Ken Moody
Consultant, Ceramic Engineer
Kenneth J. Moody received his B.S in Ceramic Engineering from Clemson University in 1975. After a short stint as an Assistant Golf Professional in Florida, he joined Babcock and Wilcox Refractories Division to begin his career in refractories with a major emphasis in calcium aluminate cements. Starting with C-3 Cement manufactured at the B&W Augusta Works, he worked with Lone Star LaFarge (now Kerneos) and Alcoa Industrial Chemicals (now Almatis) in the area of high alumina cements and refractory raw materials. In his time at B&W Refractories and Morgan Thermal Ceramics he worked in the areas of product development, application development and field service with refractory castables, insulating and dense firebrick and pre-cast shapes. In 2011 he started his own consulting company, Refractory System Solutions, LLC, where he continues to provide engineering guidance to a wide range of clients from refractory manufacturers, engineering companies, and end users.
Connect with me on Linkedin
Refractory System Solutions
(706)951-0943
ken.moody.eng@gmail.com
Papers Written
Steelplant Refractories Containing Alphabond Hydratable Alumina Binders
Click to Read
Developmental Technical Refractory Materials
(Part III)
Click to Read
Explosive Spalling of Castables: Its Causes and Prevention
Click to Read
Key Competencies
COMPETENCIES:
- Knowledgeable in ceramic engineering basics, current manufacturing processes for monolithics, insulating firebrick, high alumina and super duty dense firebrick, pre-cast shapes and fired pressed shapes
- Team leader in solving raw material problems, composition variations and manufacturing variations
- Refractory expertise in the following:
- Refractory raw materials, methods to ensure raw material quality from suppliers
- Raw material test procedures/processes for maintaining consistent quality
- Calcium aluminate cements and their use in monolithics
- Installation methods used with Monolithics: casting, vibration-casting, dry-gunning, shot-creting
- Inspection and evaluation of refractory linings of all types
- Dry-out procedures for monolithic linings
- Insulating Firebrick development, use and lining design
- Dense firebrick product development, product quality procedures and installation
- Post mortem analysis of refractory lining failures
- Managing Specifications for Monolithics, Insulating Firebrick and Dense Firebrick
- For HPI, Aluminum, Power Generation, and Iron and Steel markets
- Able to work with all levels of the business organization
- Coordinated and collaborated with large projects:
- Transition from Bauxite, AR bayer hydrates to Point Comfort bayer hydrates as feedstocks for all Alcoa Industrial Chemical Products except for white hydrates – 1989-1990
- Project manager for multi-million dollar slinger IFB process at Thermal Ceramics facility in Mexico
- Initiated, guided and organized the installation of specialty high intensity mixer for specialty monolithic products with payback within 12 months of installation
- Proficient in creating and giving technical papers, presentations and training seminars for in-house, customers and industry-wide meetings
- Recent installation support
- Selas Fluid in South Africa – Fired Heater Lining Inspection – April 4 to May 13, 2011
- Selas Fluid in Thailand – Fired Heater Lining Inspection – July, 2011
- Member of API Subcommittee Refractory Materials
- Hired as independent consultant by Becht Engineering working on projects with Exxon-Mobil – November 2011
- Chicago Brick and Iron – Post mortem analysis of Cartegena Refinery
- Foster Wheeler – Post mortem analysis of BP Whiting Convection Sections, 2012
- Curtiss-Wright Baytown – Post mortem analysis of explosive spalling of high density castable.
- Exxon Mobil – Singapore Hydro-Desulfurization Project – Monitored Installation Practices of VATANA Phaisal Engineering (VPE), Thailand
- Exxon Mobil – SAMREF Clean Fuels Project- Inspected procedures for pre-qualification work for installing castables in Waste Heat Boiler and Incinerator and Flue gas piping. Approved procedures and installer for materials qualified for SAMREF job.