Ceramic Valves for Blast Furnace Pulverized Coal Injection (PCI)

Pulverized coal injection (PCI) process flow

KOWOV ceramic valves are used in blast furnace pulverized coal injection (PCI) systems for coal powder conveying, on-off isolation and individual lance control. This application overview covers abrasive gas-solid flow, injection tank pressure cycles and sealing requirements, followed by steel plant references and the FCCV1, ELCV and FCRV product range

Pulverized Coal Injection System

Target Industry

Integrated Steel Plants
Blast Furnace Ironmaking

Operating Conditions

Pulverized Coal Injection (PCI) pneumatically conveys finely ground coal to the blast furnace through the main conveying line, distribution manifold, and individual injection lances. Valves provide isolation and flow control in dense-phase conveying lines, injection vessels, distribution systems, and individual lance-control lines

Item	Value	Item	Value
Medium	Pulverized coal	Flow Regime	Gas-solid two-phase flow
Operating Pressure	6-40 bar	Nominal Pressure	PN40 / Class 300
Differential Pressure	≤10 bar	Nominal Diameter	DN25-DN250
Operating Temperature	25-220°C	Thermal Conditions	No significant thermal shock
Characteristics	Highly abrasive	Conveying Mode	Dilute-phase or dense-phase conveying

Medium Details

Pulverized coal containing carbonaceous material, mineral matter, quartz, and ash

Chemical Composition

Carbon (C), hydrogen (H), oxygen (O), nitrogen (N), sulfur (S), and mineral ash

Solids-to-Gas Mass Ratio

Dilute phase: approximately 5-20
Dense phase: approximately 25-40

Particle Size and Hardness

Particle size: approximately 5-200 μm, with 90% below 74 μm

Abrasiveness is primarily influenced by entrained mineral matter, quartz, and ash

Key Challenges

Severe Erosion and Short Service Life

High-velocity pulverized coal and entrained mineral particles continuously erode conventional metal valve components, rapidly damaging the flow passage and sealing surfaces and significantly shortening valve service life

Erosion-Induced Leakage

Continuous particle impact damages the ball, seats, and internal flow passage, causing internal or external leakage, pressure loss, unstable coal delivery, and reduced process reliability

Increased Operating Torque

Coal-fines accumulation, surface roughness, and deformation of worn components increase friction and operating torque, placing additional load on actuators and control systems

Valve Sticking and Jamming

Compacted coal fines and deformation of eroded internal components can cause valves to stick or jam, resulting in unstable coal flow and unplanned shutdowns

High Maintenance Costs and Downtime

Frequent replacement of worn components, emergency repairs, and unplanned production interruptions significantly increase lifecycle costs and reduce the availability and reliability of the PCI system

Why Choose Ceramic Valves?

Superior Wear Resistance

High-hardness structural ceramic trim resists particle abrasion and maintains its sealing geometry during frequent operating cycles, significantly reducing wear of the ball, seats, and internal flow passage

Superior Erosion Resistance

Ceramic flow-path components withstand continuous erosion from high-velocity pulverized coal, extending valve service life under demanding dense-phase conveying conditions

Reliable Sealing Performance

The precision-lapped ceramic ball and seats provide reliable tight shutoff after prolonged particle erosion, reducing coal-dust leakage and supporting stable pressurization, pressure-relief, and coal-injection cycles

Demonstrated Reference Service Life

Control Valves: ≥5 Years
On-Off Valves: ≥10 Years

Longer service life reduces maintenance frequency, spare-parts consumption, and unplanned shutdowns, improving the overall availability of the blast-furnace PCI system

Actual service life depends on coal properties, conveying velocity, pressure, temperature, operating frequency, and installation conditions

Application Reference

Jiangsu Shagang Group Co., Ltd., China, since 2009
Baosteel Group Corporation Limited, China, since 2011
Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Corporation, Vietnam, since 2014
JSW STEEL LTD., India, since 2019
İskenderun Demir ve Çelik A.Ş, Turkey, since 2022
TATA STEEL LIMITED, India, since 2023

At Baosteel and Shagang, ceramic ball valves were initially adopted as a replacement for German-made CeraSystem products. They have won consistent customer recognition thanks to favorable costperformance ratio and short leadtime. As for overseas steel mill references, they stem from the proven performance of KOWOV ceramic ball valves at major domestic steel plants. These valves have been introduced to corresponding overseas steel mills via Belt and Road engineering contractors and delivered satisfactory onsite performance