Ladle Shroud

Ladle Shroud

The Horton Ladle Shroud is designed to protect the steel from reoxidation when teeming from the ladle to the tundish. The shape and design of the ladle shroud can vary depending on individual casting conditions and customer requirements. Design features include the provision to introduce argon via gas ports in the collar of the ladle shroud, gaskets to improve the sealing between the ladle shroud and the collector nozzle, increased wall thickness at the slag line to improve slag line erosion, steel reinforced collar for added strengthen where mechanical conditions particularly severe and the use of high integrity impermeable glazes which protect the ladle shroud throughout its life. A recent addition to the range is a cold reusable ladle shroud.

Application:

The Horton Ladle Shrouds are clamped or positioned to the collector nozzle using a manipulator. A ceramic gasket is used to ensure an tight seal between the throat of the ladle shroud and the collector nozzle to prevent air aspiration. In addition, various argon distribution systems are available to provide a positive pressure of inert gas at this connection to further minimise the possibility of air being drawn into the steel flow. Designs such as slots, castellations and porous rings are used to distribute the argon around the collector nozzle connection.

Function:

The control of steel from the ladle to the tundish is a particularly arduous application for alumina graphite components, particularly because it needs to withstand the thermal shock of rapidly going from cold to 1600C+. Thermal shock can cause cracking which results in premature catastrophic failure. This is sometimes overcome by preheating the ladle shroud. In the case of Horton, a special heat treatment process eliminates the need for preheating allowing the ladle shroud to be used for multi-sequencing with few incidence of failure.

Benefits:

1.Produced to a consistently high quality for reliable use in the most difficult of casting conditions

2.Suitable for all steel qualities

3.Excellent resistance to chemical and physical erosion

4.Reduced oxidation of the steel

5.Highly resistant thermal shock

6.Capable of multi-sequencing and cold reusable applications