Refractory pole Limoges - Orléans

1. Refractory pole Limoges - Orléans

2. Orléans Two different engineering colleges (Ecole Nationale Supérieure) located in two different cities Polytech’Orléans ENSCI Limoges (National Engineering College for Industrial Ceramics)

3. Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Céramique Industrielle Created in 1893in Limoges since 1979 National College for Engineering in Industrial Ceramics (Ministry of National Education)

4. Created in 1975 National network of university engineering schools (Ministry of National Education)

5. Three teams affiliated to three different laboratories : • Research Centre for Materials at High Temperature (CRMHT Orléans), • Laboratory for Mechanics of Systems and Processes (LMSP Orléans), • Heterogeneous Materials Research Group (GEMH Limoges) associated by their common interest on refractories

6. The specificity of the French « Ecoles Nationales Supérieures » (so called « Ecoles d’Ingénieurs ») • Historically: • pupils with the best ability in science were selected after Baccalaureat, • after 2 years in specific schools of intensive formation in basic science, mainly Mathematics and Physics, the very best of them went to Ecole Nationale Supérieure after competitive examinations. Today: - the system still exists but is less selective than before because many students are not interested by scientific studies.

7. Position of the French « Ecoles Nationales Supérieures » in the European LMD system Doctorat PhD degree +8 26 -28 years old D level University 23 -24 years old M level +5 Engineer 6 semesters Ecole Nationale Supérieure L level +2 20-21 years old Baccalauréat (Bac) 18 years old

8. ENSCI and Polytech’Orléans Master degree 4 themes : General scientific training Materials Science Processing and Engineering Management training Languages (English + another language)

9. ENSCI and Polytech’Orléans 1st year : Semester 1 (September to February i.e. 16 weeks) Semester 2 (February to June i.e. 16 weeks) 2nd year : Semester 3 (September to February i.e. 16 weeks) Semester 4 (February to April-May i.e. 6 weeks ENSCI i.e.10 weeks Polytech’ Orleans) may to July :1st Internship in industry:2-3 months

10. ENSCI Master degree 3rd year : Semester 5 Two possible options :1) ceramic materials and processing 2) engineering and production systems (beginning of September to end of January i.e. 16 weeks) Semester 6 February to April : research project 3 months May to September : 2nd internship in industry 5 months

11. Polytech’Orléans Master degree 3rd year : Semester 5 Two possible options :1) Numerical simulation in mechanics 2) Engineering of industrial materials (beginning of September to end of December i.e. 16 weeks) Semester 6 January to February : research project 2 months Mars to August : 2nd internship in industry 4-6 months

12. ENSCI Exchangeswith foreign Universities and companies(engineering students) Semester 3 - course work - University of Jaume 1 (Castellón, Spain) - University of Alfred(New York, USA) Semester 4 - 3 month internship in industry (May to July) - 40% of 2nd year class in a foreign company Semesters 5 & 6 - coursework + project - RWTH Aachen Semester 6 - 3 month research project at a foreign University (examples: Keele, Aveiro, Penn State, Aachen, ICT Prague,…) Semester 6 - 4 month internship in a foreign company

13. ENSCI Financial support for student exchanges Outgoing students Universities:Europe: Erasmus + regional contribution, ENSCI travel grant, (MEN bursaries for national scholars)Total  1000 euros for 3 months Outside Europe: ENSCI travel grant +MEN bursaries for national scholars (not available for all students)+ Foreign Universities contribution Companies: Europe: Leonardo Outside Europe: ENSCI travel grants, MEN bursariesfor national scholars Incoming students - special arrangements for some Universities (ex: paid room or contribution to living expenses)

14. Semester 1 (1st year)

15. Semester 2 (1st year)

16. Semester 3 (2nd year)

17. Semester 4 (2nd year)

18. Semester 5 (3rd year) Option 1 & Option 2

19. Semester 6 (3rd year) Option 1 : ceramic materials and processing

20. Semester 6 (3rd year) Option 2 : engineering and production systems

21. Semester 1 (1st year)

22. Semester 2 (1st year)

23. Semester 3 and 4 (2nd year)

24. Semesters 5 and 6 (3rd year) Option 1 : Engineering of industrial materials

25. Semesters 5 and 6 (3rd year) Option 2 : Numerical simulation in mechanics

26. Staff of the refractory pole • Permanent staff: • - 6 professors • - 4 associated professors • - 3 associated researchers • PhD students: • - 11 PhD students

27. Research topics: physico-chemical behaviour of refractories (Jacques POIRIER) Interaction between aggressive products (liquid oxides, liquid metals, gas…) and ceramic refractories: - influence of macro and microstructure - mechanism of corrosion - in situ observation of refractory lining Experimental device Corrosion test Microstructures after corrosion

28. Research topics: physico-chemical behaviour of refractories Examples of studies: - corrosion of andalusite and bauxite refractories by Al2O3 – CaO and SiO2 – CaO liquids - phase evolution with temperatures in andalusite raw material - ceramic protection for carbon fibber fabric for heating element in oxidizing atmosphere - dense SnO2 based coating for protection of refractory against corrosion by melt glass.

29. Research topics: mechanical characterisation of refractories (Marc HUGER) Influence of microstructure and temperature on the Young’s modulus (measured by ultrasonic techniques) and on the tensile and compressive behaviour of industrial refractories (for steel or glass industries) and model materials Influence of the in-situ formation of MgAl2O4 on the evolution of Young’s modulus of aluminate castable: (1) without MgAl2O4 ; (2) with preformed MgAl2O4 ; (3) with MgO content (spinel formation at about 1100°C) Damage evolution in an andalousite castable during thermal cycle

30. Research topics: mechanical characterisation of refractories Example of studies: - high temperature mechanical behaviour of fused cast refractories - mechanical properties at high temperature of alumina spinel low cement castable - elastic behaviour of heterogeneous model materials with spherical inclusions

31. (1) Alumina concrete (2) + spinel (3) + MgO Research topics: thermal properties (David S. SMITH) Influence of microstructure on thermal properties of heterogeneous materials: - determination of thermal parameters necessary for numerical simulation - influence of grain boundary and pore shape - development of very porous ceramic materials for thermal insulation Influence of the formation of a spinel phase on the dilatometric behaviour of an alumina based concrete. Influence of porosity on the thermal conductivity of stabilized zirconia.

32. Research topics: thermal properties Example of studies: - analysis of grain boundary thermal resistance in polycrystalline oxides (Al2O3, SnO2, MgO) - heat transfer in porous materials: influence of interface in stable and evolutive microstructures - local heat transfer near pores and grain boundaries in ceramic materials - preparation and characterisation of ceramic foams with very low thermal conductivity for insulating application

33. Research topics: numerical simulation of refractory behaviour (Alain GASSER) Temperatures Mesh Crack initiation Damage Plastification Steel ladle simulation Modelling of solid structures and system for the prediction of their behaviour in product design and manufacturing (finite element method): - thermo-mechanical aspects - thermo-chemical aspects Simulation by finite element method of crack initiation in sliding plate gates during continuous steel casting

34. Research topics: numerical simulation of refractory behaviour Example of studies: - simulation accounting for thermo-mechanical and chemistry effects: application to impregnation of refractory by slag - development of finite element computing tools adapted to complex refractory structure containing thermal expansion joints, anchors, tubes, …: application to steel ladles - numerical analysis of the thermo-elastic behaviour of heterogeneous materials containing phases with difference of thermal expansion coefficient

35. General equipments Free access of the equipments of the different laboratories for: - chemical analysis (ICP, EDX, …) - structural characterization (XRD) - microstructural characterization (mercury porosimetry, granulometer, optical and interferometric microscopes, SEM, TEM, …) - ceramic processing (rheometers, dryer, kilns (< 1800°C)…) - characterization of thermal behaviour (dilatometer, DTA, DTG, DSC, calorimeter, …) - material characterization (acoustic emission facilities, wear and friction tests…)

36. Specific equipments • For simulation of severe corrosion conditions (1700°C) • High temperature measurement of Young’s modulus by ultrasonic techniques (1700°C, controlled atmosphere) • High temperature tensile-compression equipment (1600°C) • Thermal diffusivity by the Laser Flash technique (1000°C) • Powerful work stations to perform simulation, and finite element software • Thermal shock test bench • IR microscope • High temperature tribometer (1000°C) • High temperature spectroscopies (NMR, EPR, Infrared, Raman, Brillouin, X-Ray absorption) • Contactless devices for analysis applied to molten systems (aerodynamic levitation)

37. Industrial partners Producers - IMERYS - SAINT GOBAIN - VESUVIUS - T.R.B. Users - EDF - TERREAL - ARCELOR - MESSIER BUGATTI - AIR LIQUIDE