Forsterite Refractory Products

refractories whose principal component is forsterite. They are manufactured in brick form of varying sizes from natural magnesium silicates—dunites, olivinites, serpentinites, and talcomagnesites—by the roasting of the raw material, grinding, frequent mixing with sintered magnesite, press forming, and firing. Nonfired forsterite refractory products are manufactured as well, using various binders.

Forsterite refractory products have an apparent density of 2.5–2.8 g/cm³, a compressive strength of 30–50 meganewtons/m² (300–500 kilograms-force/cm²), a temperature of initial deformation under load of 1560°–1670°C, and a refractoriness of 1790°–1850°C. They are used in regenerators of open-hearth and glass furnaces, in heating furnaces, and sometimes in the bottom structure of open-hearth furnaces.