Design and implementation of slag practices for reduction in refractory consumption at BHP steelmaking centres

BHP Steel produces about 8 million tpa of steel for the local and overseas markets. The costs associated with refractory materials are considerable an d thus strategies have been developed to reduce the refractory wear in stee lmaking operations. The approaches developed take into account some of the key fundamental factors influencing the metallurgical performance of the pr ocess and the rate of chemical attack of refractories by molten slags. Ther modynamic models have been used for analysis of plant data and design/tunin g of suitable practices to prolong the refractory life via in-situ coating of refractories with solid phases with high resistance to slag attack. Exam ples of the results obtained from implementation of such practices are pres ented.