Refractories for vacuum degassing of steel

New equipment for outside-the-furnace vacuum degassing of steel includes argon-oxygen refining units, circulation flow vacuum degassing units, and units for steel degassing in the ladle with electric arc heating. The refractories developed for use in this equipment include magnesia, periclase-carbon, corundum, alumina, periclase-lime, magnesia-dolomite, forsterite, and unformed and vibrocompacted refractories. The refractories were selected for heat resisting and thermal insulation applications. This paper reviews at length the raw material base, production processes, and applicable properties of these refractories under degassing conditions, including slag and silicate resistance, temperature and phase behavior, permeability, compression strength, service life, and wear behavior. In addition, specifications are given for a wide range of refractories and their applications in specific pieces of equipment. Savings in refractory and power consumption are discussed.