Study on the Wear and Failure Mechanism of Copper Cooling Staves in Large Blast Furnace

As a key cooling component of the blast furnace, the dominant failure mechanism of copper cooling staves remains controversial, primarily focusing on two pathways: friction wear by burden and erosive wear by gas. This study employs a systematic approach combining the analysis of actual failure morphologies of copper cooling staves from blast furnaces with friction‐wear tests and airflow erosive tests to clarify the primary controlling mechanism of copper cooling stave wear and failure. The results indicate that the friction‐wear morphology aligns more closely with actual failure characteristics, suggesting that mechanical abrasion by the burden is the main cause of thickness reduction and structural failure in copper cooling staves. High‐temperature friction‐wear tests confirm that the wear mechanism of copper cooling staves under burden action is predominantly adhesive wear, accompanied by distinct abrasive wear characteristics, with the abrasive wear effect becoming more pronounced as temperature increases. With rising temperature, the wear volume of copper cooling staves increases from 207 to 444 μm 3 , while the wear rate increases from 8.6 to 18.5 μm 3 /(N m). This study clarifies the controversy regarding the failure mechanism of copper cooling staves and holds significant guiding implications for the development of protective technologies for copper cooling staves.