Eco-friendly zero carbon Al₂O₃ -SiC brick for hot metal ladle (HML)

For many years, hot metal ladles (HML) have been lined with Al₂O₃ -SiC-C (ASC) bricks due to their excellent resistance to acidic slag in the iron making process. Although these bricks present standard performance for this application, increasing demands for extended equipment lifetime, simplified and easy recycling (no AOX), and zero fume emissions emerge as key points for new technological advances in the steelmaking industry. A novel tempered C-free Al₂O₃ -SiC (AS-K) brick with engineered microstructure and special binder was developed to reach these environmental requirements. This work presents a comparison of the microstructural, physical, mechanical, and thermomechanical properties of AS-K and ASC technologies and evaluates the field trial followed by a 3D laser scanning technology to measure the wear rate and the performance of this new product concept. (author)