Development of alumina graphite refractories for thin slab casting

摘要

Improvements in both refractory materials and design to the stopper and SEN used in the casting of thin slabs are briefly introduced in this paper. Field results show that the higher purity refractory materials perform best in terms of erosion resistance but require improved oxidation protection by way of newly developed protective glaze coatings. The conventional SEN designs have been improved using water model studies and field results using the more advanced SEN have given a cleaner cast product. A more stable meniscus and improved caster operation. As the demand for longer life and higher cast speeds continues in thin slab casting. Advanced SEN design becomes ever more important for success of thin slab caster operations. Due to the importance of this area of refractory design we will be applying a significant proportion of our R&D efforts on developing and advanced design and ceramic materials to improve flow characteristics and SEM longevity.