8th International Congress on Science and Technology of Ironmaking - ICSTI 2018

Blast furnace taphole clays can be extremely sophisticated refractory products. The correct selection is affected by several blast furnace operating factors. The complexity of these formulations mirrors the multitude of often conflicting properties and characteristics that are demanded from the modern day taphole clay, e.g. refractory properties, plasticity, erosion stability and the suitability to form a compact leak-proof plug. However, the taphole clay manufacturer not only has to address these ‘service’ requirements but increasingly there is pressure to meet demanding health and safety as well as environmental standards. The finished product may not look that impressive when stacked on a pallet but this material represents the culmination of significant knowledge and experience in terms of materials technology design. It is our experience that quite often products need to be modified, even custom designed to adapt to a specific furnace or operating practice. Also it is not always the largest furnaces that represent the biggest challenge. We will report about challenges for the complete product chain from raw material selection, production to final application and how to overcome especially operational difficulties.