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Refractory demand is driven by growth in emerging markets, new processing technologies
and products in the customers industries mainly iron and steel, cement, lime, non-ferrous
metals, glass, environmental, chemical and energy industry. The need for high-quality
refractory solutions for particular applications is steadily rising. Steel industry reports about
approximately 75% new steel grades developed in the past 20 years. This results in a
potentially high need for refractory innovations only in this particular application in iron and
steel industry where about 70% of all refractories are used. To meet steadily increasing
requirements innovative refractory material, refractory design or complete system solutions
including machinery are necessary. The main development targets are performance
improvement, safety and ergonomics optimization, environmental issues and governmental
regulations, improvement of the customers product quality and to rise the customers
production capacity. In this context also the total cost of ownership comprising costs for
refractory material, energy, repair and maintenance have to be taken into consideration.
Accurate fact finding and understanding of frame conditions at the customer is indispensable
for successful projects. To reach the target of innovative refractories lining solutions highly
sophisticated development tools, starting at computerized simulation tools, customized
structural designs, macroscopic design studies and water modelling up to chemical, physical,
microscopic and technological evaluation of the new material properties are used. The
presentation provides selected examples for new refractory technologies which cover
functional products such as purging plugs or materials for flow control like a new generation
of slide gate systems and monoblock stoppers. Included are also new lining design solutions
for the steel ladle to increase the steel yield and tundish flow modifier for optimization of
steel flow behavior as well as examples for new refractory material developments for steel
and cement industry.
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