The Choice of Refractories for Steel Ladle Lining: a Life Cycle Perspective

The iron and steel industry is the biggest consumer of refractories, with around 70 of the total market share. Magnesia carbon (MgO-C) bricks are used in the slag line of a steel ladle. It is produced from high purity fused magnesia and graphite as a source of carbon. In general, refractory production processes (such as sintering, and fusion) are very energy intensive and usually have a high carbon footprint. Therefore, it is crucial to assess the life cycle environmental impact of refractories to identify ecological hotspots and to develop strategies to reduce impacts.