Iron Making

Crude steel production begins with the reduction process, where the iron ore reacts with carbon sources inside the blast furnace. The blast furnace requires different types of refractory products with resistance to thermo-mechanical and thermo-chemical reactions.

In addition to making full design engineering and supplying highest quality refractory product solutions for blast furnaces, Saint-Gobain stands as one of the leaders in the supply of refractories downstream of the blast furnace including high-quality tap hole mix with customized solutions to meet the needs of every customer, concretes with excellent performance characteristics for trough and runners as well as Alumina Silicon Carbide Carbon bricks for torpedo ladles.

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Blast Furnace

With Blast Furnace lifetimes extending to 20 years and beyond, it becomes increasingly important that the correct choice is made for the lining design. Short-cuts and poor choices can lead to extremely expensive unplanned stoppages. Saint-Gobain’s rich experience of over 50 years in total design capability (not only Ceramic Cup) and supply of all required products specifically developed for Blast Furnace conditions means we are a natural choice for all your lining needs.

Blast Furnace Brochure Ceramic Cup Article Novel Sialon Article

In addition to the full package of requested refractory materials, Saint-Gobain engineers will supply a budget-feasibility study, basic and detailed design (including thermal studies) and installation supervision.

Fully inclusive reline services from the top down

From a materials requirements perspective, a blast furnace refractory lining may be split into five areas from top to bottom.

Click on the picture to enlarge:	Blast Furnace Area	Main Products
	Upper Stack/ Throat In this low temperature area, abrasion by the solid burden is the primary mode of wear. Our SiC 85P, a silicate bonded SiC, has proven to be a cost-effective solution.	SiC (Oxide Bonded Silicon Carbide)	Al2O3 (Alumina Based)
		SiC 85P	MS6	Mullfrax 601 BF
	Lower Stack / Belly and Bosh Abrasion by the burden, alkali and zinc attack, molten iron and slag corrosion, as well as thermal fluctuations call for Si3N4 and SiAlON bonded materials.	SiC-Si3N4 (Nitride bonded Silicon Carbide)	SiC-SiAlON (Sialon Bonded Silicon Carbide)	Al2O3-SiAlON (Sialon Bonded Alumina Corundum)
		Refrax 20 SBF	Sicanit Al3	Coranit 3S
	Tuyere belt The tuyere surroundings experience severe abrasion, high heat load and thermal shock in combination with corrosion by molten iron and slag and intense alkali and zinc attacks. Our engineering department will design customized tuyere surroundings that will fit the best to the specific requirements of your blast furnace operation.	Low Cement High Alumina Pre-Cast Blocks	No Cement High Alumina Pre-Cast Blocks	SiC-SiAlON (Sialon Bonded Silicon Carbide Bricks)
		MonoCoral	MonoGuard	Sicanit AL3
	Hearth Traditionally, blast furnace hearths are lined with high thermal conductive carbon-based materials. The Saint-Gobain Ceramic Cup is now fully established and recognized as the best design for the hearth, provinding lifetime extension for 9 years or more, as well as significantly energy saving.	Al2O3-SiAlON (Alumina Corundum Sialon Bond) Worldwide recognized	Al2O3-SiAlON (Alumina Corundum Sialon Bond) 3rd Generation
		Coranit AL	Coranit SlagR
	Ceramic Pad Both MS4 and MS4R are well suited for hearth pad application being iron resistant and stable. MS4 being the classical mullite recipe. Both have numerous references in circular and herring bone design.	Classical Mullite	Alumina Based
		MS4	MS4R

Tap Hole Mix

Saint-Gobain owns a complete portfolio of high-performance tap hole mix for Blast Furnaces of any size. By selecting the finest raw materials and offering a deep understanding of the current furnace conditions, Saint-Gobain’s leading technology ensures increased tap hole lengths, long tapping time and a suitable protection of the furnace hearth.

Besides tap hole mix for regular operational conditions, Saint-Gobain also supplies unique fast sintering materials for consecutive tapping operations in small furnaces, expansive clays for furnaces blow-in and a crack filling technology for damaged tap hole mushrooms, and also special solutions to help preventing the hearth wall wear around the tap holes.

Download Brochure Technical Article about Taphole Clay

All products below can be manufactured with the ECOTAP technology, that reduces the emissions of carcinogenic gases (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons). Contact us

Tap Hole Mix products and benefits
Applications	Products	Characteristics	Benefits
Small furnaces	CL	Soft tap hole mix	Minimal splashing during casting
Medium and Large furnaces	SR	Resistance to erosion and corosion by iron and slag	Allows stable operation
Consecutive taps	SR Consecutive	Quick hardening	Enables safe operation when the blast furnace runs with a single taphole
Demanding conditions	SR HP	High adhesion	Maximum protection of hearth wall

Iron Making Equipment, Throughs and Runners | Saint-Gobain

Troughs & Runners

Since 1976, Saint-Gobain provides refractories that offer ultra-high resistance against slag and molten iron corrosion, that combined with design expertise guarantee maximum availability of the blast furnaces’s through and runners. With innovation and constant technical support, Saint-Gobain’s team uses the newest technologies to bring continuous improvement on safety and performance to its customers.

Technical Article

Troughs & Runners products and benefits
Products	Characteristics	Applications & Benefits
Ultra low cement castable	Oxidation, erosion and corrosion restistance	High performance materials customized for all regions of the casting floor Providing reduced maintenance cycles
Dry Mix Lining	Water free application	Extremely fast repairing materials designed for secondary runners
Shotcrete	High performance, low rebound, fast repair	Easy-to-pump and high corrosion resistance castables for cold and hot repairs for all regions of the main trough and secondary runners
Spinel containing castable	High resistance to FeO corosion	Extended campaign of metal line and iron runners
Colloidal silica castables	High performance, quick drying	Zero-cement material designed for a reduced repair time of main trough and secondary runners
Pre-cast blocks	Controlled environment	Lower repair time and longer campaign for skimmers and secondary runners
High Performance Gunning mix	High adhesion	Versatily for all kind of repairs at any region of the casting floor
Ramming mix	High workability	High performance and easy to apply mix for quick repairs at any regions of the casting floor

Iron Making Equipment, Torpedo Ladle | Saint-Gobain

Torpedo Ladle (Torpedo car)

In many steel plants, the torpedo cars (torpedo ladles) are no longer just transfer containers, but very important equipment used for liquid metal treatments such as desulfurization and desiliconization. These practices entail higher temperatures, higher metal/slag turbulence and greater chemical attack, requiring high quality refractory linings. Saint-Gobain bricks have been supplied to customers in Europe, America and Asia, with tailor made balanced lining designs, as each area of the torpedo car has a different sort of wear.

Torpedo Ladle products and benefits
Products	Characteristics	Applications	Benefits
Bricks	Al₂O₃-SiC-C based with high Oxidation and corosion resistance	Working lining	Higher campaign, even under high desulfurization treatment or high thermal shock demanding
Castable	Mechanical resistance	Mouth	Low need for repair
Shotcrete	High performance	Repair	Al₂O₃-SiC-C based with high adhesion, minimal rebound losses and exceptional wear resistance
Gunning mix	High strength Al2O3 or Al2O3-SiC based	Repair	Special design for hot application and fast repair

Industries We Serve

Solutions customized based on your need

Iron Making Industry, Conventional Coke | Saint-Gobain

Blast Furnace - Conventional Coke

Saint-Gobain designs and supplies for its customers the most advanced technologies with exceptional results, bringing operational stability and longer life.

Blast Furnace - Charcoal

Charcoal Blast furnaces require specific types of refractories for a smooth operation, and Saint-Gobain provides all of them taking into account each customer operational conditions.