Thermal shock behaviour of industrial carbon anodes

Thermal shock resistance of industrial carbon anodes was studied from both the direct thermal shock test and indirect measurements of thermal shock re sistance parameters derived from thermal and mechanical properties. The dir ect thermal shock test was conducted using the so-called are discharge tech nique. In conjunction with finite element and fracture mechanics analysis, the thermal shock fracture initiation and crack propagation behaviour of ca rbon anodes were characterised in the thermal shock tests. The thermal shoc k test results were correlated with the thermal shock resistance parameters derived from thermal and mechanical properties. It was found that increase d extent of non-linear stress-strain behaviour, which can be described by a lower brittleness function, chi, and a higher gamma(WOF)/gamma(i) ratio, l eads to significantly higher thermal shock crack propagation resistance. (C ) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.