Mullite–corundum ceramics are pivotal in heat transfer pipelines and thermal energy storage systems due to their excellent mechanical properties, thermal stability, and chemical resistance. Establishing relationships and mechanisms through traditional experiments is time-consuming and labor-intensive. In this study, gradient boosting regression (GBR), random forest (RF), and artificial neural network (ANN) models were developed to predict essential properties such as apparent porosity, bulk density, water absorption, and flexural strength of mullite–corundum ceramics. The GBR model (R² 0.91–0.95) outperformed the RF and ANN models (R² 0.83–0.89 and 0.88–0.91, respectively) in accuracy. Feature importance and partial dependence analyses revealed that sintering temperature and K₂O (~0.25%) positively affected bulk density while negatively influencing apparent porosity and water absorption. Additionally, sintering temperature, additives, and Fe₂O₃ (optimal content ~5% and 1%, respectively) were positively related to flexural strength. This approach provided new insight into the relationships between feedstock compositions and sintering process parameters and ceramic properties, and it explored the possible mechanisms involved.

Research on raw materials for Al₂O₃-SiC-C refractory castables used in blast furnace troughs is relatively well established. However, gaps remain in both laboratory and industrial trials concerning the performance of castables incorporating SiC-modified flake graphite and alternative carbon sources. This study investigated the sintering behavior, mechanical properties, and service performance of Al₂O₃-SiC-C castables utilizing varying contents of modified flake graphite, pitch, and carbon black as carbon sources. Samples were characterized using SEM, XRD, and EDS for phase composition and microstructural morphology analysis. Key findings revealed that the thermal expansion mismatch between the SiC coating and flake graphite in SiC-modified graphite generated a microcrack-toughening effect. This effect, combined with the synergistic reinforcement from both components, enhanced the mechanical properties. The SiC modification layer improved the wettability and oxidation resistance of the flake graphite. This modified graphite further contributed to enhanced erosion resistance through mechanisms of matrix pinning and crack deflection within the microstructure. However, the microcracks induced by thermal mismatch concurrently reduced erosion resistance, resulting in an overall limited net improvement in erosion resistance attributable to the modified graphite. Specimens containing 1 wt.% modified flake graphite exhibited the optimal overall performance. During industrial trials, this formulation unexpectedly demonstrated a water reduction mechanism requiring further investigation.

Glass is one of the most common materials in society, and the float glass process is the main production method of glass used at present, which involves adopting a melting furnace with a single cooler. However, this structure has been difficult to fit to the requirements of modern glass production, such as producing multiple types of glass and large-scale production. Therefore, a large-tonnage float glass melting furnace with a double cooler is studied, which is rising in popularity in the glass sector. The aim of this paper is to clarify the characteristics of the new glass furnace. A numerical simulation technique is applied to analyze the thermal and flow characteristics of molten glass in the new structure so as to clarify the feasibility of production by checking the temperature distribution and flow field of the molten glass. The results show that the new structure also exhibits flow behavior similar to the original structure in the branch line. Due to the addition of the branch line, the stability of the temperature is improved, with a 60 K and 43 K difference between the surface and bottom in the main and branch lines, respectively. Similar stability is shown in the flow field, specifically low acceleration in the cooler (0.006 m/s²). The bubble clarification time is about 2700 s, less than the 3000 s required for flow. The parameters of the branch line meet the requirements of glass production. In theory, a glass-melting furnace with a double cooler has the capacity to produce two types of glass.

The effects of different clay addition amounts and zircon powder contents on the properties of steel-pouring brick were studied using bauxite particles, sintered mullite powder, and other materials as the main raw materials. The results showed that with the decrease of clay content, the bulk density of the samples changed slightly, but the cold modulus of rupture, compressive strength, hot modulus of rupture, and high-temperature volume stability were improved; the addition of zircon powder did not significantly change the basic properties, such as the bulk density of the brick, but significantly increased the high-temperature flexural strength. Therefore, under the addition of 5 wt.% clay and 1.5 wt.% zircon powder were used for the application. The results show that samples with this formula have good performance, and the surface of the cast steel is smooth. Therefore, the optimization of the mullite steel-pouring brick formula can adopt the strategy of the synergy effect of clay and zircon to improve its comprehensive performance.