Analysis of the Spheres and Bars Molded with Blast Furnace Sludge Incorporation in Clayey Mass

Abstract

The incorporation of blast furnace sludge to clayey mass has been studied as a way to reduce the environmental impact of the improper disposal of this waste and to reduce the consumption of raw clayey material. We evaluated the behavior of the clayey mass used in the structural ceramic industry with the incorporation of blast furnace sludge in spheres manually molded and pressed bars. Samples of blast furnace sludge and clay were prepared and submitted to chemical, physical, mineralogical characterization and to thermal behavior analysis. Specimens with contents of blast furnace sludge from 5% to 100% were burned in an industrial furnace-type tunnel at a maximum temperature of 850°C for 24 hours in the pottery. The ceramic properties evaluated were water absorption, apparent porosity, apparent specific mass, flexural strength and compressive strength. The results indicated that the incorporation of 5% of blast furnace sludge in the clayey mass caused improvement in the ceramic properties analyzed of bars and spheres. We can confirm the use of the methodology of the spheres in potteries for initial analysis of ceramics raw materials.