon to a temperature of 1380.degree. C. at a total atmospheric pressure of less than or equal to 0.1 MPa in an atmosphere containing predominantly nitrogen and containing a concentration of 0 to 5 vol. % of carbon monoxide, subsequently increasing the concentration of carbon monoxide to between 10 and 30 vol. % and heating the molding to a temperature of 1500.degree. C. at a total atmospheric pressure of less than or equal to 0.1 MPa; and subsequently controlling the concentration of carbon monoxide to be between 0 and 10 vol. % and heating the molding to a temperature of 2200.degree. C. at a total atmospheric pressure of greater than or equal to 0.1 MPa.

Abstract: Method for the production of sintered dolomite, wherein at least carbonate material is ground into particles, formed into a predetermined shape, such as briquettes, deacidified and then heated to a predetermined temperature.

Abstract: A stir plug of frusto-conical shape for introducing gas into a mass of molten metal and comprising a plug having an outer core formed of a first refractory material. A wear indicator in the form of a central core comprised of a second refractory material is located within a centrally located recess in the outer core adjacent the bottom end of the plug. The central core extends from the bottom end of the plug towards the top end of the plug and is of a predetermined height less than that of the outer core. The upper end of the central core when exposed by the erosion of the stirring plug provides a visual indication of when that plug should be replaced.

Abstract: Method for the production of sintered dolomite, wherein at least carbonate material is ground into particles, formed into a predetermined shape, such as briquettes, deacidified and then heated to a predetermined temperature.

Abstract: A refractory composition for use, preferably as a lining of a metallurgical vessel is disclosed. The refractory composition includes sintered oxide granulations, based on magnesium oxide, dolomite, calcium oxide or a combination thereof, an organic binder having a mixture containing carbomethoxy-substituted oligophenyls, carbomethoxy-substituted benzyl esters or a combination thereof, and 0 to 20 parts by weight of a fine particulate carbon carrier per 100 parts by weight sintered oxide. A process for the production of a pressed body employing the refractory composition of the invention is also disclosed.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing sintered dolomite having raw densities exceeding about 3.0 grams per cubic centimeter in a shaft kiln from ground raw dolomite briquetted or pelletized into shaped bodies, the steps include deacidifying and heating the shaped bodies to a temperature of at least 1000.degree. C. in an upper region of the shaft kiln in a preheating and deacidifying zone heated with fuels of a low thermal content, thereafter sintering the shaped bodies in a lower sintering zone heated with fuels of high thermal content, so as to heat the shaped bodies to a temperature of about 1600.degree. C. to about 2000.degree. C., and subsequently passing the sintered bodies into a lower cooling zone, cooling the bodies therein, and, thereafter, discharging the sintered bodies from the shaft kiln.

Abstract: Basic fire resistant material comprised of burned or calcined sintered dolomite and organic binding means having plastic properties which can be densified at low pressures, whose shaped bodies have intermediate and final strengths in a temperature range between 300.degree. and 1600.degree. C. in which, related to the fire resistant basic materials, the proportion of binding means is 3 to 8% by weight wherein 0.1 to 2% by weight are silicon-organic compounds, and the fire resistant basic materials are from 10 to 15% by weight of particles having a particle size smaller than 45 .mu.m.

Abstract: To produce a dolomite sinter with a low porosity and a good hydration stability made of difficult-to-sinter raw dolomite, the dolomite is milled and caustic burnt dolomite, dolomite hydrate or semi-burnt dolomite in quantities between 3 and 20% by weight relative to the total mixture is added to the raw dolomite powder and is calculated as oxide, as well as foreign oxide, such as Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3, Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 or SiO.sub.2, in such quantities that the total content of the foreign oxide mixture is 1 to 3% by weight.