Every heat in an electric arc furnace chips away at the refractory lining a little more, and it's rarely even across the vessel. The hearth erodes differently from the slag line, the tap hole wears faster than the roof, and a hot spot on the shell can go from a minor reading to a serious risk within a handful of heats. This checklist covers what to verify on the refractory wear zones, the shell and hot spot scanning, and the tapping system between heats. Sign up to turn this checklist into a guided digital procedure your crew follows on every shift.
Uneven Wear
Hearth, slag line, and roof all erode at different rates within the same furnace
Every Shift
How often shell temperature scanning should be reviewed for hot spots
Zero Tolerance
Room for running past a confirmed hot spot or a worn tap hole sleeve
Why EAF Refractory Wears Unevenly
An arc furnace doesn't wear its refractory the way a continuously running furnace does. Scrap impact, arc heat, and slag chemistry hit different zones with different intensity heat after heat, which is why checking the hearth, slag line, and roof separately catches problems a single overall inspection would miss.
Refractory Wear Zones
Hearth & Bottom Refractory Check
Check remaining hearth thickness where scrap impact and metal flow cause the fastest erosion
Slag Line Wear Check
Inspect slag line brick for chemical erosion, since this zone often wears fastest between relines
Roof & Delta Section Check
Check roof panels and the delta section for cracking or thinning from direct arc exposure
See Wear By Zone, Not Just By Furnace
Oxmaint guides your crew through hearth, slag line, and shell scanning checks step by step, with readings logged by zone against each furnace. Sign up for a free trial to build your refractory checklist, or book a demo to see it in action.
Hot Spot & Shell Scanning
Shell Temperature Scan
Run a full shell temperature scan each shift to catch localized thinning before it becomes critical
Thermal Camera Hot Spot Check
Compare thermal readings against baseline to flag any spot trending hotter heat over heat
Water-Cooled Panel Condition Check
Check water-cooled panels for leaks or blockages, since a panel failure near a hot spot compounds the risk
Tapping System Checks
Tap Hole Condition Check
Inspect the tap hole for enlargement or irregular shape that would affect a clean, controlled tap
Eccentric Bottom Tapping Sleeve Check
Check the EBT sleeve for wear and confirm it's within limits before the next scheduled reline
Tap Hole Fill Material Check
Confirm tap hole fill material is packed correctly so it opens cleanly on the next tap
What A Skipped Check Can Cost You
| Check Skipped |
Likely Consequence |
| Shell temperature scan |
A developing hot spot goes unnoticed until it threatens a breakout |
| Hearth refractory check |
Erosion reaches the shell, creating a serious structural safety risk |
| Water-cooled panel check |
A panel leak near a thin spot raises the risk of water reaching molten steel |
| Tap hole condition check |
An irregular tap hole causes an uncontrolled or delayed tap |
Where A CMMS Fits Into EAF Refractory Checks
Oxmaint ties this checklist to each furnace zone as a tracked asset, logging shell scan readings, hearth thickness, and tap hole condition by heat count so wear trends are visible zone by zone, not buried in a shift logbook.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q
How often should EAF refractory be scanned for hot spots?
Shell temperature scanning should be reviewed every shift, since a hot spot can move from a minor reading to a real risk within just a handful of heats.
Q
What causes hearth refractory erosion in an EAF?
Hearth erosion mainly comes from scrap impact during charging and turbulent metal flow near the tap hole, both of which wear the bottom lining faster than the furnace walls.
Q
Can a CMMS track refractory wear trends across heats?
Yes, a CMMS can log refractory readings by zone and by heat count, making it possible to see wear trends over time and plan a reline before a zone reaches its limit.
Track Refractory Wear Zone By Zone, Heat By Heat
Oxmaint guides your crew through hearth, shell, and tap hole checks and logs every reading against the exact furnace zone automatically. Sign up for a free trial to build your EAF refractory checklist, or book a demo to see it in action.
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