Not every problem yields to waterjet. Sometimes, you need diamonds.

19. 09. 2025

On a recent project, we tackled build-ups forming along the upper edge of a refractory lining in a fluidized bed boiler (RDF fuel).
The original castable (SiC70) wasn’t holding up — so we proposed a new design:
SiC tiles
SiC-rich grout
High-conductivity castable (~8 W/mK)
Everything was ready — until demolition started.
The 280 MPa waterjet couldn’t cut through the old lining. It literally bounced off.
The on-site team came up with a smart workaround:
pre-cutting the surface with diamond blades (3 cm deep).
That gave the waterjet something to bite into — and demolition sped up.
We added extra equipment, more people, and ran night shifts to stay on track.
Tests at TZÚS Plzeň confirmed the issue:
Abrasion resistance: 3.9 cm³ (ČSN EN ISO 16282:2009)
For reference, even top materials has rate between 5–10 cm³.
The extreme hardness likely formed during long-term exposure to fluidized bed conditions (1–3 cm depth).
After testing multiple blades, we finally found the one that worked.
Good design is just the beginning. Execution needs flexibility, fast decisions — and sometimes, 37 diamond blades.