Abstract
This chapter discusses the firing process and heat treatment of ceramic materials. The firing process involves the application of a heat treatment to formed ceramic products to bring about physical and chemical changes so that the products acquire the desired characteristics. This heat treatment takes place in kilns. For formed products of structural clay ceramics, refractories and advanced ceramics, a single firing process is usually sufficient to obtain a satisfactory product, but for the manufacture of dinnerware, two or three heat treatments are often necessary. The heat treatment is tied to certain conditions with regard to the heating-up rate, firing temperature, soaking period, and cooling rate. Heat exchange by radiation between solid bodies occurs in kilns between the walls and parts of the batch, and between parts of the batch. Heat exchange by convection occurs between the kiln batch and the kiln walls on the one hand and between the kiln batch and the gaseous medium on the other. It is found that the more the kiln gases are in motion relative to the surface of the batch and walls, the greater the amount of heat transferred.
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