Dry-out
Dry-out turns up in 2 fields: refractories, tides. Here is what it means to the people in each one.
Dry-out in refractories
Controlled first heat-up of a new monolithic lining to drive off water without cracking or spalling.
The supplier-specified heating schedule, with set ramp rates and holds, that removes free water from a new castable or plastic lining near 100 to 150 C and chemically bound water from the cement hydrates at roughly 250 to 550 C. Ramp rates are often 15 to 50 C per hour depending on thickness and castable type, with holds at each critical range. Thermocouples at the hot face and in the gas track it, and every deviation is logged.
"Dry-out chart says hold at 120 for eight hours, then 25 an hour to 540, don't let the burner guy skip ahead."
Dry out in tides
To let a boat settle deliberately on the bottom as the tide falls, against a wall, on legs or on twin keels.
A practice common in harbours that dry at low water, where boats sit on the mud or sand twice a day, and for scrubbing hulls or inspecting propellers without hauling out. Boats dry out against a harbour wall, on a grid, on legs or on bilge keels. Success depends on choosing the right state of tide, a firm bottom and checking that the next high water is high enough to float off.
"We'll dry out against the quay on this morning's high and scrub the hull before she floats at teatime."