TAIKABUTSU OVERSEAS Vol.10No.
Progress of Refractories
YASUAKISHINOHARA *
1. Introduction
Blast-furnace, that may be considered as the symbo1 of
the iron and steel-making industry at the end of 1960s, had
a capacity usually around 15oo cubic meter. Since then,
however, they have grown increasingly, and in the middle
of the 1970s many super-large blast furnace with a capacity
as large as 50oo cubic meter were put into operation.
Recently, re-arrangement of the production structure of
steel mills has resulted in a sharp decrease in the number of
blast-fumaces in operation,
Under these circumstances, improvement of the rate of
blast furnace operation as well as an extension of blast fur-
nace life is required more intensely than ever before. ln
order to improve blast furnaces to meet these requirements,
iron and steel-making companies have been investigating
many aspects of refractory technology; this technological
study has not been confined to checking the quality of
refractory materials, but involves lining profile studies,
structural stress analysis, detection of breakage and damage,
repairs during operation, and other matters. Good results
have been steadily obtained in this research.
Thus, with a combination of improvement of operation
. refractory technology
management and the result of this
research, the industry recently reached a level where many
blast furnaces have an operating life of more than 10 years,
and the cumulative quantity of pig iron tapped for the whole
life of a furnace exceeds 30 million tons.
2. Refractories for Hearths
The blast furnace hearth is the most important part of the
fumace as it is constantly exposed to pig iron, and like the
* Nippon Steel Corporation Ltd., 2-6-3, Ootemachi, Chiyoda-ku,
[Received August 30, 1990; Accepted September 4, 1990]
Used in Blast Furnaces
furnace be11y an the lower part of the furnace shaft it has a
decisive influence on the life of the blast furnace.
Recently, blast furnace have been increasing in capacity.
This has caused an increase in the internal furnace pressure
a rise in the quantity of molten pig iron. Thus, the condi-
tions that blast-furnace hearth refractories experience are
becoming increasingly severe.
2-1. Refractory Application in Hearth
Until carbon blocks were tried in Kukioka blast furnace
No.3 of Nippon Steel Corporation (then Yawata Iron & Steel
Co. Ltd.) in 1961, the blast furnace hearths were wholly
built of chamotte bricks, One blast furnace could therefore
tap no more than one million tons of pig iron during its
whole life.
When carbon blocks were first applied to the stmcture of
the heanh of blast furnaces, hearth structure, in terms of the
sort of refractories used was ehanged to carbon block at the
upper part combined with chamotte brick at the lower part,
and then it was changed again to a lining built of
chamotteihigh alumina brick at the upper part combined
with carbon blocks (ceramic cuff) at the lower part. This
type of blast fumace has been able to produce a cumulative
total of 30 million tons of pig iron in the lifetime of one
furnace (Fig.1).
Many investigationsi), conducted after blowout, of the
wear profile in the hearth revealed phenomena observed that
deserve special notice; among these is the embrittled layer
found 300 to 500mm inward from the hot face, and local
erosion (the so-called "Elephant foot" wear pattern) often
observed on the fumace bottom wall.
This type of wear, irrespective of furnace capacity, occurs
at positions to 2m below the level of the molten iron tap
hole, and the deeper this type of erosion grows in the direc-
tion of the bottom of the furnace, the less the erosion occurs.
Tokyo 1oo-71, Japan
233
 OVERSEAS
TAIKABUTSU VoL1O No.4

i ""
-Å~- - Tuyere Tuvere level

t
-. -- ,
.

13. 7oo P,,

Substance stuck
t g.
N Embrittled layer
Tap hole (molten lron) Molton pig lron t:':•x:.
-N..
st
Metal/siag/coke Tap hole
----
iolelevelT
--.----..-.----.
"i:::':'

,vv.,:
N -
.
.
.
-t-
lt-N
,

..TA':t
- :
t

d-X' Alumina bricks t;--]---

9
l .
Y-
tttt- V-!=.......L'

.et (5 steps) x'

-- -

-T'` -
'tJ---- t- -- it -
xl-,.. s

'l
J-- 11

H Carbon blo61Åqs
t6 SXNNsv,NNsN"v"Nstx"N"r::.E.kt,'.v.
NxxNx-xx""""xxNXXr'"'Ne..-v,
n Metal
(4 steps)
S..v--' ,A, .,
sNSNNNN .) sSNN-NNs-Ns
- V.V.--N- . "1.N '..J.svC.'.L.t.., "v",....
:.,Vx.. ,.'. ' 'ÅqN,V...Ns; 'v :c

-
llliiLl.llLtiliil i.S/ ::Iiili L: 'iL;l iili.1 [::; i•ii ;•i,!llPii•,.f.!,i'i'iliii',

Fig. 1. Example BF hearth wear pattern (Mizushima BF No. 4)

c] Carbon block

A 50 Micro-pore carbon block

S`iO 2Tecose/i3 tw Chamotte (fireclay brick)

:6
co 3U-
ao
.t!.. High-alumlna
20 Dlel.
oo
1. Jnint
ilO
:r,' ,' C/SiC ( Carbon SiC-C brick År
:"----e--..--.....---•••--ii w

o
1 2 3, •l 5 6 ,
lnternal furnace pressure (Atrn)

Fig. 3. Relationship between the lnternat furnace pressure

and pore dia. of molten pig iron intiltration Fig. 2. Hearth brickwork2)

The reason for this is thought to be related to the

phenomenon that substances sticking to the central part of
the furnace bottom are caused to grow by inactivity in that
part and over-cooling, and thereby causing a circular flow
of pig iron at the furnace bottom.2)
Figure 2 illustrates, as a typical example, the structure
of a blast fumace hearth that was relined in 1984. For
preventing the circular flow of molten pig iron, the molten
iron basin is established as 2.5m in that structure. Refrac-
tories composing the bottom of the blast furnace are, from
top to bottom, chamotte brick, high-alumina, and carbon
material.
As mentioned above, in aimost all blast furnace carbon
blocks examined after furnace blowout, an embrittled layer
was found. There are some reports3) that chamotte applied
in the lower hearth, as well as carbon blocks, had an embrit-
tled layer. also there are reports that in blast furnaces that
were blown out only 18 months after starting operation, the
embrittled layer was found in the hearth carbon blocks.4)
ln all the examinations of carbon blocks after use, a
common trend was indicated,5) as shown below:
1) Much penetration of iron from the hot face to the
embrittled layer was observed. The maximum amount of
iron penetration reached 40wt9o.

2-2. Damage Mechanism for Hearth Refractories 2) In many cases, ZnO was found to have accumulated
in the embrittled layer.
3) In the course of operation the hot temperature strength
Besides carbon blocks, chamotte and high-alumina bricks
are used in the hearth of a blast fumace, and they all play during heating, for carbon block in the fore portion of the

important roles. In this anicle, however, discussion will
mainly concentrate on the occurrence of the embrittled layer
in carbon blocks.
embrittled layer, becomes remarkably lowered.
4) The nearer to the hot surface, the more it graphitizes.
It has been calculated that, under conditions of high-pres-
sure operation, molten iron can penetrate into carbon block

234
 TAIKABUTSU OVERSEAS
Vol.1O No.4

Table 1. Refractories properties

Carbon block Hlgh-alumina brick

General l ir; ;;,r rovcrJ• Gen, eral lrnproved

Bulkdensity(gr/cm3) 1.58 I.70 2.56 2.60

Compressive strength 392 639 1,138 1,224
(kg/cm2)
Porositlvt (96) Entire Ent 'i re
Apparent Apparent
porosity porosity porosity porosity
18.0 18.8 13.3 14sl
Mean pore Jr.o o.orJ 4.3 1.7
diameter (Lsm)
Molten iron Much No Much Almos{
infiitration'ik infiltration inf"tration Infiltration no infiltration

'Test was conducted at 15500C, 5kg/cm2

of the embrittled carbon block layer.

so Figure 4 shows observations of the change in carbon
block characteristics afterblast furnace blowout.8'9) the dif-
ik.

ference between the degenerated layer and the originally

laid layer can be clearly observed in the figure,
This difference is considered to take part to a great extent
in causing cracks in the interface between these layers.
Embrlttied layer
iiii'

2-3. Refractories for Hearth

Carbon blocks for the blast furnace hearth are required

2oo to have the following properties:
1) It should not be easily solved.
2) It should not easily allow foreign substances to
penetrate lt.
l oo'
3) It should have a high thermal conductivity.
4) It should be resistaRt to alkali.
5) It should have excellent volumetric stability.
o
1 The principal raw materials for carbon block previously
O 2oo 4co 6co 8oo 10co !2co 14co 16oo }8oo used for blast furnaces in Japan was anthracite, and this was
Dlstance from operating face(mm)
later replaced by metallurgical coke. In the middle of the
1960s, anthracite was again considered for use, and it has
Fig. 4. Carbon block characteristics after use5) been used up to now.iO)

Recently, however, efforts have been made to improve

pores of up to some 1pm; examinations of carbon block has
supported this calculated result6'7) (Fig.3),
The mechanism of embrittlement of carbon block has not
yet been fully clarified, but it is supposed to be caused by
any of the factors below:
1) Thermal stress generated by changes in temperature
immiediately after blow-in or during operation.
2) Degeneration caused by the infiltration of substances
such as iron.
3) A combination of the above 2 factors.
Factor 3) is considered to be the most significant cause
the solultion resistance and the penetration resistance of
carbon block by molten pig iron. For the solutiion resis-
tance, the addition of A1203 to the matrix of carbon block
has been put in practical use.
On the other hand, studies are being conducted on ways,
of filling pores with tar or similar substances, as a means of
improving resistance to penetrate by molten iron.ii)
Another method for this problem, which has been put to
practical use,i2) is to add meta11ic Si, so that silicon oxide-
nitride whiskers are produced during sintering, thereby
micronizing pores. Figure 5 shows the extent of penetra-
tion of pressurized molten iron when carbon block treated

235
 OVERSEAS
TAIKABUTSU Vol.1O No.4

in this way is immersed in pressurized molten iron. High- and strength (hardness) of the contents of the furnace vary
alumina brick employed for ceramic cups, is also being greatly. Lining materials and brickworks must be selected
improved with respect to penetration of molten iron (Table according to these conditions (Fig.6).
1). The most important damage to refractories composing
the wal1 of the blast furnace are in the upper shaft wal1
below fixed throat armor, and the lower shaft wall; the
3'. Refractories for Start and Bosh former has been considered to be affected greatly by
abrasion and the latter by alkalis and zinc. Recently it vvas
made clear that the temperature of the wall lining fluctuates
In the blast furnace, iron ore is charged at the top of the more than was previously thought, by up to 500Clmin. The
furnace, reduced and melted by gases and coke, so that the influence that thermal spalling due to such great temperature
iron is separated from the ore and gradually drops to the fluctuation has on the furnace wall is therefore significant.
bottom of the furnace. Accordingly, from the top of the Since, after the second oil crisis, heavy-oil blowing-in has
furnace to the bosh, the atmosphere, temperature, pressure, been eliminated in favor of by all-coke operation, the

Table 2. Properties of blast furnace refractories

Hlgh-density Fireclay
castable brick
refractorles

Chemlcal composition(%) Si02

Al203
g8g 2g;

Apparent porosity(ok)
gooeC x 3Hr 13 8 14O
Hot modulus of rupture(kg/cm2)
9000C 200 230
Airpermeabmtyfactor ( 80m'22:CcMm3}:i:oM
) O 03 1.4

Abrasim resistance Sand blast

test zo 60 'v 133

;-- c v vt e" ,,
-J "--tsJe g s.
tl 'el . ufl tM fi ls L.c!

v rl ""
E
. ",. vi
S ,;"ii..."wa}
"v'.b,tm
.i." - sy Jn
•es•ee,/xi,ee,,is'eies'
Sgms"tsme,.,.
S,.ew1eeg".',tfu'l'si$`

tYweeWest"t,.
,.a s."
vgl,gE"'l,si,g//.Itfw",$.
$.er3"{'"./l,,,.tt,x.,s

. . ,'-
.g,g-,'sl=,eipt!
iS.'teet-egeff

za,kllss, t.`
.f?-- 'l` ,et is•'.,.gX.i
'Jt "va-fiA"iticvttifC lc .i')-

gM\jll•llll)"'tg..
.z'..itvetsczzS"S:.g.sg "! '..$tl i t-geEt9ptr cdic..

,e•k;ww,x'tts/,/k/'/y/Y.gigl"'"
g" sekx'$.-W,lg-

tuest.'tug:'fietn'ttre'""

f3rf;s's.m- :,L"eV" ."".tl

twTi=c.",.eeeest sgv ie.-eeeeas.iee #'" as ,i,
"gtSgfottiS•"g'.
ss
g i ee
ggee ., ,:ee,;•N. .Eg.s,l. f".e, =j $- i"
geeeWE'.mmael"" fitwtl- ee- -ewwt E ree= - 12't/S.ltrk,eg".",•,,,//,llllll/S,.,.....,$ss,,."./k,\i,',Iig'iglSll"/k'SlsEsc,.i.i'ss'g.'A-li,"i"g'li"i,g'l,'/S':.i'"d#"ll:"""vrier/eg"/S'`'/agg.".t-..'lfg
tr=,

x
t."ll

gl..lj.lg"i.'ee',s.S/I'i,'ge'g..,/ii,/1..iii.i.iwa/iLl,i,tme.atsi."g/./:'me'"ig'S"ma"-"re',.".l,,}ssllitt".fS'ee"l.,$,;,ll'.ss$'#X,,gge1,-,...

v veutC . -.st#
i.. "e ." diU" != t:, :.i".{.
.a s gt,,,'
,ss'c"Li/ptsl'ee '
lrlgdv
! fi Hp vr
M "ee J
eenventledal malerw ' imptovtiet lmatetial
.

Fig. 5. Molten pig ion infiltration compared, 5kfg/cm, 2 lssoOC

236
 TAIKABUTSU OVERSEAS Vol.10 No.4

peripheral gas flow inside the furnace has relatively in- 3-1. Upper Shaft Refractories
.creased. This also has a great influence on damage to the
furnace wall refractories. Conventionally low porosity chamotte bricks were laid
in the upper part of the blast furnace shaft. In the past, when

Table 3. Properties of test bricks (Blast furnace, Muroran Works, Nippon Steel Corporation)8)

Apparent Bulk Apparent Compressive Thermal Chemical

specific density porosity strength conductMty composition
gravity (gr/cm3) (%År (Kg!cm2) (Kcallm • hoCÅr

Fireclay briclÅq 2.67 2.27 15.1 5oo 1.5 AI203

gg ge.

High-alumina 3,19 2.48 14.2 800 2.0 Al203

brick
Pure alumina 3.85 3.14 11.5 1,400 3.2 -A12O3 9 g o/o
brick
SiC-C brick 2.35 1.99 15.5 450 2.0 c 86,2,
lg
go

sic
Silicate 3.12 2.63 15.8 817 13.5 sic
bonded
SiC brick
Silicon nitride 3.1O 2.65 14.6 1,500 14.1
sic
sic
9g gg
oo

bonded
SiC brick Si3N4
i 22 %

TUyere
Temperature Furnacernarerlalswear
ll
withlnReaction
fum.'a'cewithlnfurnaceCause Mechanlsm

m/-IN.g 2
R
nE
200ÅéCharpedrops
lndirectcause
Abraslon

t' Slkll'Sl:iS:t:'.:'x::: 500lnd[rectcause

3 Zincdeposltlng Expans1on
800Dlrect
Coke deoxldliatlon
.s.".-";. DeoxidlzationofA]kallgasphase
lron ore År'i.t:.t:.'}1'.:':}.

lronoxldebyreactlon Expanslon,Cracklng,
L!me stone 22D C02 jncreaseinpofes
'fi`';""w' Carbonoxldatlon lowerlngofstrength
•h.•..•"i•31.,}
OfC02
-g[
Watergasrececllon'
Soft/ ened charge k/#.}ff,".11 tto
1,OOOCarbonatedCa:bondeposlting
oco
dissolution
Carbonaddltlonto
g.poagylroB
Substaricvs stuck 1,400CompletionoforeAIkalislag
reductlon Softeningmeltlng
Moltc.n plg lrbn "ifanganese
o
slnlÅqlng Eo
{,E
reductlon
$iagtormatlonSIag
Furnace core
\. 1"
):hr.',"tlt i
O Mel:•lng&slnking
2,500C02,H2formatlon
TuyprB byhotblast
e
Melted.. slag CaSfornallon
E-;".•:.t
Tap hole
f:-b
.r".
c= o2.

1,500Moltenpigiron reaction
Sdutlonlnro(Carbon
moltenlronbrlck)
Mo1tenpig iro rt
..m. "-"'
:.':' j
M oa
Epta Highternperature Sottenlngand(Clay
meltlngbrlck)

Fig. 6. Blast furnace temperature distribution and reaction inside furnaoei3)

237
TAIKABUTSU OVERSEAS Vol.10 No.4

the designed life of a blast furnace was 5 to 6 years, there
was no big problem in using this kind of refractory material
in that part.
When, as a result of improvements in the lower part of
the furnace shaft and the hearth, extension of the life of the
There were examples in other countries of using this
method of castable lining repair by gunning work in inter-
mediate blast furnace repair. As a Japanese examples, in
the 5th relining (not including repair of the furnace hearth)
of the smal1 blast furnace (157mm3) of Sanei lron Works,

blast furnace was attempted, it became more necessary to
reduce damage to the upper shaft. Despite the increased
damage caused to the upper shaft due to al1-coke operation,
it was not easy. to control peripheral gas flow through con-
trolled charge distribution because of a decrease in the
ore/coke ratio. Therefore, to prevent damage in the
ore/coke charged mixture layer, it became increasingly im-
portant to maintain the profile of this part satisfactorily.i3)
done in 1962, the furnace shaft was repaired using castable
refractories.i5)
Blast furnace No.2, Fukuyama Works, NKK Corporation
that was blown-in 1985, has been operating since its upper
shaft was relined with high-strength castable lining over a
6-meter area. The characteristics of the castable refractories
are shown in Table 2i6,i7)

Several measures were taken for this purpose, Sil-

limanite bricks, that have excellent spalling resistance and
wear resistance was adopted. Gunning repair using castable 5OO
"lg
refractories were introduced. ln the latter part of furnace
life, a process for repairing the profile of the top of the 4, oo

fumace by using pre-cast castable panels or water-cooled

panels .has been put into practical use.
3oo
Another technique of upper shaft repair that deserves
mention is using a lining with monolithic refractories.
2oo

Table 4. Temperature fluctuations ef hot tace of blast furnace

lining brick8) (Measured at BF No.3, Kimitsu Works, Nippon 1oo
Steel Corporation)

ill gi-
1si;c o
'/6.. '/s i"
211711981 -
3110!1981

Normal temperarure eC 100 - 2oo

Temperature elevation rate eClmln 13 - 55
Temperature lowerlng rate ec/mln O,3 '- t
Temperature varlatlon range eC too --12oo
How often temperature varled No, of 3
at rate exceedlng soTb!mln tlmes
Fig. 7. Remaining thickness of test bricks

Lower shaft (312mm)

g 6oo Furnace belty (312mm)
No.4 BF

/11i

soo N N•. trevbeO Lower shaft (468mm)

4oo ol 'A-"-A Furnace belly (468mm)

Ne
3oo 9; : •'s
Ax. A...A
NO."' N-....i:'":A
2oo :====U
o N
"e' Ae - e. ee rn en .- .. -ea-A .- e. .- :.JL. aO"n
1OO

a 2 3 4 g e 7 s g .lo na
Year elapsed after blow-in

Fig. 8. Brick damage from wear in BFs Nos.3 & 4, Kimitsu Works, Nippon Steel Corporation

238
 TAIKABUTSU OVERSEAS
Vol.1O No.4

N4 briclÅq

,
,it'-
.:--xt..-.-"i"--

iTlii1:ltl

k---

1IITIt1

Fig. 9. Copper cooling plate i9) --

3-2. Refractories for Lower Shaft and Bosh

The refractories used for lining the bosh shaft in the Fig.10. New type stave2)
1950s were generally super-duty chamotte and bricks. it is
clear that damage to refractories in this part will be caused
by the infiltration of alkali, carbon and zinc. Improvement
laid in the lower shaft and the be11y between the blast fur-
and development of refractory materials have proceeded
nace No.3 (where the cooling plate is inserted at 463mm
with this in mind;' combined with efforts in devising
pitch) and No.4 (cooling plate insertion pitch, 313mm) at
methods for cooling and supporting refractories and finding
the Kimitsu Works, Nippon Steel Corporation. The figure
measures to counter stress to the structure such as expansion
gives a good indication that, in a case where the cooling
joints, these activities have accomplished great results.
plate insertion pitches have been set at around 300mm, the
1) Cooling plate type blast furnace:
cooling plates have a greatly increased effect on cooling the
Unlike stave-type blast furnaces, furnaces which use
refractory lining in these parts, thus contributing greatly to
cooling plates have refractories to directly protect the steel decrease in the lining damage and wear speed.2)
shell. Accordingly, the life of the blast furnace depends
Since consideration of the cooling plate pitch is also im-
greatly on the life of the refractory lining.
portant for supponing more firmly the inner lining brick,
Examination of refractory materials have been done on
the insertion pitch should be decided with regard to the
many occasions. A typical example was the test of many
directions of height and circumference.
kinds of bricks conducted in the blast furnace No.3,
2) Stave-type blast furnace:
Muroran Works, Nippon Steel Corporation in 1974.
Two sorts of refractories are used for parts undergoing
The characteristics of the refractories employed in this
high thermal load in the stave-type blast furnace; inner
blast furnace are indicated in Table 3, and the residual thick-
lining materials and stave-embeddingbricks.
ness after blowout are shown in Fig.7. As shown by these
The basic concept of the inner lining material is chemi-
values silicon-nitride-bonded SiC brick showed very
favorable results.i8'8) This is the world's first example of cally similar to that of the refractory materials used in the
cooling-plate blast furnace;
SiC bricks being used in the lining of a blast furnace shaft.
A1203, graphite-silicon carbide, silicon carbide, and so
This favorable result has had a great influence on selection
on are adopted in parts which experience high thermal load.
of shaft lining material.
Nevertheless, compared with those used in the cooling
For this reason the lining material of the bosh in the lower
plate-type blast furnace, the inner lining refractory substan-
shaft of the cooling plate type blast furnace is changing from
ces used in the stave-type BF differ considerably in service
high-alumina, graphite-silicon carbide, etc. towards silicon
life.
carbide refractories.
The major cause for this variation in service life between
Apart from refractory material qualities, the cooling
refractories in stave-type BFs is the difference in inner-
plate, needless to say, plays an important part in cooling and
lining brick-sustaining ability between the two types of BFs.
holding the refractory brick. The insertion pitch of the cool-
According to examples of actual measurement, the tempera-
ing plate has a great influence on the life of the refractory
ture of the hot face of the shaft lining normally fluctuates
lining.
from 1oo to 2ooOC, but it often rises at the rate of 13 to
Figure 8 gives a comparison of the wear rate of brick
55eClmin, reaching a maximum 1200eC, and it has been

239
TAIKABUTSU OVERSEAS Vol.10No.4
observed that as often as 3 times in 20 days, there occur
rapid changes as high as 500Clmin in the temperature of the
lining face8) (Table 4). Presumably these temperature fluc-
tuations are caused by rapid coming off of the substances
stuck on the inner lining face and also by rapid changes in
gas flow. In view of this and from analyses27-30) of the
thermal stresses on the lining, it was concluded that cracks
can certainly be caused on presently-used refractories (ex-
cluding graphite-silicon carbide, etc.). Accordingly, unlike
in the cooling plate blast fumace, presumably cracks caused
in this type of blast furnace directly lead to failing of the
lining.
Two very effective measures for reinforcing the inner
lining sustaining ability in the stave-type blast furnace have
been attempted. One is to establish, as illustrated in Fig.9,
a cooling plate between one stave and another,
The other measure, as shown in Fig.10, is to hold the
brick for foreface lining with cast iron when making the
stave. Advantages of the latter measure are an increased
lining sustaining ability and a possibility of shorter blast
furnace major repair work period.
All of these measures greatly improve the sustaining
ability for the foreface brick in the conventional stave-type
blast furnace which has been the principal weakness of this
brick. Any of these measures will exhibit good results in
furnaces where it is practically adopted.
When the stave was first introduced into the blast fur-
nace, chamotte brick was used for embedding the stave
body. Now improved materials are mainly used in the part
undergoing high therrnal load. Bricks of pure A1203,
BA1203-SiC, and SiC are in use domestically and overseas.
With such improvement of the nature of brick mate.rial for
stave embedding and improvement of the cooling functions
of the stave itself, the life of staves has been greatly ex-
tended.
4. Conclusion
ln this article, the recent technological trend of refrac-
tories are outlined, mainly on the nature of materials used
at the furnace hearth, shaft, and bosh. Needless to say, the
improvement of the nature of refractory materials employed
in blast furnace operation, as well as furnace repair, detec-
tion of damages of the furnace refractory lining, and so on,
240
are all required to extend the life of blast furnace lining,
Through a consolidated employment of the technologies
that have been improved so far, it can certainly be said that
Japan's blast furnaces have reached a level such that their
life is expected to be 12 to 15 years;
Tasks for the future in BF lining technology are a further
improvement of lining damage diagnosis technology as well
as improvement and development of repair technology.
References:
1) T. Ochiai, M. Ikeda, S. Fujiwara, S. Tamura and H. Imawaka, Tetsu-
to-Hagane 65,S541 (1979)
2) T. Yamamoto, 116th & 117 Nishiyama Memorial Lectures (1987)
3) M. lkeda, M. Nagahara, T. Horio, T. Mitsuyasu, M. Nose and M.
Nomura, Tetsu-to-Hagane 70, S740 (1984)
4) M. lkeda, S. Fujiwara, K. Ohkawa, M. Nakai, M. Saito and Y.
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