Where are common amorphous materials typically used?


During steelmaking, in addition to commonly used regularly shaped refractory bricks, clay‑based materials are also employed to fill the gaps between bricks or applied directly during construction, offering a quick and convenient solution. Alternatively, precast mixed‑material components are manufactured to produce irregularly shaped products. Let’s take a look at some of the key types: Slag‑blocking walls and weirs, as well as permeable curtain walls, are primarily used to contain molten slag, redirect the flow of molten steel, extend its residence time, and promote the collision and flotation of inclusions, thereby purifying the steel. They also modify the flow pattern within the tundish, optimizing the flow field, minimizing dead zones, and expanding stable flow regions. These products feature high strength, excellent erosion resistance, superior scour resistance, and strong slag‑blocking performance. Various ladle cover materials are mainly used to seal steel‑holding vessels, preventing heat loss and secondary oxidation. They exhibit outstanding thermal shock resistance, low thermal conductivity, and good insulation properties. Flow stabilizers and impact plates are designed to receive molten steel poured from the ladle, dissipate the kinetic energy of the pouring stream, reduce splashing, and ensure orderly flow, facilitating the efficient flotation and removal of inclusions while mitigating refractory erosion in the pouring zone. These products boast high‑temperature strength, excellent impact resistance, and superior dimensional stability. Base bricks and separator rings are typically used in conjunction with nozzle assemblies to secure the nozzles in place. They offer excellent dimensional stability and resistance to thermal shock. Dry‑mix materials, spray coatings, and coating compounds are applied to the working layer of tundishes, protecting the permanent lining, containing high‑temperature molten steel, and capturing inclusions. These materials are characterized by ease of application, safety and environmental friendliness, long service life, good disintegration properties, and significant steel‑purification effects. Permanent lining castables are primarily used in the permanent lining sections of various steel‑holding vessels, providing structural support to the working layer and reducing heat loss. They feature excellent fluidity, eliminate the need for baking, and offer superior thermal insulation and thermal shock resistance. Blast furnace repair materials are distinguished by their ability to enable automated remote‑controlled mechanical spraying, high strength, and excellent wear resistance. They are widely employed for lining repairs and internal maintenance in large, medium, and small blast furnaces, helping to extend furnace life. Taphole castables serve as the primary material for tapholes—the main channels for transporting molten iron and slag. Classified according to application areas, they include main taphole material, branch taphole material, and slag‑taphole material, each tailored to specific sections of the taphole. These castables exhibit excellent resistance to slag and iron erosion, superior scour resistance, and good thermal shock performance. Heating furnace castables are noted for their excellent thermal shock resistance, high strength, and superior insulation properties. They are mainly applied to the working and insulating layers of heating furnace roofs, walls, and floors. Nickel‑iron rotary kiln castables stand out for their exceptional acid‑alkali resistance, high strength, excellent wear resistance, and good thermal insulation and thermal shock stability. They are primarily used for lining nickel‑iron rotary kilns and other auxiliary components. Desulfurization lance materials are designed for use in molten‑steel pre‑desulfurization systems. Featuring overall robustness, excellent thermal shock resistance, and long service life, they constitute the principal refractory product for molten‑steel injection desulfurization, playing a critical role in reducing sulfur content and producing high‑quality steel. KR stirrers are also utilized in molten‑steel pre‑desulfurization systems. With their robust construction, excellent thermal shock resistance, long service life, and strong resistance to slag and molten‑steel erosion, they represent the primary tool for stirrer‑based desulfurization, significantly contributing to the production of high‑quality steel with reduced sulfur content. Furnace lid materials are mainly applied to the tops of electric arc furnaces and LF refining furnaces. They offer excellent thermal shock resistance, superior resistance to high‑temperature acidic and alkaline gas corrosion, and long service lives. Ladle working‑layer castables are primarily used on the inner walls and bottom of ladle working layers to receive molten steel. These products feature high strength, excellent scour resistance, good slag‑erosion resistance, and favorable thermal stability. Fireclay mortars are employed for laying both working and permanent linings, offering convenient application, strong bonding between bricks, and excellent erosion resistance. Prefabricated ladle bricks are intended for use on ladle inner walls and bottoms, particularly for smelting low‑carbon and ultra‑low‑carbon steels. They exhibit high strength, can withstand the high‑temperature scouring of molten steel, endure the impact of high‑pressure argon‑gas stirring, and demonstrate excellent slag‑erosion resistance along with good thermal stability.

In the steelmaking process, in addition to commonly used regularly shaped refractory bricks, clay-based mortars are often employed to fill the gaps between bricks or to carry out masonry directly—both methods being quick and convenient. Alternatively, precast composite materials are utilized to produce irregularly shaped components. Let’s take a look at the main types of such products:

Slag-retaining walls/weirs, and permeable curtain walls, etc.

It is primarily used to trap steel slag, alter the flow trajectory of molten steel, extend the residence time of the molten steel, and promote the coalescence and flotation of inclusions, thereby purifying the steel. It also modifies the flow‑field distribution within the tundish, optimizing the flow pattern, reducing dead zones, and expanding the stable‑flow region. The product boasts high strength, excellent corrosion resistance, superior erosion resistance, and strong slag‑blocking performance.

Various types of bag cover materials

It is primarily used to seal steel ladles, preventing heat loss from the molten steel and mitigating secondary oxidation. The product exhibits excellent thermal shock resistance, a low thermal conductivity, and superior insulation performance.

Flow stabilizers, impact plates, etc.

It is primarily used to receive molten steel poured from the ladle, dissipate the kinetic energy of the pouring stream, minimize splashing, and promote orderly flow to ensure thorough collision and flotation‑induced removal of inclusions, while also mitigating refractory erosion in the pour zone. The product exhibits high hot‑strength, excellent impact resistance, and superior dimensional stability.

Brick seats, separator rings, etc.

It is primarily used in conjunction with sprue‑type components to secure the sprue; the product exhibits excellent dimensional stability and outstanding thermal shock resistance.

Dry-mix materials, spray-applied materials, and castable materials

It is primarily used in the working layer of tundishes to protect the permanent lining, contain high‑temperature molten steel, and capture inclusions. The product features easy installation, safety and environmental friendliness, a long service life, excellent disassemblability, and a pronounced effect on refining molten steel.

Permanent Layer Castable

It is primarily used in the permanent lining of steel‑holding vessels, where it supports the working lining and helps minimize heat loss from the molten steel. The product features excellent fluidity, eliminates the need for pre‑baking, and offers superior thermal insulation and thermal shock resistance.

Blast Furnace Taphole Repair Materials

Blast furnace spray‑repair material is characterized by its compatibility with automated, remotely controlled mechanical spraying, high strength, and excellent wear resistance. It is primarily used for lining repair and internal‑lining maintenance in large, medium, and small blast furnaces, helping to extend the service life of the furnace.

Iron-groove castables

The iron‑tapping trough serves as the primary conduit for transporting molten iron and slag. Tapping‑trench refractories are categorized according to their application: main‑trench material, branch‑trench material, and slag‑trench material, each intended for the main trench, branch trenches, and slag‑trench sections of the tapping system, respectively. These materials are characterized by excellent resistance to slag and iron erosion, superior resistance to thermal shock, and outstanding erosion‑and‑scouring resistance.

Refractory castables for reheating furnaces

The castable refractories for heating furnaces are characterized by excellent thermal shock resistance, high mechanical strength, and superior thermal insulation. They are primarily used as working and insulating layers in the furnace roof, walls, and hearth of various types of heating furnaces.

Nickel-iron rotary kiln castables

Nickel‑iron rotary kiln castable refractory, characterized by excellent acid and alkali resistance, high strength and superior wear resistance, as well as good thermal insulation and thermal shock stability, is primarily used for the lining of nickel‑iron rotary kilns and other auxiliary components.

Desulfurization lance type

Desulfurization lances are primarily used in hot metal pre‑desulfurization systems. They feature excellent structural integrity, superior thermal shock resistance, and long service life, making them the principal refractory product for hot metal injection desulfurization. They play a crucial role in reducing sulfur content in molten iron and producing high‑quality steel.

KR agitator

The KR stirrer is primarily used in molten iron pre‑desulfurization systems. It features excellent structural integrity, superior thermal shock resistance, and a long service life, along with outstanding slag resistance and resistance to erosion by molten iron. As the principal equipment for molten‑iron desulfurization via stirring, it plays a crucial role in reducing sulfur content in molten iron and producing high‑quality steel.

Furnace lid type

Ladle cover products are primarily used as furnace tops in electric arc furnaces and LF refining furnaces. They are characterized by excellent thermal shock resistance, superior resistance to high‑temperature acidic and alkaline gas corrosion, and a long service life.

Ladle working-layer castables

It is primarily used in the working layer of the ladle’s sidewalls and bottom, where it serves to receive molten steel. The product features high strength, excellent resistance to erosion and slag attack, and superior thermal stability.

Fireclay type

It is primarily used for the masonry of working linings and permanent linings, featuring ease of construction, strong bonding between lining bricks, and excellent resistance to erosion.

Prefabricated tundish bricks

It is primarily used for the working lining of the ladle’s sidewalls and bottom, particularly in areas subjected to severe service conditions during the smelting of low‑carbon and ultra‑low‑carbon steels. The product exhibits high strength, excellent resistance to the erosive effects of molten steel at elevated temperatures, robust performance under the impact of high‑pressure argon gas stirring, superior slag‑resistance, and outstanding thermal stability.

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Steel production has declined, and refractory material output is likely to follow the same trend in the first quarter.

According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, in March 2022, China’s crude steel output totaled 88.295 million tons, down 6.4% year on year; for the January–March period, cumulative crude steel production reached 243.376 million tons, a decline of 10.5% compared with the same period last year. Recently, the National Development and Reform Commission and other ministries also stated that, to ensure policy continuity and stability and to consolidate gains in reducing crude steel output, nationwide efforts to cut crude steel production will continue in 2022. These measures will help achieve a year-on-year reduction in national crude steel output for 2022, guiding steel enterprises to abandon the extensive growth model focused on volume and promoting high-quality development in the steel industry. Based on crude steel production data, we can infer that refractory material output is likely to follow a downward trend as well. The main reasons are: (1) In the first quarter, overlapping environmental‑control measures during winter and spring, targeted enforcement periods, and the Lunar New Year holiday slowed the production pace of both steel and refractory manufacturers; (2) Since late February, the ongoing nationwide COVID‑19 situation, rising logistics costs, and transportation disruptions have hindered raw‑material procurement and finished‑product delivery, leading to inventory buildup for some products; and (3) Weak demand and rising production costs have kept trading activity at a subdued pace. Taking alumina—the key raw material for refractories—as an example, many alumina producers have operated at reduced capacity or with limited enthusiasm, driven by a combination of factors including higher raw‑ore prices and soaring fuel costs.

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