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Perfect Cooling for Hot Furnaces

New KME copper solution for efficient cooling in pig iron production - Copper staves are generally recognized as the ideal solution for cooling of blast furnaces. These specially designed cooling elements withstand extremely high temperatures in the production process for pig iron.

About 50 per cent of all blast furnaces in use world-wide today are actually cooled by copper staves. Alternatively, so-called plate coolers have also been used for many decades. But up to now these copper cooling plates have solely been manufactured by sand casting, a process which bears the danger of blowhole formation in the material. And what’s dangerous for the material may be harmful for applications: The threat of leakiness in the cooling circuit may cause serious problems in manufacturing. KME has therefore decided to discontinue sand casting processes in production many years ago and has become a leading supplier of copper staves.

Nevertheless, there has always been the challenge to solve the problems of plate cooling. Finally, in close cooperation with Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH, KME Engineering has developed an economical production method for plate coolers made of copper profiles. Instead of sand casting, these profiles are manufactured in a reliable extrusion and drawing process. In addition to their fine grain and blowhole-free structure the new products also offer considerably improved thermal and mechanical properties. Practical application in blast furnace A at the Salzgitter Flachstahl plant has delivered outstanding results since 2014, proving that the new plate coolers are a convincing alternative for furnace cooling.

Contact: Tel. +49 541 321 3357


KME - Engineering Copper Solutions