A novel experimental investigation into sintered neck tensile strength of ash at high temperatures

• The HTSBFD was developed to investigate the adhesion mechanisms of ash particles.
• The customary views on the neck tensile strength are not applicable for ash.
• The temperature dependence of neck tensile strength showed a bimodal distribution.

The adhesive behavior between ash particles plays a significant role in ash deposition behavior. Studies of the solid bridge force, which is an important type of adhesive force, are scarce at present. In this work, a novel instrument, termed a High Temperature Solid Bridge Force Device (HTSBFD), has been designed and developed which allows for the main parameters that play a fundamental role in enhancing adhesion and cohesion to be investigated. The maximum temperature of this device is 1600 °C. The results showed that the neck tensile strength increased with the bonding time and pressure. The temperature dependence of the neck tensile strength development showed a bimodal distribution. The tensile strength of ash was also measured and was compared with neck tensile strength. The results disproved the applicability of the customary views on the relationship of neck tensile strength and tensile strength. The ash samples were also characterized by XRD and optical microscope. The results provide an original contribution towards the understanding of the adhesion mechanisms of ash at different operative conditions. The HTSBFD is a useful tool in determining the fundamental mechanisms of the deposition process and in predicting the ash behavior.

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