Vyksa Steel Works (Vyksa, Russia):

V. N. Lavrov, Leading Specialist of the Engineering and Technology Center, E-mail: lavrov_vn@vsw.ru
S. A. Botnikov, Cand. Eng., Chief Technologist of the Electrometallurgical Ccomplex, E-mail: botnikov_sa@vsw.ru
A. V. Kosonogov, Chief Refractory Specialist, E-mail: kosonogov_av@vsw.ru
S. A. Somov, Head of the Dept. of Metallurgical Processes and Technologies, E-mail: somov_sa@vsw.ru

Currently the majority of modern electric arc furnaces (EAF) are equipped with bottom eccentric taphole system. This design allows to tap metal from EAF to ladle with the minimum amount of furnace slag, leaving a part of the liquid metal in EAF for subsequent heats (“liquid start”), if this residue is sufficient. In this case, taphole has several disadvantages:
- it is not completely excluded that the oxidized furnace slag enters the ladle, especially with a low level of liquid residue in the EAF, the mass of captured slag in the ladle increases;
- tapping time is unstable during taphole system campaign and depends on the wear of its constituent refractories;
- periodically required to replace taphole refractories, thus it’s necessary to stop EAF.
Under the conditions of the casting and rolling complex JSC “Vyksa Steel Works” work has carried out to change shape EAF’s taphole system, which made it possible to reduce the effect of these disadvantages on the efficiency of the EAF.

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