Five Steelmaking Equipment Types Covered on This Page
Blast Furnace
Ironmaking furnace operating under high temperature, abrasion, molten iron and slag attack. Refractory selection varies significantly from the throat and shaft to the tuyere, hearth and bottom.
Basic Oxygen Furnace (BOF)
High-temperature steelmaking converter exposed to molten steel, basic slag, oxygen blowing and severe thermal shock. Magnesia-carbon refractories are widely used in critical zones.
Electric Arc Furnace (EAF)
Electric arc steelmaking furnace exposed to extreme heat, arc radiation, slag corrosion and repeated thermal cycling. Magnesia-carbon refractories are commonly used in the working lining.
Steel Ladle
Molten-steel vessel requiring multilayer refractory linings for thermal insulation, slag resistance, impact resistance and protection of the steel shell.
Reheating Furnace
High-temperature furnace used to heat billets, slabs or blooms before rolling. Refractories must withstand thermal cycling, furnace atmosphere and mechanical wear.
Steel Industry Equipment Diagrams and Refractory Area Labels
Throat: High Alumina Brick / Fireclay Brick
Upper & Middle Shaft: High Alumina Brick
Lower Shaft & Belly: High Alumina Brick / SiC Brick
Bosh: High Alumina Brick / SiC Brick
Tuyere Zone: Al₂O₃-SiC Brick / Castable
Lower Hearth & Bottom: Carbon Brick
Taphole Zone: Carbon Brick / SiC-C Brick
Refractories for Blast Furnaces
Blast furnaces operate continuously under high temperature, mechanical wear, molten iron, slag attack and gas erosion. Refractory selection depends on the specific operating zone.
- Throat: High Alumina Brick / Fireclay Brick
- Upper & Middle Shaft: High Alumina Brick / Fireclay Brick
- Lower Shaft & Belly: High Alumina Brick / Silicon Carbide Brick
- Bosh: High Alumina Brick / Silicon Carbide Brick
- Tuyere Zone: Alumina-Silicon Carbide Brick / High Alumina Castable
- Upper Hearth: High Alumina Brick / Carbon Brick
- Lower Hearth & Bottom: Carbon Brick / Microporous Carbon Brick
- Taphole Zone: Carbon Brick / Silicon Carbide-Carbon Refractory
Converter Mouth: High Alumina / Magnesia-Carbon
Upper Shell: Magnesia-Carbon Brick
Slag Line: Magnesia-Carbon Brick
Belly: Magnesia-Carbon Brick
Bottom: Magnesia-Carbon Brick
Trunnion Zone
Tapping Hole: Magnesia-Carbon Special Shape
Refractories for Basic Oxygen Furnaces
BOF converters are exposed to molten steel, highly basic slag, oxygen blowing, thermal shock and mechanical impact. Magnesia-carbon brick is the main refractory material for critical working zones.
- Converter Mouth: High Alumina Refractory / Magnesia-Carbon Brick
- Upper Body: Magnesia-Carbon Brick
- Slag Line: High-performance Magnesia-Carbon Brick
- Belly: Magnesia-Carbon Brick
- Bottom: Magnesia-Carbon Brick
- Trunnion Area: Magnesia-Carbon Brick / Special Refractory Shapes
- Tapping Hole: Special Magnesia-Carbon Brick
Roof: High Alumina / Alumina Refractory
General Wall: Magnesia-Carbon Brick
Slag Line: Magnesia-Carbon Brick
Hot Spot: High-performance Magnesia-Carbon Brick
Bottom: Magnesia Ramming Mix / Magnesia Brick
Eccentric Tapping Hole: Special Refractory
Refractories for Electric Arc Furnaces
Electric arc furnaces experience extreme temperatures, intense arc radiation, slag corrosion, localized hot spots and repeated thermal cycling.
- Roof: High Alumina Refractory / Alumina Refractory
- General Wall: Magnesia-Carbon Brick
- Slag Line: High-performance Magnesia-Carbon Brick
- Hot Spot: High-performance Magnesia-Carbon Brick
- Bottom: Magnesia Ramming Mix / Magnesia Brick
- Eccentric Tapping Hole: Special Magnesia-Carbon Refractory
Insulation Layer
Permanent Lining: High Alumina Brick / Castable
Wall Working Lining: MgO-C / High Alumina
Bottom Working Lining: AMC / MgO-C
Bottom Impact Zone: AMC / Spinel Refractory
Slag Line: Magnesia-Carbon Brick
Porous Plug: Alumina-Based Refractory
Refractories for Steel Ladles
Steel ladles use multilayer refractory linings to protect the steel shell and maintain molten-steel temperature while resisting slag corrosion, thermal shock and mechanical impact.
- Insulation Layer: Insulating Brick / Ceramic Fiber
- Permanent Lining: High Alumina Brick / Refractory Castable
- Wall Working Lining: Magnesia-Carbon Brick / High Alumina Brick
- Bottom Working Lining: Alumina-Magnesia Carbon Brick / Magnesia-Carbon Brick
- Bottom Impact Zone: Alumina-Magnesia Carbon Brick / Spinel Refractory
- Slag Line: High-performance Magnesia-Carbon Brick
- Porous Plug Area: Alumina-Based Special Refractory
Roof: High Alumina / Silica Brick
Inner Wall: High Alumina Brick
Outer Wall: Insulating Refractory
Heating Zone Floor: High Alumina Brick / Castable
Preheating Zone Floor
Low-temperature Zone / Flue
Furnace Door / Discharge Area
Refractories for Steel Reheating Furnaces
Reheating furnaces heat billets, slabs or blooms before rolling. Refractory materials must withstand high temperature, thermal cycling, mechanical wear and furnace atmosphere.
- Roof: High Alumina Brick / Silica Brick
- Inner Wall: High Alumina Brick / Dense Refractory
- Middle & Outer Wall: Insulating Brick / Ceramic Fiber
- Heating Zone Floor: High Alumina Brick / Refractory Castable
- Preheating Zone Floor: High Alumina Brick / Fireclay Brick
- Low-temperature Zone / Flue: Fireclay Brick / Insulating Refractory
- Furnace Door / Discharge Area: High Alumina Brick / Castable
Comparison of Five Major Steel Industry Furnace Types
| Equipment | Main Refractory Concern | Typical Materials | What to Specify |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blast Furnace | Wear, slag/alkali attack, CO attack | High Alumina · Corundum · SiC · Carbon | Area + temperature + wear condition |
| BOF Converter | Slag corrosion, oxidation, thermal shock | MgO-C Brick · Gunning Mix | MT grade + MgO/C + application zone |
| EAF | Basic slag, oxygen blowing, thermal shock | MgO-C · Magnesia · Ramming Mix · Castable | Furnace capacity + hot spot + lining zone |
| Steel Ladle | Severe slag-line corrosion, thermal shock | MgO-C · High Alumina · Spinel Castable | Ladle capacity + refining process + slag line |
| Reheating Furnace | Thermal cycling, abrasion, scale attack, heat loss | High Alumina Castable · Mullite · Ceramic Fiber | Furnace type + zone + operating temperature |
Common Refractory Products for the Steel Industry
Steel Industry Refractory FAQs
What refractories are commonly used in the steel industry?
Magnesia-carbon bricks, alumina-magnesia carbon bricks, magnesia bricks, high alumina bricks, carbon bricks, silicon carbide refractories, castables and insulating refractories are commonly used in steelmaking equipment.
What refractory is commonly used in BOF converters?
Magnesia-carbon brick is widely used in the BOF working lining, especially in the slag line and other high-temperature areas exposed to basic slag and thermal shock.
What refractory is used in the slag line of a steel ladle?
High-performance magnesia-carbon brick is commonly used in the steel ladle slag line because this area experiences severe slag corrosion and thermal cycling.
What is the difference between BOF and EAF refractory linings?
Both require strong resistance to slag corrosion and thermal shock. BOF converters are mainly exposed to oxygen blowing and basic slag, while EAFs experience intense arc radiation, localized hot spots and repeated thermal cycling.
What refractories are used in blast furnace hearths?
Carbon bricks, microporous carbon bricks and other carbon-based refractories are commonly used in blast furnace hearth and bottom areas because of their resistance to molten iron and long-term high-temperature service.
How do I select refractory materials for a steel furnace?
Refractory selection depends on the equipment type, application zone, operating temperature, slag chemistry, steel grade, mechanical conditions, existing lining and required service life.
