7TH EUROPEAN COKE AND IRONMAKING CONGRESS - ECIC 2016

Advanced iron-making process, called FINEX, is known as an innovative iron making process which has better cost competitiveness and environment-friendly compared to typical Blast furnace process. FINEX demands high performance taphole clay quality rather than blast furnace due to its high tapping speed and high pressure in the furnace. To satisfy its requirements numerous experiments have been carried out such as raw material improvement and increasing the strength of taphole clay. However, these experimental results have not been consistent with field trial results mostly which lead to many trial errors. Fortunately, we had an opportunity to take core bored sample of taphole clay from the FINEX revamping which has been operated during 18 years since Nov. 1995. From the sample of shut-downed FINEX in July of 2014, we could inspect deterioration, reaction condition, and damage pattern in the hearth. The present paper introduces material improvement test results for FINEX taphole clay which may put an end to previous trial errors.