Title

THE WORLDWIDE STATUS OF BOF SLAG SPLASHING: PRACTICES AND PERFORMANCE

THE WORLDWIDE STATUS OF BOF SLAG SPLASHING: PRACTICES AND PERFORMANCE

Authorship

PAVLACK, TERRY T.; MESSINA, CHARLES J.

PAVLACK, TERRY T.

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MESSINA, CHARLES J.

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DOI

10.5151/2594-5327-C00146-2306-2310

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Abstract

In the steel industry, there is constant pressure to increase productivity and decrease costs. A technology that was developed in the mid-1970s has recently helped steelmakers increase productivity and decrease operating costs while at the same time not requiring large sums of capital to implement. This technology is known as slag splashing. The slag splashing process uses high-pressure nitrogen blown at high flow rates through the oxygen blowing lance to splash slag onto the vessel refractory. The slag coats the refractory, cools, solidifies and creates a solid layer of slag that serves as a consumable refractory layer. This slag layer decreases the wear rate of the BOF refractory, decreases the consumption of gunning material, increases lining life, increases furnace availability, and decreases operating costs. The process has been used successfully with the vessel empty of steel with all the slag remaining and also with the steel and slag in the vessel. The slag splashing process was originally developed at National Steel Great Lakes Division by Praxair. This technology was part of the development work of the patented Argon-Oxygen-Blowing (AOB) process. A patent on slag splashing was issued to Praxair in 1983. The process did not progress further in the steel industry because of improvements that were made to the quality of brick by refractory suppliers during the 1980s, and the introduction of other very aggressive gunning systems to improve lining life.

In the steel industry, there is constant pressure to increase productivity and decrease costs. A technology that was developed in the mid-1970s has recently helped steelmakers increase productivity and decrease operating costs while at the same time not requiring large sums of capital to implement. This technology is known as slag splashing. The slag splashing process uses high-pressure nitrogen blown at high flow rates through the oxygen blowing lance to splash slag onto the vessel refractory. The slag coats the refractory, cools, solidifies and creates a solid layer of slag that serves as a consumable refractory layer. This slag layer decreases the wear rate of the BOF refractory, decreases the consumption of gunning material, increases lining life, increases furnace availability, and decreases operating costs. The process has been used successfully with the vessel empty of steel with all the slag remaining and also with the steel and slag in the vessel. The slag splashing process was originally developed at National Steel Great Lakes Division by Praxair. This technology was part of the development work of the patented Argon-Oxygen-Blowing (AOB) process. A patent on slag splashing was issued to Praxair in 1983. The process did not progress further in the steel industry because of improvements that were made to the quality of brick by refractory suppliers during the 1980s, and the introduction of other very aggressive gunning systems to improve lining life.

Keywords

lag splashing, BOF, refractory lining, nitrogen blowing, steelmaking

lag splashing, BOF, refractory lining, nitrogen blowing, steelmaking