HEARTH RECOVERY - AN EXPERIENCE WITH USIMINAS BLAST FURNACE#1

摘要

In 2008, after the Blast Furnace#l shut down, an abnormal phenomenon was identified in its hearth which required great team effort for proper recovery of the refractory and resumption of operation. At the time, it was aimed to extend the campaign for five years. In this paper, description is made of the general aspects of the equipment, the situation in his hearth, after shut down in 2008, actions taken to recovery the hearth and the current hearth's condition, after further shut down in 2015 due to the worsening economic crisis in Brazil. As main conclusions: (i) the phenomenon was not associated with the refractories' quality, that had preserved their properties; (ii) the repair done was extremely efficient; and (iii) the Blast Furnace#l operation between 2010 and 2015 was properly done contributing to the preservation of the hearth, which did not show brick's wear in that period.