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1. Scope
1.1 This test method covers the determination of the Pyrometric Cone Equivalent (PCE) of fire clay, fireclay brick, high
alumina brick, and silica fire clay refractory mortar by comparison of test cones with standard pyrometric cones under the
conditions prescribed in this test method.
1.2 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded
as standard. The values given in parentheses are for information only.
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
2. Referenced Documents
2.1 ASTM Standards:
C 71 Terminology Relating to Refractories2
E 11 Specification for Wire-Cloth Sieves for Testing Purposes3
E 220 Method for Calibration of Thermocouples by Comparison Techniques4
6. Procedure
6.1 Preparation of Sample:
6.1.1 Clay or BrickCrush the entire sample of fire clay or
fireclay brick, in case the amount is small, by means of rolls or
a jaw crusher to produce a particle size not larger than 14 in. (6
mm). If the amount is large, treat a representative sample
obtained by approved methods. Then mix the sample thoroughly and reduce the amount to about 250 g (0.5 lb) by
quartering (see Note 1). Then grind this portion in an agate,
porcelain, or hard steel mortar and reduce the amount again by
quartering. The final size of the sample shall be 50 g and the
fineness capable of passing an ASTM No. 70 (212-m) sieve5
(equivalent to a 65-mesh Tyler Standard Series). In order to
avoid excessive reduction to fines, remove them frequently
during the process of reduction by throwing the sample on the
sieve and continuing the grinding of the coarser particles until
all the sample passes through the sieve (see Note 2). Take
precautions to prevent contamination of the sample by steel
particles from the sampling equipment during crushing or
grinding.
3. Terminology
3.1 DefinitionsFor definitions of terms used in this test
method, see Terminology C 71.
4. Summary of Test Method
4.1 This test method consists of preparing a test cone from
a refractory material and comparing its deformation end point
to that of a standard pyrometric cone. The resultant PCE value
is a measure of the refractoriness of the material.
4.2 Temperature equivalent tables for the standard cones
have been determined by the National Institute of Standards
1
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee C08 on
Refractories and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee C08.07 on High
Alumina, Silica, and Special Refractories.
Current edition approved Feb. 10, 2001. Published April 2001. Originally issued
as C 24 19 T. Last previous edition C 24 89 (1999)e1.
2
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 15.01.
3
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 14.02.
4
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 14.03.
Copyright ASTM, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
C 24
NOTE 1Take care during the crushing and grinding of the sample to
prevent the introduction of magnetic material.
NOTE 2The requirement to grind the coarser particles is particularly
important for highly siliceous products; excessively fine grinding may
reduce their PCE by as much as two cones.
6.1.2 Silica Fire Clay (see 3.1)In the case of silica fire
clay, test the sample obtained by approved methods as received
without grinding or other treatment.
6.2 Preparation of Test Cones:
6.2.1 After preparing samples of unfired clays (Note 3), or
of mixes containing appreciable proportions of raw clay, in
accordance with 6.1.1, heat them in an oxidizing atmosphere in
the temperature range from 1700 to 1800F (925 to 980C) for
not less than 30 min.
NOTE 3Some unfired clays bloat when they are formed into cones and
are carried through the high-temperature heat treatment prescribed in 5.4.1
without preliminary calcining. The substances that cause bloating can, in
most cases, be expelled by heating the clay samples before testing.
in.
mm
0.075
0.272
0.281
1.081
1.125
1.90
6.91
7.14
27.46
28.58
6.4 Heating:
6.4.1 Perform the heating in a suitable furnace, operating
with an oxidizing atmosphere, at rates to conform to the
C 24
Table of Dimensions
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
in.
mm
0.50
0.75
2.510
1.084
1.015
0.229
0.75
0.460
0.399
0.75
12.7
19.0
63.75
27.53
25.78
5.82
19.0
11.68
10.13
19.0
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
in.
mm
2.500
2.75
1.00
0.12
0.62
0.75
0.75
1.50
0.75
2.62
63.50
69.8
25.4
3.0
15.7
19.0
19.0
38.1
19.0
66.5
Cumulative
Time, h:min
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
23
26
45
5
19
13
24
9
4
8
9
16
7
0:45
0:50
1:09
1:22
1:46
1:55
1:59
2:07
2:16
2:32
2:39
Cumulative
Time, h:min
20
23
26
27
28
29
30
31
3112
32
3212
33
34
35
36
37
45
16
7
7
3
5
3
7
6
7
3
7
9
9
7
7
0:45
1:01
1:08
1:15
1:18
1:23
1:26
1:33
1:39
1:46
1:49
1:56
2:05
2:14
2:21
2:28
C 24
was conducted in which four laboratories each tested specimens from four different types of refractory materials.7 Each
laboratory performed three trials on each sample to determine
the pyrometric cone equivalent (PCE). The cone differences are
adjacent cones, not numeric cones. The components of variance from this study expressed as standard deviation and
relative deviation are given in Table 3. Refer to Practice E 691
for calculation of the components of variance.
7.3 PrecisionRepeatability and reproducibility statistics
were calculated at the 95% confidence level. The relative
Average, x
Silica Brick
Low Duty Firebrick
High Duty Firebrick
Clay
30.75
15.71
32.15
27.42
Standard Deviation
Precision
Coeffecient of Variation
Within Sr
Between
SR
Repeatability
Interval, r
Reproducibility
Interval, R
0.16
0.14
0.22
0.60
0.53
0.28
0.33
0.80
0.45
0.40
0.61
1.67
1.50
0.77
0.92
2.23
Within Lab
Vr
Between Labs
VR
Relative
Repeatability
%r
Relative
Reproducibility
%R
1.47
2.57
1.89
6.07
4.86
4.93
2.85
8.14
APPENDIX
(Nonmandatory Information)
X1. TEMPERATURES CORRESPONDING TO STANDARD PYROMETRIC CONE END POINTS
X1.1 The approximate temperature equivalents corresponding to the end points of those Standard Pyrometric Cones that
are used in connection with refractory testing are as shown in
Table X1.1.
(1337)
(1349)
(1398)
(1430)
(1491)
(1512)
(1522)
(1541)
(1564)
(1605)
(1621)
(1640)
(1646)
(1659)
(1665)
Cone No.
31
3112
32
3212
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
(1683)
(1699)
(1717)
(1724)
(1743)
(1763)
(1785)
(1804)
(1820)
(1835)
(1865)
(1885)
(1970)
(2015)
8
Beerman, H. P., Journal of the American Ceramic Society, Vol 39, No. 2H,
1956, pp. 4753.
9
Fairchild, C. O., and Peters, M. F., Characteristics of Pyrometric Cones,
Journal of the American Ceramic Society, Vol 9, No. 11, November 1976, p. 700.
C 24
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