Sliding gate
Sliding Nozzle System Refractory

Sliding Nozzle System Refractory Description

Sliding nozzle system are mainly used in two places, one is at the bottom of steel ladle, plays the role of steel liquid flowing rate control unit, the other is at the bottom of tundish, controlling steel liquid flowing rate from tundish to crystallizer. Sliding gate’s movement is controlled  by operation unit, so the hole of up-sliding gate and down-sliding plate can be opened and closed at will, steel liquid flow rate is adjusted in this way.      

Sliding nozzle system is composed of well bricks, sprue bricks and sliding gate. As to ladle sliding gate, high quality alumina zirconia carbon sliding gate and alumina carbon sliding gate’s service life is about 2~4 times. For tundhish sliding gate, it should serve a continuous casting cycle, which means the service life is usually below 8 times. For ordinary steel casting, alumina carbon sliding gate and alumina zirconia carbon sliding gate can meet production requirement. For up-long nozzle, corundum bricks, alumina carbon bricks and chrome corundum bricks are usually adopted. Their service life is between 20~30 times.

sliding nozzle

Ordinary casting sliding gate system refractory

ItemAlumina carbon up nozzleAlumina carbon mortarAlumina zirconia carbon sliding gateAlumina carbon down nozzleAlumina down nozzle
ApplicationSteel ladle sliding nozzleSliding nozzle masonrySteel ladleSteel ladleSteel ladle
Al2O3 %90≥65≥7075.6≥60
F·C %4.74.7≥74.87/
Fe2O3 %/1.60ZrO2≥6//
Apparent porosity %4.7/25.713.6
Bulk density g/cm33.18/3.072.862.40
Crushing strength MPa112.3/117105.565
Modulus of rupture Mpa/3.8(1500℃, 3h)
Refractoriness under load(T2) ℃>1700/≥1700≥1700/
Reheating linear change rate %/Setting time: 60~150min
ItemUp nozzle well blockWell blockUp nozzleAC sliding gateAZC sliding gateSliding gate mortar
MaterialCorundumHigh aluminaChrome corundumAlumina carbonAlumina zirconia carbonAlumina chrome
Al2O3 %9781.5879377.784
Cr2O3 %//10//4.5
SiO2 %/11/6.2/4
CaO %2.4TiO2: 3.3////
ZrO2 %/P2O5: 2.2P2O5: 2.0/6.5P2O5: 5
C %///98.2/
Apparent porosity %/2217.5169/
Bulk density g/cm33.02.753.252.793.07/
Crushing strength MPa>5080/>30200/
Modulus of rupture Mpa(1450℃)2.8//>712/
Refractoriness under load(T2) ℃/>1430>1700≥1700//
Reheating linear change rate %(1450℃,3h)/1.0////

Main Damage Reasons of Sliding Gate

  1. Carbon boning sliding gate can be oxidized in middle temperature oxidizing condition and lose strength, the surface of sliding gate will be abraded irregularly. It is the main damage reason of sliding gate.
  2. Another damage reason is thermal shock. Sliding gate will endure strong thermal shock and generate great thermal stress, which can induce sliding gate crack or crushing.
  3. The third damage reason is steel liquid scouring and abrasion. Steel liquid flowing speed is very quick, can take away oxide granule and dissolve carbon in sliding gate, so the diameter of sliding gate’s hole is enlarged.

Sliding gate

High Oxygen Steel Casting Sliding Gate

For high oxygen steel casting, alumina carbon sliding gate and alumina zirconia carbon sliding gate’s service life can greatly decline. Sliding nozzle system must have good oxidization resistance, good iron oxide corrosion resistance, as well as thermal shock resistance and abrasion resistance. Through numerous research and application cases, alumina magnesia spinel carbon sliding gate, magnesia spinel carbon sliding gate and magnesia carbon sliding gate are tested to have good service life.

High Oxygen Steel Casting Sliding Gate Index

ItemAlumina magnesia spinel carbon  sliding gateMagnesia spinel carbon sliding gateMagnesia carbon sliding gate
Al2O3 %8010/
MgO %88489.7
C %853.5
Apparent porosity %667
Bulk density g/cm33.052.982.78
Crushing strength MPa150100160
Modulus of rupture Mpa(1400℃)121518
Thermal expansion rate(800℃)0.900.920.82

    Get Free Quote

    Your Name (required)

    Your Email (required)

    Your Phone

    Required Products (required)

    Enquiry Information

    zirconia metering nozzle
    Metering Nozzle

    Metering nozzle Description

    Metering nozzle is functional refractory material for controlling steel liquid flow rate during the process of continuous casting billet making. Through fixed caliber of metering nozzle, steel liquid can flow from tundish to  casting mold with a constant speed. The size of nozzle hole depends on billet dimension and drawing speed of continuous casting machine, usually between 12~20mm. During the whole continuous casting process, nozzle hole’s diameter should be constant to ensure stable steel liquid flow rate, thus metering nozzle is key functional refractory component for continuous casting billets making, its quality will affect the whole continuous casting process. Metering nozzle should not only be safe and stable, but also should have characteristics such as no blockage, no spalling, no cracking and small diameter enlarging speed. To meet these requirements, nozzle materials should have excellent scouring resistance, corrosion resistance, erosion resistance and thermal shock resistance.

    zircon metering nozzle

    Metering Nozzle Types

    Currently, universally used metering nozzle material is zirconia containing refractory. The content and grade of zirconia can directly affect nozzle hole enlarging speed and service life. The enlargement rate of 95% zirconia nozzle hole is about 0.03mm/h. According to structure, there are 3 types of metering nozzles, homogeneous nozzle, direct compound nozzle and inserting nozzle. Homogeneous metering nozzle are those which’s main composition is zircon or those contain relatively low ratio of zirconia. It is suitable for applications which have shorter continuous casting time. Direct compound metering nozzle main body is zircon based, only nozzle hole part is compounded with high zirconia containing layer. Direct compound metering nozzle has advantages such as longer service life than zircon based nozzle, low production cost. But due to different expansion coefficient , compound nozzle has large cracking possibility during using, composite layer’s zirconia content should not be much high, generally between 70%~80%. Inserting type metering nozzle is divided into outer coating and inner core, they are produced separately and then are bound together by refractory chamotte. Outer coating is sintered high alumina refractory, inserted inner core is zirconia refractory. Inserting metering nozzles have low production cost, good thermal shock resistance and various ZrO2 content, are the main structure adopted in production.

    metering nozzle

    The inner core materials of zirconia metering nozzle are partial stable fused zirconia and zircon. Sintering temperature correlates with zirconia content, the sintering temperature of zircon nozzle is between 1630℃~170℃. Stable fused zirconia nozzle inner core’s sintering temperature is between 1750℃~1800℃.

    Zirconia Metering Nozzle Core Refractory Physiochemical Index

    ItemX-75X-80X-85X-93X-95Z-65Z-75Z-95
    ZrO2%758085939567.376.295.6
    SiO2%31.121.5
    CaO%3.03.03.0
    MgO%2.4
    Apparent porosity%22212224182020.512.5
    Bulk density g/cm33.94.04.14.34.73.753.944.95
    Compression strength MPa609560
    Thermal shock resistance times>5>5
    Continuous casting time/h578815//20

     zirconia metering nozzle

    Quick Changing Nozzle

    Metering nozzle may happen cracking accident or nozzle core enlargement during production. To solve these problems and prolong metering nozzles’ service life, non stop quick changing technique is developed. Through online quick changing of metering nozzle, unit ladle continuous casting time is large scale increased, max. time can reach to 70h.    

    Quick Changing Nozzle Refractory Physiochemical Index

    ItemMaterialChemical composition (w%)Bulk density g/cm3Apparent porosity %Compression strength Mpa
    SiO2ZrO2Al2O3MgO
    ZrO2 coreZrO21.195.0/2.64.9213.0/
    Outer jacketCorundum castable//98.0/3.1016.535.0
    Tundish pocket blockSintered high alumina15.0/83.0/2.6721.0/

      Get Free Quote

      Your Name (required)

      Your Email (required)

      Your Phone

      Required Products (required)

      Enquiry Information