The Advantages and disadvantages：Zirconia Nozzles VS Mainstream Nozzles
Nov 05, 2025
The mainstream nozzles used in continuous casting include aluminum-carbon and zircon materials. Zirconia nozzles and mainstream nozzles are suitable for different scenarios in continuous casting production, and have different advantages and disadvantages.
| Comparison Dimensions | Zirconia Nozzle | Mainstream Nozzle |
| Resistance to Erosion and Abrasion | Advantages: Strong erosion resistance. It is one of the most erosion-resistant materials among refractories for continuous casting, capable of withstanding erosion from most molten steels and slags, meeting the demands of multi-furnace continuous casting. | 1. Aluminum-Carbon Type: Advantage is strong adaptability to most carbon steels. Disadvantage is rapid erosion when exposed to special steels like calcium-treated steel, with surface carbon prone to oxidation, affecting long-term erosion resistance. |
| Disadvantages: Prone to reacting with active elements like titanium and calcium during the smelting of special steels containing such elements. | 2. Zircon-based: Advantage: Suitable for short continuous pouring scenarios with basic erosion resistance against ordinary molten steel. Disadvantage: Prone to decomposition reactions with molten steel and inclusions at high temperatures, leading to spout enlargement and lower erosion resistance than zirconia spouts. | |
| Thermal Shock Resistance | Advantages: Coarse-grained products exhibit low firing shrinkage, excellent thermal shock stability, and low susceptibility to cracking. | 1. Aluminum-carbon type: Advantages include excellent thermal shock stability, adaptability to temperature fluctuations during casting, enhanced stability with anti-oxidation coatings, and minimal cracking during initial pouring. |
| Disadvantages: High overall thermal expansion coefficient and low thermal conductivity. Pure zirconia undergoes phase transformation at high temperatures, requiring stabilizers; improper stabilizer ratios reduce thermal shock resistance. | 2. Zirconium silicate type: Advantages include superior thermal shock performance when combined with stabilized zirconia compared to direct zirconia nozzles. Disadvantages include susceptibility to cracking due to high-temperature phase transitions when used alone. | |
| Production Cost | Advantages: No significant cost advantage. | 1. Aluminum Carbon: Advantages include readily available raw materials, mature forming processes, controllable costs during mass production, and high cost-effectiveness. |
| Disadvantages: Expensive zirconia raw materials, firing temperature of 1650–1760°C, and complex processing techniques. | 2. Zirconium Silicate: Advantages include lower raw material costs than zirconia and simplified production processes through single-firing techniques. | |
| Service Life | Advantages: Ceramic-type products feature low porosity and high strength. Combined with surface modification techniques, they offer extended service life, meeting the continuous pouring demands of long-life ladles. | 1. Aluminum-carbon type: Advantages include suitability for conventional long-process casting of ordinary carbon steels and stable service life under normal conditions. Disadvantages include significantly reduced lifespan when handling special steels or prolonged high-temperature exposure, necessitating frequent replacement. |
| Disadvantages: Coarse-grained types exhibit shorter lifespans due to higher porosity. Chemical reactions during special steel smelting reduce service life. | 2. Zirconium silicate type: Advantages include sufficient lifespan for continuous pouring durations under 500 minutes. Disadvantages include susceptibility to expansion and failure beyond this duration, resulting in relatively short service life. | |
| Suitable Applications | Advantages: Suitable for continuous casting in long furnaces for special steels and clean steels, ensuring molten steel purity. Ideal for scenarios demanding high nozzle life and stability. | 1. Aluminum-Carbon Type: Suitable for conventional continuous casting of plain carbon steel and low-alloy steel. It is the mainstream material for long nozzles and submerged nozzles, compatible with most general steelmaking scenarios. |
| Disadvantages: Low cost-effectiveness and poor economics when used for short-process casting of low-value-added carbon steels. | 2. Zirconium Silicate Type: Suitable for short-to-medium duration casting in small square billet continuous casting. It is compatible with ordinary steel production in small-to-medium-sized steel mills. |
Anyang Changtai Silicon Industry Co., Ltd. is a comprehensive manufacturer specializing in the design, processing, and sales of zirconia high-temperature products. If you require zirconia high-temperature products, please email us at: zhang@ayctgy.com. We will respond to your inquiry promptly upon receipt.
