DIFK German Institute of Refractories and Ceramic (Bonn, Germany):

Quirmbach P., Dr. Nat., Prof., quirmbach@difk.de

To document trends in the steel and refractory technology, the needs of the steel-producing companies in the innovation of refractory technology have to be compared. This happens regularly in the work of the Technical Committee Refractory Materials of the Steel Institute VDEh and during the presentation of scientific publications on the International Colloquium on Refractories in Aachen, which is the biennial event with the main topic „Refractories for metal production”. Here the Steel Institute VDEh acts as a joint organizer both in organizing the conference program and its implementation. Typical steelmaking ladle after pre-heating is examined and average ladle lining life for electric arc furnaces and basic oxygen furnaces is given for 1995 and 2006. Self-flowing mixes are illustrated ion the example of template in impact and purge plug area. Reactive substances inside high performance monolithic microstructures SiO₂ or Al₂O₃ are shown. Share of global raw material ownership for bauxites, magnesia, graphite and alumina is compared between China and rest of the world. It is concluded that China has the most important global resources of raw materials for refractories.

1. Kronthaler, A.: Alternativen zu Magnesia-Carbon-Steinen, Sitzung des Fachausschusses Feuerfeste Stoffe des Stahlinstituts VDEh, Linz, Österreich, 3. Juli 2012, S. 6/33.
2. Ibid., S. 5/33.
3. Ibid., S. 19/33 (linkes Teilbild).
4. Buhr, A.: Produktion von synthetischen Al₂O₃-Rohstoffen, Sitzung des Fachausschusses Feuerfeste Stoffe des Stahlinstituts VDEh, Bad Dürkheim, 14./15. März 2012, S. 28.