STEEL INDUSTRY


Steel industry

In steel industry, andalusite is a key component of high alumina unshaped and shaped refractory products. Andalusite fired bricks are applied in hot blast stove because of their high thermal

shock resistance, volume stability and resistance to creep deformation with a good heat storage capacity. Andalusite fired bricks enables service life up to 20 years for this application.
In many part of the blast furnace, andalusite fired bricks are used for their thermal stability and hot mechanical properties (top cone and upper stack, bustle and tuyere stack assembly, ceramic cup…).

Andalusite is appreciated in contact with pig iron (torpedo car, pig iron ladles) or steel (steel ladles) because of its regular wear (no spalling) and its thermal shock resistance (heating up is not required). For these applications, it can be used chemically or carbon bonded bricks as well as fired bricks.

Andalusite is also a necessary component of high alumina castables (ULCC ou LCC) applied all over the steel process for safety linings (ex main runners or tundishes), for precast shapes (well blocks, dams, impact pads, burner blocks, lances, delta sections…) or long life equipments (through covers, ladle covers, tundish covers).

Finally, in steel industry, andalusite can be used as a main component or in combination with any other high alumina component (from high duty chamotte to white fused alumina). Addition of andalusite leads to increase the performance of high alumina refractories at an acceptable cost.