Results of the performance evaluation, Braskem Idesa. Mexico.

The National Association of Manufacturers of Refractory Products, Materials an Related Services (ANFRE) held in Seville, between March 11 and 14, the II Edition of Refractories Engineering Course.

It is a course taught by and for members of ANFRE that aims to train new generations of employees.

The course combines theoretical and practical training to obtain a global vision of the sector. In addition, the participants had the opportunity to visit both Siderúrgica Sevillana and our Alfran plant in Seville.

The following topics are found in the content of this course:

• Refractory materials
• Introduction to the design of coatings
• Refractory application
• Drying, heating and cooling
• Safety and Quality Control

From Alfran, we want to thank the entire Association for the organization of these courses.

Within the power generation industry, Alfran offers detailed engineering solutions for refractory materials supply, installation and drying for biomass boilers.

From Alfran´s Technical, Operations and Sales Departments and with the support of another company of the Group, Intec-Heat, for the drying of the refractory, we provide turnkey solutions.

Our dense refractory castables, such as Tix 35 SiC or Cast 35 SiC, as well as the insulating refractory castable, Alfran Lite 10/14, are ideal for these biomass boilers.

We are available to our customers to offer, as we have done for over 100 years, our Industrial High Temperature Solutions.

Download here more information: Alfran, refractory installation by pumping

In all work activities, to achieve an acceptable level of safety, it is vitally important to ensure and maintain adequate conditions of order and cleanliness. The lack of order and cleanliness in the facilities is a risk factor that deserves special attention since it is the cause of many accidents, falls due to stumbles or slips, bumps or steps on objects, and deterioration of equipment or facilities, which can lead to results other than those expected.

To achieve the goal of keeping the company “clean and tidy”, all staff must assimilate concepts such as:

1. Eliminate the unnecessary and classify the useful:

– Have the means to eliminate what is useless, prioritizing the elimination according to its usefulness.

– Classify according to utility and collect the useless in containers.

– Separate those elements that should not be in contact with others.

– In the case of flammable products, use metal drums with a fire-resistant lid.

– Machines with possible leaks must have a collection and drainage system.

– Act on the reasons why waste accumulates.

2. Store the material in appropriate places so that it can be easily located:

– Put everything in its place and eliminate what is useless.

– Collect tools on shelves that are easy to locate and identify.

– Designate the locations based on their functionality and speed of placement.

– Delimit and indicate the location of things.

– Classify waste properly.

3. Avoid dirtying and, if it gets dirty, clean immediately:

– Eliminate and control everything that can dirty.

– Cleaning is the means of controlling the state of things.

– Cleaning people must be properly trained and equipped.

– Quickly eliminate residues or substances that can contaminate and cause accidents.

– Avoid slippery floors due to oils or grease. Windows will be cleaned to allow light to enter.

– Keep changing rooms, showers, etc. clean.

– Involve staff in cleaning the environment.

– Control the critical points that generate dirt.

4. Generate work habits aimed at favoring order and cleanliness, etc:

– The characteristics of the floors, ceilings, etc. They shall be such as to allow easy cleaning.

– Standardize procedures by order and cleanliness.

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Alfran is a specialist in designing, supplying and installing refractories for aluminum melting furnaces.

We have a wide range of refractory castables, such as Tix-80 NW, Drytech 85 AL, Tix 55AL or Cast-60AL, among others, specially designed for the aluminium industry, as well as our insulating castables, Lite 10/14 and Lite 106. We carry out new construction or maintenance projects. On the other hand, another company of Grupo Aldomer, Intec-Heat is specialized in the drying of refractories, in this type of furnaces.

We are available to our customers in the aluminum industry, to offer them, as we have done for more than 100 years, our Solutions in High Industrial Temperature.

The WRA (World Refractory Association) has uploaded a video explaining the importance of refractory materials in our day to day. It is a very illustrative video for those people who do not know the strategic aspects of this sector.

Did you know that our day to day life would be unimaginable if refractory products did not exist?

And, what are reafractory products?

Let’s take the example of a car: it is made with steel, copper, glass, aluminum and plastics, among others. These materials are manufactured at very high temperatures. For example, iron is melted in an oven and transformed into steel by processes that reach 2,000 °C. In order that the walls of the furnace are not affected by these temperatures, they have a coating of refractory material. In the same way, these coatings are also used for the manufacture of glass, copper, aluminum and plastics.

And how do you get refractory materials to withstand such high temperatures? What are they made of? And how are they manufactured?

It starts from diverse raw materials of alumina or magnesia base that are baked in special ovens up to 1,800ºC, and this process makes the refractory properties appear. The refractory material can be supplied as non-conformed or shaped.

How are these refractory materials used?

The refractory material is transported and installed in the facilities of our customers. For the installation, a specialized refractory company is required.

And, how long can these installed refractory materials withstand such high temperatures?

The life time of the coatings usually depends on the industry, since they work at different temperatures. In the steel industry, the material usually lasts from a few hours to a few weeks, while in the glass industry it can last up to 10 years.

Once the coating has worn out, it is removed and recycled when possible.

The refractory industry covers the entire cycle, from the extraction of raw materials, to recycling.

Visit the WRA website (World Refractory Association) by clicking here.

Alfran offers specialized refractory solutions for the maintenance in lime furnaces, vertical cylinder or Maerz type. Our services include opening and closing inspection doors, scaffolding, demolition and cleaning, supply and installation of refractory materials.

We have a range of refractory castables, specially designed for lime furnaces, which can be installed by vibrocasting, such as ABR Clean + or by gunning, such as CAST 80 GL, in addition to our wide range of insulating castables.

We are available to our customers in the lime sector, to offer them, as we have done for more than 100 years, our Solutions in High Industrial Temperature.

ALFRAN commits to integrating the basic principles of health promotion at work. The Luxembourg Declaration, promoted by the European Network for Workplace Health Promotion (ENWHP), establishes the main principles of action and the reference frame for good management for workers’ health. With this certificate, ALFRAN reinforces its strong commitment to the health of all company collaborators.

Continuing with the goalof converting Health and Safety into a VALUE for Grupo Aldomer, we emphasize the importance of safety when working at height.

In Spain, around 50 workers die each year from blows as a result of falls, being the third most common form of fatal accident during work hours (10%), behind non-traumatic pathologies (44%) and personal protective equipment ( 14%).

For the possible explanation and search for causes for this type of work accidents related to falls in height, we could find many different factors:

• Lack of training and information
• Use of personal protection equipment that is wrong or in poor condition.

In the specific case of working at height, worker training is essential, due to the complexity of the equipment intended for this purpose and its misuse; 25% of workers who at some point have to perform work with a risk of falling from a height, do NOT use the appropriate EPIS or PPE or use them in a scenario that requires a specific fall arrest system and with configuration and design parameters Associated with each situation. Depending on the Health and Safety campaign, we comment on the following:

Remember:

• Any work over 2 meters without effective protections (individual or collective) is prohibited.
• Hold the handrail on stairs and move carefully.
• Always keep 3 points of contact when using vertical ladders.
• The anti-fall PPE should only be used in cases where the protection of collective protections is not technically possible, since they do not prevent the materialization of the risk (fall in height), they simply reduce the consequences.

When using a harness:

• Adjust it properly. A badly placed harness can cause serious injury in the event of a fall.
• Check that it is in good condition and that it has no visible damage.
• Make sure you anchor to a sturdy point of sufficient height to stop the fall before impact. Whenever possible, do it above the head and on the same vertical, to reduce the drop factor and the pendulum effect.
• Do not jump between different levels.
• Do not run.

Before climbing a scaffold:

• Check that you have a green label with an effective date and follow all the indications reflected.
• Make sure the maximum scaffold load is adequate and respect it.
• Verify that the scaffold is not damaged and that it adapts to the needs of the work.
• Keep the hatch of the access ladder closed except when you are climbing or going down the stairs.
• Any modification of the scaffolding by personnel outside the specialized company that installs and certifies it is strictly prohibited.