Title

PROGRESS IN STEEL LADLE REFRACTORY TECHNIQUES

PROGRESS IN STEEL LADLE REFRACTORY TECHNIQUES

Authorship

ISODA, TADASHI; OGASAHARA, KAZUKI; KAMO, MOMOKI

ISODA, TADASHI

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OGASAHARA, KAZUKI

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KAMO, MOMOKI

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DOI

10.5151/2594-5300-30Aciaria-167-184

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Abstract

The use of monolithic refractories is an effective means of reducing the material and labor costs associated with steelmaking ladles. For this purpose, Kawasaki Steel first introduced a zircon based castable for the ladle with good results. However, with higher purity requirements placed on steel in recent years, zircon is no longer appropriate as a ladle refractory because of its high content of SiO₂, which causes the formation of oxide inclusions. As the result of efforts to apply a SiO₂-free ladle refractory as a substitute for the zircon type, a practical alumina-spinel castable was developed and is now used. When alumina-spinel was originally introduced, this material did not fully demonstrate its characteristic high corrosion resistance because the main modality of wear with alumina-spinel is cracking and peeling. Presuming that cracking and peeling originate from structural spalling, the authors studied and implemented measures to suppress structural spalling and successfully reduced cracking and peeling. Consequently, refractory life has been remarkably extended. This report presents an outline of these improvements and the features of the facilities applied at Kawasaki Steel.

The use of monolithic refractories is an effective means of reducing the material and labor costs associated with steelmaking ladles. For this purpose, Kawasaki Steel first introduced a zircon based castable for the ladle with good results. However, with higher purity requirements placed on steel in recent years, zircon is no longer appropriate as a ladle refractory because of its high content of SiO₂, which causes the formation of oxide inclusions. As the result of efforts to apply a SiO₂-free ladle refractory as a substitute for the zircon type, a practical alumina-spinel castable was developed and is now used. When alumina-spinel was originally introduced, this material did not fully demonstrate its characteristic high corrosion resistance because the main modality of wear with alumina-spinel is cracking and peeling. Presuming that cracking and peeling originate from structural spalling, the authors studied and implemented measures to suppress structural spalling and successfully reduced cracking and peeling. Consequently, refractory life has been remarkably extended. This report presents an outline of these improvements and the features of the facilities applied at Kawasaki Steel.

Keywords

monolithic refractories, alumina-spinel, ladle refractory, steelmaking, structural spalling

monolithic refractories, alumina-spinel, ladle refractory, steelmaking, structural spalling