What is the impact of cracks on the life of refractory bricks?

The brick joints between refractory bricks not only provide a channel for the penetration and erosion of high-temperature molten slag in operation, but the slag erosion itself also promotes the continuous increase of brick joints. These two effects increase the contact surface between the slag and the side of the refractory brick, so that the side of the refractory brick bears excessive stress during each shrinkage and expansion cycle caused by heat. The slag corrodes the furnace bricks not only along the radial direction of the refractory bricks in the cracks, but also along the circumference thereof. Especially when there are ring cracks on the side of the refractory brick, the ring erosion rate is faster, causing the surface of the refractory brick to peel off like a block. Therefore, the circumferential cracks of the refractory bricks have a greater impact on the life of the refractory bricks than the radial cracks.