Blast furnace refractories: Past, present, future

Abstract

Most of the refractories used today are related to iron and steel industry. Grate part of the refractory lining related to blast furnace are combination of different refractory materials selected for different parts of furnace, as well as different process conditions and temperature range. Selection of appropriate refractory combination depends on knowledge and demands for iron making system in combination with the physical, mechanical and chemical properties of the proposed refractories. An improper understanding of the above factors often leads to a refractory failure which, subsequently, becomes a complex problem to solve. Refractory linings whether it is of a blast furnace or any other furnace, usually fail due to any number or combination of such factors. For the convenience of understanding, here we will discuss the types of refractory lining required in a blast furnace area as well as the trend in the refractory lining pattern that has been used during the last decades.