Corrosion of MgO-C ladle refractories

Abstract

The corrosion behavior of magnesia-carbon (MgO-C) refractories used in slag lines of secondary steelmaking vessels was investigated using a slag test at high temperature under a protective atmosphere of argon or argon and carbon monoxide. For the investigation, a test method was developed and a statistically designed set of experiments was used to develop a polynomial model of corrosion. The model predicted the increased corrosion as time, temperature and oxygen partial pressure in the atmosphere increased and as slag basicity decreased. The degree of slag attack was found to be dependent on the rate of carbon loss.