Danieli Corus BV (Ijmuiden, Netherlands):

van Laar R.
van Straaten V.

E-mail (common): comms.office@danieli-corus.com

Modern blast furnace designs include state-of-the-art bottom and hearth refractory grades including high conductive micropore semigraphite (ultra micropore carbon), external hearth shell jacket cooling, bottom water cooling. Catastrophic abrasion failures of copper stave coolers were reported by many plants in the last ten years and this compromises availability, productivity and the campaign life of these plants. The performance of copper plate coolers, graphite and silicon carbide has been outstanding at all plants using the original “Hoogovens” design. Reline durations using Hoogovens technology have always been longer due to the fact that installation of refractory could only be realized after installation of the shell whereas copper stave coolers can be pre-assembled to the shell. This relative disadvantage has recently been eliminated by the development of modular reline construction technology incorporating pre-assembled Hoogovens technology. This can be realized by modern heavy transport and lifting systems with digital control and a temporary re-enforcement system for the shell modules including copper plate coolers and refractory lining. Bosh, belly and stack designs including machined copper plate coolers, graphite and silicon carbide refractory have demonstrated long campaign life and high availability. Modular construction technology has been frequently demonstrated during blast furnace relines using copper and cast iron stave coolers. It has been recently developed for Hoogovens technology. This technology secures a shut-down time for a partial reline of 40 days and a complete reline of 70 days.