DESCRIPTION

UCAR Smart Ram® RP20 ramming paste is a ram with specially treated graphite flake. This ram is designed to provide excellent thermal conductivity, ease of installation and a unique expanding characteristic which can “self-correct” in case refractory movement or voids due to improper installation result in loss of cooling contact. Smart Ram® must be at room temperature (20°C/70°F) before use. This self-correcting feature is activated by a temperature increase, such as would occur if a gap formed between the cooling pipe and the ram or if the ram was not properly installed. Once the ram temperature exceeds 200°C the specially treated graphite will increase in volume by “puffing” (thus lowers density). However, since this puffing material is graphite, the void which was originally filled with air would now be filled with graphite. This unique “self-correcting” feature provides a ram material that is smart enough to realize that correction action is required if heat transfer is lost. Thus, no longer will heat transfer be dependent upon ramming technique or field supervision quality. Smart Ram® RP20 ramming paste will not shrink up to a temperature of 700°C during use, so thermal contact with the cooling pipes is never lost. Smart Ram® RP20 ramming paste is supplied in loose form or as 6” x 9” briquettes in various thicknesses.

 

UCAR® RP-20 SMARTRAM® is a highly thermal conductive expanding graphitic ram. This ram is primarily used in the sub-hearth, cooling pipe, and annulus between steel work, cooling members and refractories. This ram is designed with a unique expanding characteristic which can "self-correct" during use when close refractory contact cannot be guaranteed during either repair work or new installations or when movement of refractories results in loss of contact with the cooling elements.

 

In application, as the temperature of the RP-20 increases above 200° C (390° F), the material can expand up to 300% of its original dimensions to fill voids that conventional construction methods cannot guarantee. If confined during this heating, the volume RP-20 expands inwardly compressing within itself with pressures less than 7 kPa (1 psi).

 

It is available in bulk (loose) form or as pre-rammed briquettes. The pre-rammed briquettes are easily cut to shape and can be molded to fit when installed at room temperature. The bulk (loose) form is used in the same manner as other ramming materials. One advantage of the loose form is that it can be molded on site to form unique shapes as the application requires.

 

Both the briquettes and loose form material must be at room temperature (20° C/70° F) or higher before use.

 

PACKAGING
RP-20 is packaged in a corrugated fiberboard box. Each box contains approximately 22.7kg/50 pounds of loose ram or 20kg/45 pounds of briquettes.
 
STORAGE
Shelf life of RP-20 is two years maximum when stored dry in original packaging at temperatures less than 35° C/95° F. Freezing temperatures are not a problem as long as ram is 20° C/70° F or above when ready for use.
 
INSTALLATION PROCEDURES
Please note that this product is not suitable for and should not be used in applications which are open to the atmosphere, have oxidizing atmospheres, or have molten material contact such as for tap hole plugging.
 
PROCEDURE FOR INSTALLATION AS ANNULUS BETWEEN STEEL SHELL/STAVES AND CARBON AND GRAPHITE REFRACTORY
1. When moving boxes or pallets of ram to the work site, it is important to use proper rigging, lifting, and transportation devices to prevent injury from falling objects.
 
2. Install two or three complete courses of brick.  Insure that the annulus is free of contamination.
 
3. Fill annulus between the shell/staves and brick with loose ram, lengthwise approximately 36 inches/914.4 mm and depth of not more than 3 inches/76.2 mm maximum. Spread ram evenly.  Use of wedges at either end will prevent ram from "walking" during the ramming process. In some situations it maybe helpful to take loose ram and form balls or "sausages" by hand and push into the opening. Material should be rammed after each 3 inches/76.2 mm of fill.
NOTE:  Gloves should be used whenever handling this ram. When using briquettes, they should be cut to size with a sharp edged tool, placed in the annulus, and then tamped.
 
4. Power ram the area described in Step 3. Use of a pneumatic rammer should be suitable.  (Ram head should be as large as possible and practical for the area being rammed.)
The ramming process is complete when the ram surface appears "glossy grey" smooth and cannot be compressed with finger pressure beyond one-eighth of an inch surface dimple.
 
5. Repeat Steps 3 and 4 until a 3 inch/76.2 mm rammed depth is achieved. Proceed with lay up of next course of brick and paste ramming. Once the first three or four courses of brick have been installed and rammed, both ramming and brick installation may proceed simultaneously.
 
It is important to ensure that the end of the rammer is kept clean so that it presents a flat face to the ramming material.
 
It is imperative that contaminants are not deposited in the ram, i.e., wood chips/splinters, cigarette butts, coffee cups, and food wrappers.
 
Extreme caution should be taken when ramming close to the top surface of brick to prevent movement of brick and/or chipping.
NOTE:  For personal safety, the use of safety goggles is recommended during any ramming process.
 
Hand tamping with steel rods is not recommended and, if used, will not sufficiently ram material to an appropriate and desired density, thus nullifying the benefits of RP-20 RAM.
 
PROCEDURE FOR INSTALLATION AROUND PARALLEL PIPE COOLING ASSEMBLIES
1. Install cooling pipes and carbon blocks on shims and high duty castable. Carbon support beams must be positioned accurately, flat, and level.
 
2. The void between carbon blocks is filled with ram. Normally it is best to use the ram in the loose form, but it may be helpful in some cases to make balls by hand and push them into the opening. The pre-rammed briquettes may also be used by cutting them with a sharp edged tool and pushing into opening.
NOTE:  Gloves should be used whenever handling this ram.
 
3. Hand tamp the ram until it has compacted to the point that it no longer pushes away from the tamping tool head (except at the extreme unrestrained end) and the surface of the ram does not give way to localized pressure. Use a metal tamping tool, similar to tools used for asphalt patching, for this step. Do not use a piece of wood for this step.
 
4. Power tamp the area described in Steps 2 and 3. Use of a pneumatic rammer should be suitable. (Ram head should be as large as possible and practical for the area being rammed.)
 
5. Refill remaining void above area previously rammed, then tamp and ram. Continue with Steps 2, 3, and 4 until void is filled. Ram should be level with or slightly above the top of the carbon support blocks.
 
6. Any excessive ram exceeding the height of the carbon blocks should be scraped off, level to the top of the carbon blocks. Use of a piece of angle iron has been found to be adequate for this procedure. Do not use a piece of wood for this step.
 
7. Continue to tamp and ram remaining overall length of void between carbon blocks. Visual inspection of the completed ram should appear smooth with a slightly glossy appearance. The ram should not move when hand pressure is applied.
NOTE: It is important to ensure that the end of the rammer and tamping tools be cleaned regularly so that a flat face is presented to the ramming materials.
 
It is imperative that contaminants are not deposited in the ram.
Cover completed work with plywood until installation is completed.
Do not walk on ram. Use carbon beams or plywood cover as your walkway.
 
PROCEDURE STEPS FOR RAMMING ANNULUS BETWEEN COOLER AND REFRACTORY
1. Open RP-20 boxes and assure briquettes or loose material is at 20° C (70° F).
 
2. The cooler should be located within the tuyere opening so that the minimum space to be rammed with RP-20 is 15 mm (1/2"). Maximum should be 40 mm (1-1/2").
 
3. When using loose material, balls or "sausages" should be formed by hand and pushed back into the opening.  This should be rammed after each 3" depth of fill using pneumatic rammer. This process should be continued until the ram is within 150 mm (6") of the hot face. The last 150 mm (6") depth should be rammed with UCAR RP-4 ram or filled with refractory brick. The RP-4 will set-up during use and confine the RP-20 to make it expand into the voids rather than expand into the furnace.
 
4. When using briquettes, they should be cut to size with a sharp edged instrument, placed in the annulus, and tamped in place with a pneumatic rammer or hammer. As with the loose material, the last 150 mm (6") of fill before reaching the hot face should be rammed with RP-4, filled with refractory or a refractory hot face lining provided to seal the annulus.