refractory

the ladle shroud

Thermal shock cracks show up a lot in high-temperature furnace linings and steel ladles. These parts go through fast heating and cooling many times. When the temperature changes too quickly, the refractory grows or shrinks more than it can handle. If the material is brittle, especially under 1100°C, cracks form easily. Big parts, uneven heating, and outside forces make cracking worse. Changes in the material’s structure can also raise the risk.

• Common scenarios for thermal shock cracking:
  • Ladle preheating with fast temperature rise.
  • Steel pouring with sudden molten metal exposure.
  • Quenching or cooling steps in steelmaking.
  • High-temperature furnace linings in steel, cement, glass, and ceramics.

Thermal shock can cause early failure with small and large cracks. Operators often see pieces breaking off, falling apart, and cracks along the ladle shroud and nozzle. Checking often and tracking temperature changes helps teams stop damage before it gets worse. Using materials that handle thermal shock better and heating slowly can help lower the chance of cracks.