The porous plug, often referred to as a gas diffuser, or a purging plug is a refractory nozzle installed into the base lining of the ladle that enables an inert gas to be introduced into the ladle to create a stirring action within the molten metal. The plate plug is composed of a central blowing unit realized by hydraulic pressed alumina plates, then sintered at high temperature. This unit is contained in a refractory body casted in alumina spinel. Main characteristics of this type of plug are: easy cleaning and inspection ; resistance to action of the oxygen lance.
Ladle Porous Plug Advantages:
Purging Plugs are made of high Al2O3 material. They are burned and sintered at high temperatures. The right raw materials and our long time production experience guarantee an excellent performance.
The major goal of the Purging Plugs and Systems is to stir steel in ladle, aiming at:
1.Desulfurization
2.Reduction of non-metallic inclusions
3. Uniform distribution of temperature and alloy additives
4.Steel cleanliness
Ladle Porous Plug Application:
The installation of the porous plug on the ladle bottom is useful in homogenizing temperature and chemistry, better slag/metal interaction for impurity removal, faster processing through ladle metallurgy stations, higher yields. However, stirring is associated with increased bottom wear and shorter campaign life due to the abrasion of the bottom. Vigorous purging leads to bath turbulence which causes wear of the side walls. Thus ladle stirring is detrimental from the refractory point of view. The position and the number of plugs are also essential in determining the effectiveness of the purging. Although, ladle stirring can also be brought about by the use of electromagnetic stirring.
