Abstract
The use of hydrogen as a reductant or a fuel in metal production can drastically reduce CO2 emissions. However, replacing carbon-containing gases with hydrogen can change the operating conditions, including atmosphere and temperature. As a result, the furnace refractory linings must meet new requirements to maintain the mechanical integrity and avoid shutdowns. The hydrogen gas and water vapour, which is the combustion product, are both corrosive to many refractories at elevated temperature. In addition, gas impurities that are present in many metal processing applications can increase the corrosiveness of the furnace atmosphere. Thus, aspects such as composition, structure, and porosity of refractory materials must be carefully evaluated when designing refractory linings for hydrogen utilisation. This paper is a literature review on the high temperature stability of common refractories in hydrogen- and water-containing atmospheres. Based on the literature, important considerations and candidate refractories are recognized and discussed.