Contact plates
Copper components manufactured to drawing for industrial systems.
View product →Blast furnace and cooling
Blast-furnace tuyeres
High-conductivity electrolytic copper, cooling engineering and manufacture to drawing for the conditions of each blast furnace.
Tuyeres are high-responsibility cooled components that introduce and direct the hot blast into the blast furnace. Installed in one of the harshest areas of the steelmaking process, they operate under high thermal loads, abrasion, thermal cycling and occasional contact with coke, slag and hot metal.
01 / 96A critical component in blast-furnace operation
Tuyere performance depends on the combination of copper’s high thermal conductivity, cooling-circuit geometry, water distribution, weld integrity and dimensional accuracy. Deficiencies in these factors may promote hot spots, localized wear and premature failure.
Itametais manufactures tuyeres from high-conductivity electrolytic copper to drawings, specifications or technical samples, taking into account the operating conditions provided by the customer. Component definition brings together thermal, construction and installation requirements.
Engineering applied to thermal performance
Each blast furnace has its own temperature, pressure, blast-flow, cooling and operating-regime conditions. The tuyere configuration must therefore be assessed individually.
Itametais performs thermal and fluid-flow simulations to evaluate water distribution through the internal channels, fluid velocity, pressure losses, pressure distribution, heat transfer and the potential formation of areas with concentrated thermal load.
These analyses support the development of new designs and the improvement of existing models, with the aim of promoting more uniform thermal behavior and greater operational reliability.
Custom configurations
Geometry, cooling circuit and protection features are defined according to the application and installation requirements.
- Single or double chamber.
- Conventional or spiral cooling channels.
- Manufacture to drawing, specification or technical sample.
- Ceramic insulating sleeve, when specified.
- NiCrMo-3 alloy metallic coating, when required.
- Replaceable front tip, only for compatible designs and installations.
- Special solutions developed for the blast furnace’s operating conditions.
The NiCrMo-3 coating, ceramic sleeve and replaceable front tip are optional features. They are not included in every tuyere: their use depends on the specification, operating conditions and design compatibility. The replaceable tip applies only to certain designs and plants.
Integrated manufacturing and quality control
Manufacturing brings together copper casting, precision machining, special welding, assembly and inspection, carried out in an integrated process by Itametais.
The following controls are performed to assess tuyere integrity and conformity:
- Hydrostatic testing.
- Industrial radiography.
- Liquid penetrant testing.
- Ultrasonic testing.
- Verification of copper electrical conductivity.
- Dimensional inspection.
Together, these controls make it possible to assess the cooling circuit, material and weld integrity, and compliance with the dimensional requirements established by the customer.
Benefits for the operation
The combination of engineering, material, manufacturing and inspection is developed to support tuyere performance under the specified conditions. Results depend on the design, installation and operating regime.
- High-conductivity copper and an application-specific circuit help promote efficient cooling.
- Flow analysis contributes to more uniform thermal distribution and hot-spot control.
- Materials and protection features specified for the design help the component withstand the severe conditions of a blast furnace.
- Precision machining and dimensional inspection support compatibility with the installation.
- Integrated manufacturing and testing contribute to greater operational reliability and help reduce the risk of failures and unplanned shutdowns.
- Maintenance features such as a replaceable front tip may facilitate intervention when specified and compatible with the design.
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Read article →Technical assessment
Do you need to manufacture a new tuyere or improve an existing design?
Send us the technical drawing, sample or blast-furnace operating conditions. Our team can assess the geometry, cooling system, materials and protection features best suited to the application.