一、Functions

Drilling & Opening: Drill through the refractory of the converter taphole to open the molten steel channel and ensure stable tapping flow.

Blockage & Slag Removal: Remove coagulated steel, steel slag and plugging mud inside the taphole to eliminate hole blockage and diameter shrinkage.

Hole Repair & Shaping: Repair worn and deformed tapholes to keep the channel round, straight and smooth, reducing molten steel eddy current and refractory erosion.

Sleeve Replacement: Drill out the old sleeve brick and accurately install a new sleeve, extending taphole service life and lowering refractory consumption.

Maintenance & Emergency Treatment: Conduct routine maintenance, periodic lining replacement and rapid on-site repair after breakdowns to minimize converter downtime.

二、Applications

BOF Converter Steelmaking (Core Application)

• Before tapping: Open the taphole per heat / daily operation.

• Between heats: Routine maintenance and sleeve replacement (once every 100–300 heats).

• Blockage / diameter shrinkage: Emergency hole cleaning and repairing to avoid production shutdown.

Special Working Position in Converter Workshop

• Tapping Side: Operate facing directly to the converter taphole.

• Charging Side: Long-reach remote operation, suitable for narrow space layout.

Applicable Furnace Type & Working Condition

• Furnace Capacity: 30–300t BOF / LD converter (including small, medium and large size).

• Working Environment: High temperature, heavy dust, strong vibration, 24-hour continuous operation.

Supporting Equipment & Process

• Interconnected with taphole mud filling machine, brick dismantling machine and ladle to form a full-set taphole maintenance system.

• Automatic functions: One-click drilling, depth control and automatic rod changing, reducing manual operation and improving operational safety.

三、Key Benefits

• Safety: Remote control operation avoids personal injury from high-temperature molten steel and dust.

• High Efficiency: Drilling takes 5–15 minutes per time; sleeve replacement takes 10–20 minutes per time, greatly shortening auxiliary operation time.

• Cost Saving: Prolong taphole service life by 30%–50%, reduce refractory consumption and production loss caused by downtime.

• Stable Performance: Round and straight taphole channel ensures small temperature fluctuation during tapping and high purity of molten steel, improving qualified rate of steel products.