Refractories in Steelmaking and Factors affecting their operation

Refractory materials in steelmaking units in the process of their operation are coming into contact with the liquid metal, slag and gaseous medium. They undergo partial melting during blowing as well as damages due to the ther-mal effects and mechanical damages during charging of hot metal, scrap and other burden materials. All these factors are interconnected and contributing towards the damage of the lining. That is why refractory materials and masses used for lining of steelmaking units should be of higher refractoriness, thermal resistance, chemical stability, mechanical strength, low thermal conductivity, and low expansion and shrinkage properties at temperature varia-tions.