Before cementing
5
the thermocouples in place, measurements
shall be taken to obtain, within 60.01 in. (60.3 mm), the
eventual distance between the center lines of the thermocouple
junctions. This shall be done by measuring the 2
1
⁄
2
-in. (64-mm)
dimension of the brick at the location for the hot junctions and
deducting the distance between the center line of each junction
in its embedded position and the surface of the brick.
5.4 The calorimeter and inner and outer guards shall be
covered with a 0.50-in. (12.7-mm) thick layer of Group 20
insulating firebrick (see Classification C155) for the purpose of
obtaining a higher mean temperature in the test sample than
would result by placing the sample directly over the calorim-
eter area. The back-up insulation shall be cut and ground so as
to provide surfaces that are plane and do not vary from parallel
by more than 60.01 in. (0.3 mm). The sides of the pieces that
are to be placed in contact shall be ground plane and at right
angles to the horizontal faces. The joints between the pieces
shall be tight without the use of any mortar.
5.5 Two strips of refractory fiber paper 13
1
⁄
2
by
1
⁄
2
by 0.02
in. (342 by 13 by 0.5 mm) shall be placed along the 13
1
⁄
2
-in.
(343-mm) dimension of the inner guard at the outside edges.
Twelve strips of refractory fiber paper 2 by
1
⁄
2
by 0.02 in. (51
by 13 by 0.5 mm) shall be placed on the outer guards at
intervals in the pattern shown in Fig. 1. These strips serve as
spaces to prevent contact between the back-up insulation and
the calorimeter assembly. Then place the back-up insulation on
the calorimeter assembly so as to provide a level and plane
surface. Place additional strips of refractory fiber paper of the
same dimensions in the same pattern upon the back-up
insulation. These strips serve as spacers to prevent contact
between the carbon brick and the back-up insulation. The test
specimen shall be placed centrally over the center of the
calorimeter section on its 9 by 4
1
⁄
2
-in. (228 by 114-mm) face,
the guard brick placed at the sides of the test specimen so as to
completely cover the calorimeter and inner guard area, and the
soap brick placed along the edges of the three brick so as to
completely cover the calorimeter assembly. The small space
between the furnace walls and the test brick assembly shall be
filled with granulated insulating firebrick.
5.6 The silicon carbide slab shall be placed over the 9 by
13
1
⁄
2
-in. (228 by 342-mm) area of the three 9-in. (228-mm)
brick specimen, and it shall be spaced 1 in. (25.4 mm) above
the specimen by placing under each corner of the slab
rectangular pieces of Group 28 insulating firebrick (see Clas-
sification C155) cut to measure
3
⁄
8
in. (10 mm) square and 1 in.
(25.4 mm) in length.
6. Conditions of Test
6.1 A special effort to seal the furnace tightly is to be made
in order to maintain a nonoxidizing atmosphere by means of an
introduction of an argon flow. In addition, several pieces of
carbon refractory placed around the edges of the furnace on top
of the outer guard brick will react with any oxygen that may
enter the furnace chamber. The argon should not impinge on
these additional pieces of carbon and should not impinge on the
test specimen. Maintain the atmosphere void of oxygen
throughout the test.
7. Procedure
7.1 Place the heating chamber in position, start water
flowing through the calorimeter assembly, and supply current
to the heating unit. Maintain the rate of water flow through the
calorimeter between 120 and 200 g/min, and determine by
weighing the quantity of water collected during a measured
time period. The mass of water collected shall not be less than
200 g and shall be weighed to an accuracy of 60.5 g. The rate
of flow shall be constant within 61 % during the test period.
7.2 Allow the furnace to reach a condition of steady state of
heat flow at various mean temperatures successively increased.
A steady state shall be that condition when the measured flow
of heat into the calorimeter varies less than 2 % over a 2-h
period, during which time the temperature difference between
the calorimeter and the inner guard has not been more than
0.05 °F (0.03 °C), the hot face of the test specimen has not
varied more than 5 °F (3 °C), and the temperature of the water
entering the calorimeter has not varied at a rate of more than
1 °F (0.5 °C) ⁄h (Note 1). Usually, 12 h or more is needed to
obtain a balance with the apparatus after a definite change is
made in the hot-face temperature.
NOTE 1—Significant errors will result if the tolerances specified are
exceeded.
7.3 After the steady state of heat flow has been reached,
measure the temperature of the test specimen, the rate of water
flow through the calorimeter, and the temperature rise of the
water flowing through the calorimeter. Take at least four sets of
readings at approximately 30-min intervals during the 2-h
holding period, and average these for the final values for that
particular heating chamber temperature.
5
Alundum Cement RA 562 supplied by the Norton Co., One New Bond St.,
Worcester, MA 01606, is satisfactory for this purpose.
FIG. 1 Arrangement of Refractory Fiber Paper Strips in Calorim-
eter Assemblage
C767 − 20
2