Refractory material with stainless steel and organic fibers

Abstract

A refractory includes a cement, a binder and a matrix. The matrix comprises both stainless steel fibers and organic fibers. The refractory can be easily cast, without additional steel reinforcement, into large fire wall 16 panels 10 capable of meeting the requirements of testing conducted in accordance with ASTM E-119, Standard Test Methods for Fire Tests of Building Construction and Materials in support of IEEE Std. 979-1994, Guide for Substation Fire Protection . The fire wall 16 assembly withstood the fire endurance test without passage of flame and gases hot enough to ignite cotton waste during a four-hour fire exposure. The assembly also withstood a 45 psi water stream for five minutes immediately following the four-hour fire exposure period. This is a stringent mechanical requirement, as all fire walls 16 must maintain their integrity before, during and after a fire, per the Universal Building Code's definition of a true fire wall 16.

1 . A fire wall cast from a refractory composition, the refractory composition comprising:
 (a) a cement;   (b) a binder; and   (c) a matrix material comprising stainless steel fibers and organic fibers, and a refractory aggregate comprising aluminum oxide, calcium oxide, iron oxide and silicon dioxide or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         2 . The fire wall of  claim 1  comprising a plurality of panels disposed between vertical beams, both the panels and the vertical beams being cast from a refractory composition, wherein the panels contain no additional steel reinforcement. 
     
     
         3 . The fire wall of  claim 2 , wherein the panels have a pair of opposed end edges, and wherein the vertical beams comprise a groove into which an end edge of each panel is disposed. 
     
     
         4 . The fire wall of  claim 1 , wherein the fire wall is cured at ambient temperature. 
     
     
         5 . The fire wall of  claim 2 , further comprising a steel base plate. 
     
     
         6 . The fire wall of  claim 5 , wherein the steel base plate is continuous across one or more panels and vertical beams. 
     
     
         7 . The fire wall of  claim 5 , wherein the steel base plate is encapsulated by a box cast from a refractory composition. 
     
     
         8 . The fire wall of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more panels maintain impact strength of at least 45 pounds per square inch at about 2000° F. 
     
     
         9 . The fire wall of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more panels are corrosion, rot, and erosion resistant. 
     
     
         10 . The fire wall of  claim 7 , wherein the panels are cured at ambient temperature. 
     
     
         11 . A panel for use in a firewall, the panel cast from a refractory composition, the refractory composition comprising:
 (a) a cement;   (b) a binder; and   (c) a matrix material comprising stainless steel fibers and organic fibers, and a refractory aggregate comprising aluminum oxide, calcium oxide, iron oxide and silicon dioxide or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         12 . The panel of  claim 11 , further comprising an opening. 
     
     
         13 . The panel of  claim 12 , wherein the opening is reinforced. 
     
     
         14 . The panel of  claim 11 , further comprising a door. 
     
     
         15 . The panel of  claim 14 , wherein the door is supported by hinges. 
     
     
         16 . The panel of  claim 14 , wherein the door is hung from the top of the panel.