St. Louis Section/RCD 48th Annual Symposium

March 28-29, 2012, St. Louis, MO, USA

The St. Louis Section and the Refractory Ceramics Division of The American Ceramic Society will sponsor the 48th Annual Symposium on the theme “Refractories for Non-Ferrous Applications” on March 28-29 2012. The meeting will be held in St. Louis, Missouri, at the Hilton St. Louis Airport Hotel. Co-program chairs are Ben Markel of Resco Products and Rick Solak of Wahl Refractories.

Register now for the meeting. View complete program.

Program Schedule:

March 27th

5:00 P.M. Kickoff Event

March 28th

7:30 A.M. Registration and Coffee

Morning Technical Sessions
8:45 Welcome and Introductions: 

St. Louis Section Chairman, Mary Reidmeyer, Missouri S&T;

Refractory Ceramics Division Chair, Jason Canon, The Christy Refractories Company

Co-Program Coordinators Ben Markel, Resco Products; and Rick Solak, Wahl Refractories

9:00 Evaluation of a 99+% Alumina Refractory taken from Service in a Distribution Channel in a Container Glass Furnace

Dave Lankard - Lankard Materials Laboratory

9:30 Mechanism of Corrosion Resistance to Carbon Monoxide of Analusite
Xiaoyong Xiong - Imerys-Damrec

10:00 Coffee Break

10:30 The Crack Growth Resistance of Refractories
Richard C. Bradt - The University of Alabama

11:30 Questions and Discussion

11:45-1:00 Luncheon Banquet

1:00-1:30 Presentation of the T.J. Planje St. Louis Refractories Award to Rick Volk - UNI-REF, Inc.

Afternoon Technical Sessions

1:30 Trends in Refractory Linings of O2-Enriched Sulfur Recovery Unit
Syed Rahman - Conoco Philips

2:00 Novel Spinel-Family Refractories for High-Temperature, High-Alkaline Environments
James Hemrick - Oak Ridge National Laboratory

2:30 Coffee Break

3:00 Development of New Procedures for Combined Corrosion-Erosion Testing on Refractories for Aluminum Furnaces
Peter Quirmbach - Deutsches Institut für Feuerfest und Keramik GmbH (DIFK)

3:30 Effect of Cement Content on the Properties of Self-Flowing Refractory Castables with Nano-Zirconia
Cem Cogtas - University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Materials Engineering Department 

4:00 ASTM C08 Celebrates 200th Meeting and Award Presentation
Len Krietz - Plibrico

4:30 RCD Annual Members Meeting

4:45 Questions & Discussion, followed by Closing Remarks 
 

5:00-7:00 Exposition and Cocktail Hour

Current list of tabletop participants:

Almatis
Aluchem
American Ceramic Society
BassTech International
Calucem, Inc.
CE Minerals
Christy Minerals
Cilas Particle-Size
Fibercon International
Great Lakes Minerals
Kerneos
Kyanite Mining
LAEIS GmbH
Lancaster Products
Missouri S&T
Orton Ceramic Foundation
Possehl Erzkontor N.A.
Refractories WORLDFORUM
Refractory Minerals
Rio Tinto Alcan
Washington Mills

7:00 Dinner

March 29th (2nd Day)

6:30 A.M. Refractory Ceramics Division (RCD) Executive Committee Breakfast Meeting

Morning Technical Sessions
7:45 Welcome and Introductions

8:00 Microsilica-Gel Bonded Castables for Rapid Heatup
Bjorn Myhre - Elkem Materials

8:30 Advantages of Calcium Hexaluminate in a Corrosive Environment
Dale Zacherl - Almatis

9:00 Coffee Break

9:30 Phase Diagram Short Course by Jeff Smith - Missouri S&T
For us to have sufficient course materials, please sign-up on registration form (see link below)

Getting the Diagrams to Work For You: Basic Applications of Ternary Phase Equilibria

This very short course will provide a review of the fundamentals of ternary phase diagrams and then highlight ways that the diagrams can be used to address refractory production and application. Topics will include liquid phase sintering aids, reactions and phase stability, refractoriness, refractory dissolution in liquid slags and glasses, among others. This review is intended to be “hands on” where you will be provided diagrams so you can follow along in the mining of the useful information contained within these diagrams. Some basic drafting tools will be provided; a calculator may be useful.

11:45 Questions & Discussion

12:00 St. Louis Section Business Meeting & Lunch

General Information:

The Tabletop Expo format is the same as past years with each vendor having a 6-foot table to display products and literature. The charge is $300, which will be used to cover the cost of the Expo Hall and provide an open two hour bar during the “Meet and Greet” for the attendees prior to dinner on Wednesday evening. If you are interested in participating in the Tabletop Expo, contact Patty Smith at (573) 341-6265, psmith@mst.edu; or Mary Reidmeyer at (573) 341-7519, maryrr@mst.edu.

A meeting of the ASTM International C-8 Committee on Refractories will be held on March 27th, before this joint St. Louis Section/RCD conference. Contact Kate McClung at (610) 832-9717 for more information on this meeting.

The 2012 Theodore J. Planje Refractories Award will be presented to Rick Volk, UNI-REF, Inc. on March 28th at 1:00pm.

Register now for the meeting.  View complete program.

A block of rooms has been set aside for the evenings of March 26-29, 2012 at the Hilton (314) 426-5500. The rate is $99.00 for a single or double. To receive the $99 rate, mention the St. Louis Section of The American Ceramic Society when making your reservation. All hotel reservations must be received on or before March 10, 2012.

For further information please contact Patty Smith at tel: (573) 341-6265, Fax: (573) 341-2071 or email: psmith@mst.edu.

THE REFRACTORIES INSTITUTE 2012 SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

The member companies of The Refractories Institute have an excellent academic scholarship program for the 2012-2013 academic year to support qualified students enrolled in degree programs who have exhibited an interest in refractory manufacturing through their course work or other activities, and who might be considering a career in the refractory industry. To be considered, interested individuals must submit a letter of application by March 30, 2012. Learn more today.

Alfred W. Allen Award
This biennial award was established to honor Alfred W. Allen’s legacy as an educator, technical contributor and supporter of the Refractory Ceramics Division. The award committee shall select as the biennial award recipient, from the technical literature of the last two years, the author(s) of the technical paper on refractory ceramics which reflects the highest level of technical quality.

Allen Award Recipients

The Theodore J. Planje — St. Louis Refractories Award

2012 Winner:  Rick Volk, UNI-REF, Inc.

2011 Winner: Rob Crolius - The Refractories Institute  

2010 Winner: James L. Hill, Retired - ANH Refractories 

2009 Winner: James W. Stendera, Vesuvius USA

In December 1967, the St. Louis Section of The American Ceramic Society announced the establishment of as “The St. Louis Refractories Award.” This has been provided in Article XII of the by-laws of the St. Louis Section “for the purpose of recognizing and honoring distinguished achievement in the refractories field.”

In March 1982, the St. Louis Section voted to amend Article XII of the by-laws. The award was renamed “The Theodore J. Planje — St. Louis Refractories Award” in honor of his many contributions.

Nominations received after December 1 shall be held for the following year. To request a nomination form please contact Patty Smith at P: (573) 341-6265, F: (573) 341-6151.

Refractories Applications and News - a bimonthly publication, RAN, covers the latest advances in raw materials, finished products, installation and research.

The Refractories Institute - Promoting the interests of the refractories community, providing service and support to a vital industry.

refractories WORLDFORUM is the new technical and scientific journal for the entire refractories sector: production, application and further development of high temperature materials.  It addresses refractories professionals worldwide, i.e. in the production of refractories as well as in industries processing and consuming refractories, raw materials and additives, plant and machine suppliers.  refractories WORLDFORUM is published four times per year in English.