DEMANDS PLACED ON THE REFRACTORY MATERIAL IN LADLE METALLURGY

Objective. The development of efficient secondary metallurgy today has placed diverse demands on the ladle refractory lining materials. This is shown in a few selective examples. Safety-, metallurgy- and cost-r elated aspects have to be considered when selecting and optimising the refractory material. Summary. The refractory consumption for ladle li nings amounts to roughly one-quarter of the total refractory consumpti on in an integrated iron and steel mill. If the vacuum degassing facil ities are additionally considered, the share is around one-third. Two variants have today found general acceptance for the working lining, n amely either the use of dolomite or magnesia bricks, or a monolithic l ining comprising alumina-rich castables. Over the past few years, the treatment times of the steel in the ladle and the temperatures at whic h the steel is tapped into the ladle have increased significantly due to the growing importance of secondary metallurgy Reliable stirring of the liquid steel - to an ever greater extent through ladle stirring p lugs - has became a precondition for modern secondary metallurgy, maki ng safe and dependable stirring systems a necessity. (E 29913).