REFRACTORY USE EXPERIENCE IN STEELMAKING

The refractory consumption at the Sidenor Basauri plant facilities is concentrated in the steelmaking shop with 97% of the total consumption. In the steelmaking shop, refractory consumption has the distribution 50% continuous casting, 35% ladle and 15% electric arc furnace and rest of applications. The refractory material suitability is defined from three points of view: quality level depending on the final products; total cost, taking into account purchase price, installation cost, running cost and energy consumption associated with its use; and emissions environmental impact due to drying and preheating of refractory products. The refractory material performance is characterised at three different levels: steady state working conditions (wear, spalling, thermal insulation, air tightness etc.); theoretical study and measurements from thermal and environmental point of view; and sudden and unpredicted failures. 13 refs.