For refractory castables, permeability is a key property that rules both drying behavior during processing and infiltration of corrosive fluids during use at high temperatures. However, for an accurate permeability prediction, it is important that the structural physical parameters reliably represent the dynamic interaction between the percolating fluid and the porous channels. In this context, the aim of this work was to estimate the permeability constants of high-alumina refractory castables using parameters obtained by three different porosimetry techniques: water immersion (Archimedes' method), water expulsion and mercury intrusion porosimetry. Permeability parameters were calculated through Ergun's equation and compared with values experimentally obtained under airflow. Results revealed that mercury porosimetry overestimates the pore fraction available for fluid flow and underestimates the effective pore channel size. The consequence was a poor correlation between experimental and calculated values of both constants k1 and k2 .The combination of water immersion and water expulsion techniques resulted, on the other hand, in a good estimate of the Darcian constant k1, even though it has overestimated the non-Darcian constant k2 .
permeability; porosimetry; microstructure; refractory castables; Ergun's equation
