Reduction of Specific Tap Hole Clay Consumption to a New World Benchmark Level at I Blast Furnace
(Room 207D)
08 May 17
11:00 AM
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11:30 AM
Tracks:
Blast Furnace Stove Refractories & Operations I
Flagging of steel prices since FY 2015 has slashed the bottom line of integrated steel plants considerably. For the sustenance of the steel industry in the current scenario, the reduction of conversion costs becomes inevitable. In blast furnaces, the costliest and most frequently used consumable is taphole clay. Taphole clay is a ready-to-use refractory product made of a bond of aggregates, additives and plasticizer and used to close the taphole after casting. The present study details the various operational practices implemented to reduce the taphole clay consumption from 0.65 kg/thm to 0.19 kg/thm (a new world benchmark) at I Blast Furnace, which translates into a recurring annual savings of US$1.7 million.