Magnesia-Chrome Brick
Magnesia-chrome brick (MgO≥60%, Cr₂O₃≥12%, refractoriness ≥1900℃) with magnesia-chromite spinel structure resists attack by high-temperature slags and melts with high hot strength and washout resistance.
Learn More →Bath Zone Lining Erosion
Copper Smelting Furnace · Bath Zone
Problem Details
Background
The bath zone of copper smelting furnaces (flash settler, converter, anode furnace) directly contacts copper matte and slag melt—the most severely eroded furnace lining zone. Bath-zone bricks long-term bear melt chemical attack, melt-flow scouring and thermal shock; erosion thinning is the key limit on smelter life.
Failure Mechanism
Melt chemical attack: FeO, SiO₂, Cu₂O and other components of matte and slag react with and dissolve the brick surface. Melt-flow scouring: melt flow and stirring (converter blowing) mechanically scour the bricks. Penetration-structural spalling: melt penetrates joints and pores into an altered layer whose expansion mismatches the original brick, spalling it. Thermal shock: charging, tapping and shutdowns cause temperature swings, shocking the bricks.
Consequences
After erosion thins the bath-zone bricks, furnace temperature and heat load rise; in severe cases melt penetrates to the shell, posing a melt-out safety accident risk; forced shutdown shortens the smelter campaign.
Solution
Material Selection and Parameters
Select bath-zone bricks for "high melt resistance + thermal-shock resistance":
- Material system: magnesia-chrome brick (MgO≥60%, Cr₂O₃≥12%) or magnesia brick (MgO≥95%). Magnesia-chrome resists high-temperature slag/melt attack with high hot strength; magnesia offers high refractoriness and basic-slag resistance;
- Structural design: thick ring-laid bricks (200–300mm) with fewer joints; reliable hearth-wall junctions;
- Joint materials: lay with magnesia mortar, joints ≤1.5mm.
Installation Essentials
Masonry control: ring-lay with tight locking, joints ≤1.5mm and full mortar. Key brick: process precisely and wedge tight. Furnace heating: heat slowly per the curve to avoid moisture and thermal-shock damage. Slag coating: manage furnace condition to help form a protective slag layer.
Maintenance
Control melt temperature and slag composition to reduce over-attack; monitor shell temperature and heat load, assessing promptly on anomalies. At maintenance, check bath-zone residual thickness and replace zones beyond limits; record erosion data to optimize grade and furnace management.
Recommended Products
Chrome-Corundum Brick
Chrome-corundum brick (Al₂O₃≥90%, Cr₂O₃ 3-8%, refractoriness ≥1950℃) adds chromia to a corundum base for strong resistance to glass melt attack, slag and washout.
Learn More →
Magnesia Brick
Magnesia brick with periclase as the main phase (MgO≥95%, refractoriness ≥2000℃) offers outstanding resistance to basic slags and iron-oxide slag plus excellent high-temperature performance.
Learn More →More questions? Send us an inquiry
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