Tundish Refractories

How to choose tundish refractories

Start with the lining. Tundish working lining dry mass is installed dry around a steel former, set by heating and stripped out easily after casting, which speeds up tundish turnaround. A working lining coating is applied over the permanent lining instead. Higher-MgO grades are used for longer sequences and higher steel temperatures; MgO-CaO grades help absorb non-metallic inclusions in clean steel. Under the ladle shroud, an impact pot absorbs the force of the incoming stream, calms the flow and protects the lining.

Then the flow-control set. On stopper-controlled casters, the monoblock stopper and tundish nozzle work as a pair, with a submerged entry nozzle or thin slab SEN below them carrying steel into the mould, and a ladle shroud above the tundish protecting the stream from air. Open-stream billet and bloom casters use tundish metering nozzles: higher zirconia grades keep their bore longer and support longer sequences.

What to send for a quotation

Send the tundish drawing and capacity, the caster type (billet, bloom, slab or thin slab) and number of strands, steel grades, casting temperature, target sequence length and current refractory consumption, plus drawings of the stopper, nozzles, SEN and shroud you use now. Tell us how you install the working lining and your monthly quantities, and we will quote a matched set.

FAQ

Dry mass or coating for the tundish working lining?

Dry vibratable mass is installed dry around a former, set by heating and stripped out easily after casting, so it shortens turnaround. A coating is applied as a layer over the permanent lining. Both are magnesia-based; the choice depends on your installation method, sequence length and steel cleanliness targets.

Why should the stopper, tundish nozzle and SEN be matched?

The stopper head seats in the nozzle bowl to control the steel flow, and the SEN fits below the nozzle. Shapes and materials that do not match can cause leakage, air pick-up and clogging, so we quote them as one set from your drawings.

Which metering nozzle grade should I use?

In the zirconia series, higher grades have more ZrO₂, higher density and lower porosity, so the bore erodes more slowly. Use higher grades for long sequences and aggressive steels; the alumina-based DJW series is an economical choice for shorter sequences.

More refractory products

• All refractory products
• Further reading: Why quality refractory materials are critical for steel plant operations
• Project case: Refractory bricks for an EAF steel mill in the Middle East
• Contact us with your tundish drawing for a quotation