OUTLINE OF REFRACTORY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE IRON AND STEEL INDUSTRY1

One of the greatest obstacles to the development of better refractories for the iron and steel industry has been the failure of the iron and steel men to give refractory manufacturers accurate detailed analysis of chemical, physical and thermal conditions to which the refractories are to be subjected. This paper summarizes briefly some of the conditions to be encountered in the major processes. Blast furnace refractories may be divided according to requirements as follows: Hearth and Bosh brick should withstand the scouring action of molten iron and acid slag at temperatures around 1800°C. Inwall brick should be impervious to hot, reducing gases, should resist the sand blast action of the from particles of ore carried by the gas, should have a low coefficient of thermal expansion and should possess sufficient compressive strength to support the weight of the upper part of the furnace. Top brick should be as dense and resistant to abrasion as possible. Downcomer, Dustcatcher and Gas Line brick should be dense and resist sand blast action of gas heavily laden by particles of charge. Hot Blast Main and Bustle Pipe brick should be of low heat conductivity. Hot Blast Stove brick should not vitrify at 900°C, should have maximum capacity for absorbing and giving off heat, and be of high compressive strength. The by-product coke oven is becoming a big factor in the refractory fields and has major requirements as follows: Canals and Ovens require brick of high thermal conductivity which will resist sudden changes in temperature and will not be affected by reducing gases at high temperatures. Checker brick should have great capacity for absorbing heat. Bessemer converters require brick resistant to slag at temperatures from 1600° to 1700°C, the nature of the slag being determined by whether the process is acid or basic. Requirements for open hearth furnaces are as follows: Roof brick (both acid and basic furnaces) must not only be capable of maintaining an arch but should withstand as much as possible the action of iron oxides at temperatures of 1800°C. Checker brick (both acid and basic furnaces) should possess a maximum capacity for absorbing and giving off heat, and a minimum chemical affinity for oxides from charge. Ports (both acid and basic) must withstand the action of slag splashes, also direct action of flame. The hearth of the furnace consists of several courses of brick (acid or basic depending on the process) upon which is built the hearth proper by means of many layers of crushed refractory of the same nature. This crushed material must frit together at high temperatures without excessive softening.