1) Application as High-Temperature Thermal Insulation Material
Ceramic fiber is a highly efficient energy-saving insulation material. It possesses the characteristics of general fibrous materials while also offering properties that ordinary fibers do not have, such as high-temperature resistance, corrosion resistance, and oxidation resistance. More importantly, it avoids the brittleness commonly found in traditional refractory materials. As a result, it has partially replaced conventional dense refractory bricks as a lining material for industrial kilns and furnaces.
First, the use of ceramic fiber linings can reduce kiln wall thickness by approximately 50% and decrease overall weight by 60–80%. During furnace construction, steel consumption can be reduced by 30–50%. This not only lowers construction costs but also significantly reduces the load on the steel structure, thereby extending the service life of the furnace.
Second, the use of lightweight fiber materials with low thermal conductivity and low heat capacity reduces the external surface temperature of kiln walls and accelerates heating rates. This decreases energy consumption during temperature control operations, especially during furnace start-up and shutdown, where significant energy savings can be achieved.
Therefore, the greatest advantage of industrial kilns constructed with ceramic fiber linings is their outstanding energy-saving performance.
2) Application as Filtration Material
Compared with traditional granular filter media, fiber filter materials provide a larger surface area for adsorption and more effective interception of suspended particles. Compared with foam ceramic filters, they feature smaller pore sizes and higher filtration precision. Compared with organic fiber filters, they offer superior thermal stability, chemical stability, and thermal shock resistance.
Thanks to their high strength, excellent thermal shock resistance, and chemical corrosion resistance, ceramic fiber materials are widely used in air purification, high-temperature flue gas filtration, diesel engine exhaust microfiltration and particle capture, chemical filtration, and molten metal filtration.
Ceramic fiber filtration technology plays an important role in reducing atmospheric pollution and harmful effects on human health in applications such as air purification, high-temperature flue gas treatment, and diesel exhaust filtration. In molten metal and chemical filtration processes, it reduces defect rates and minimizes waste generation. All these applications contribute significantly to energy conservation and environmental protection.
3) Application as Sound-Absorbing and Insulation Material
Ceramic fiber products consist of fine fibrous porous structures and exhibit excellent sound absorption and insulation performance. First, the interconnected micropores between fibers create numerous small cavities. When sound waves enter and propagate through the material, viscous resistance of the air within the pores and friction between fibers convert part of the sound energy into heat, resulting in energy dissipation.
Second, when air within the pores is compressed, the surrounding temperature rises; when it expands, the temperature decreases. Heat conduction through the fibers further dissipates part of the sound energy.
Ceramic fiber products are mainly manufactured in board form for use as sound-absorbing materials. They are widely applied in industrial, construction, and transportation sectors. As an effective solution for noise pollution control, ceramic fiber sound-absorbing products are worthy of broader promotion.
