Lightweight refractory lining in the steel industry: RATH presents non-classified polycrystalline high-temperature insulation wool ALTRA® 1500C
Vienna, March 25, 2025
For more than three decades, RATH has been a leading manufacturer of high-temperature insulation products such as wool, blankets, modules and vacuum-formed parts. In use, temperatures of up to 1650 oC can be insulated.
The new ALTRA® 1500C (optimized for applications up to 1400 oC) is the all-rounder of the well-known and proven ALTRA® series and offers numerous advantages in addition to maximum cost-effectiveness: maximum service life and highly efficient thermal insulation to save costs. ALTRA® 1500C also stands for easy handling and installation; for example, the blankets are highly flexible for folding serpentine modules.
ALTRA® 1500C opens up new perspectives and opportunities, especially when it comes to saving energy and costs. Due to the targeted combination of physical properties, high-temperature wool is particularly energy-efficient and, in combination with common refractory materials such as bricks and concretes, is the ideal complement for a complete refractory lining. ALTRA® 1500C is available in a range of densities and dimensions and is particularly suitable for applications with rapidly alternating heating and cooling cycles.
Successful application in steel companies
In the steel and metal industry, ALTRA® 1500C has already been successfully used by several German and Austrian companies: for example, as linings in the roof, wall and door areas of bogie hearth forging furnaces, chamber forging furnaces, rolling mill furnaces, walking beam furnaces and rotary hearth furnaces. The results were excellent, ALTRA® 1500C met all the expectations.
All the advantages of polycrystalline fibers but more economical in terms of investment costs
The use of non-classified high temperature insulation wools (HTIW) is becoming increasingly important. While fibers with low biopersistence serve as non-classified alternatives in some processes, they are limited in their thermal and chemical resistance. Polycrystalline fibers are also non-classified due to their unique microstructure and high fiber diameter, but their performance often far exceeds the requirements of the processes, while the investment costs are higher compared to other HTIWs. ALTRA® 1500C has been specifically tailored to offer all the advantages of polycrystalline fibers while being more economical in terms of investment costs.
The ALTRA® series consists of the ALTRA® 1500C (optimized for applications up to 1400 oC) and other proved grades that have been on the market for many years: ALTRA® 72 is the right solution when exceptionally high temperatures are involved, ALTRA® 97 meets all requirements when high chemical resistance is needed.