What is zirconia nozzles used for?
Nov 19, 2025
Zirconia nozzles are high-performance functional components used in steel and non-ferrous metal casting systems. Their primary function is to guide, control, and stabilize the flow of molten metal. Key roles include withstanding high-temperature erosion, resisting molten-steel corrosion, ensuring stable flow rates, and reducing inclusions entering the cast product. Therefore, zirconia nozzles are widely used in critical processes such as ladles, tundishes, and continuous casting machines, making them an important refractory component in modern casting operations.
In the demanding casting environment, molten steel temperatures typically exceed 1500°C, placing extremely high requirements on the thermal stability, corrosion resistance, and mechanical strength of nozzle materials. As a structural ceramic, zirconia offers outstanding high-temperature resistance, very low thermal conductivity, and excellent thermal-shock resistance. Even under intense molten-steel impact or rapid temperature fluctuations, zirconia maintains a stable physical structure without cracking or spalling. As a result, zirconia-based nozzles are significantly more reliable than those made from conventional refractory materials.
Our zirconia nozzles are manufactured using high-purity zirconia powder through isostatic pressing and precision sintering. This process ensures a dense and uniform microstructure. Compared with traditional alumina-carbon or corundum materials, our nozzles exhibit superior corrosion resistance and longer anti-erosion service life. Even under prolonged exposure to molten-steel flow, the nozzles maintain stable dimensions and flow characteristics, effectively reducing problems such as nozzle clogging and flow fluctuations.
Compared with other materials, zirconia nozzles offer several remarkable advantages:
• Excellent corrosion resistance: Highly inert to oxides, sulfides, and other components in molten steel, significantly extending continuous casting life.
• Outstanding thermal-shock resistance: Resistant to cracking under frequent hot–cold cycles, ensuring uninterrupted production.
• High strength and structural stability: Dense sintering provides high flexural strength, enabling the nozzle to withstand mechanical erosion from high-velocity steel flow.
• Stable flow control: The smooth inner bore prevents buildup and blockage, helping to maintain uniform and stable molten-steel flow and improve casting quality.
• Strong adaptability: Material formulations can be optimized for different steel grades to meet more demanding metallurgical requirements.
With high reliability and excellent overall performance, our zirconia nozzles have been successfully applied in numerous large steel plants and foundries across the country. Customer feedback consistently highlights the product's high quality and strong performance in real-world operations.
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.
