Proceedings of the Ironmaking, Iron Ore and Agglomeration Seminars

Title

DEVELOPING THE BLAST FURNACE COPPER STAVE FOR IMPROVED PERFORMANCE

Authorship

Harvey, Richard; Horwood, Robert

Harvey, Richard

I am this author

Horwood, Robert

I am this author

DOI

10.5151/2594-357X-33389

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Abstract

The copper stave was a development of the Blast Furnace cooling system intended to utilise the high heat transfer properties of copper within a fully covered shell cooling solution. They were originally conceived as being able to provide a permanent cooling lining for use primarily in the higher heat zones of the Blast Furnace. Despite a large number of campaign successes around the world the everlasting concept has not proven universal, with some plants having suffered issues in two particular areas: stave bending (leading to water leaks at back of the stave) and stave wear (erosion on the hot face). Primetals Technologies have in the past been approached to provide assistance to a number of Blast Furnace operators who were experiencing operational issues with the copper stave furnace cooling systems of others. Through knowledge gained resolving these issues, and with the positive experiences of their own copper stave designs, Primetals Technologies have worked towards developing a new concept in copper stave design capable of providing a more robust solution to cope with the greater productivities of modern ironmaking. This paper will provide an outline to the concepts that have driven the design of this new technology.

Keywords

Blast Furnace Cooling; Copper Staves; New Hexagonal Stave; Development