Cleaning Equipment Between Uses
Casting monolithic refractory linings can be exhausting work. Pours, large and small, can often take several hours and even multiple shifts. Often times, after a long hard day, the last thing that a crew wants to do is take the time to thoroughly clean up, however, thoroughly cleaning the mixing and placing equipment upon completion of a pour is critical to the equipment as well as the effectiveness of your next placement.
More than ever, monolithic materials have varying chemistries. The language itself can get overwhelming: high cement-low cement, colloidal silica, phos-bonded, etc. Due to this variance across materials and technologies, it is more critical than ever to make sure that mixing equipment is thoroughly cleaned prior to beginning a pour. When residual material from one pour contaminates the material for the next the impact can be detrimental. Even what looks to be an insignificant amount of contamination can cause major problems. Failure to properly clean equipment can lead to flash setting, refusal to set, and diminished physical properties of the as-installed product.
Failure to properly clean equipment upon the conclusion of a pour can also cause damage to the equipment. For example, residual material in pump tubes can cause minor or severe damage to the tubes, and excessive material left in a mixer can cause excessive static friction upon starting up a mixer which can sheer paddle blades and strain a motor.
Waiting to clean equipment used during a pour can also be costly. It is much more time consuming and labor intensive to clean equipment once the material has been allowed to set up. It can also increase risk of injury due to the strenuous nature of the work.
Above all, be sure to always use caution when cleaning equipment. Make sure that the equipment is de-energized, locked-out, and in a stable position prior to performing this task.