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It
is perhaps not by mere chance that the word "refractory" has
a shared meaning with that which is perverse and unruly.
OXFORD ENGLISH DICTIONARY
Refractory:
1. Stubborn, obstinate, perverse; un-manageable,
rebellious. 2. Strongly opposed, refusing compliance.
3. Medical Of wounds, diseases, and the like: Obstinate,
not yielding to treatment. 4. Resisting the action
of heat; difficult to fuse (or to work in any way).
Refractory
technology differs from other engineering disciplines. For
instance, Engineers can design with confidence in steel.
The application of published data to a standard formula
will readily give accurate values for stress, strain, shear,
deflection, creep, yield point and so on. The same is not
true with refractory materials where designers not only
use a different language for the same engineering properties
but they have to rely on "unwarranted published data"
which then, for the most part, cannot be applied to a standard
formula.
The
shortfall in "science" with refractory technology
that can only be made up by experience and a sympathetic
understanding of the materials concerned.
Streamline
Web Design 2012
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