JNS I Bokaro: The 2nd International Conference REFIS-4.0 on “Advances in Refractories in the Iron and Steel Industry through Nanotechnology and Sustainable Solutions,” hosted by Bokaro Steel Plant, concluded on Sunday.
The closing ceremony was graced by Executive Director (Operations) Birendra Kumar Tiwari as the chief guest.
During the two-day conference, various challenges facing the refractory industry were discussed, with a focus on making India self-reliant in the sector and integrating Industry 4.0 technology to achieve the country’s target steel production capacity of 300 million tonnes by 2030.
Discussions revolved around manufacturing low-cost, high-quality refractories, including the development of high-corrosion refractory bricks, ladle lip bricks, new-generation alumina graphite ladle bricks, and the use of high-quality monolithic lining bricks.
Topics such as modern technology for improving steel quality, enhancing the performance of Zirconia metering nozzles in low-carbon steel casting, GHG mitigation through proper refractory use, and the potential for innovative materials for the circular economy from refractory waste were extensively covered by experts during the conference.
Additionally, discussions on energy and environment conservation, as well as machine learning applications, were also highlighted.
The conference concluded with a comprehensive roadmap for the production of low-cost, high-quality refractories, emphasizing collaboration between the steel and refractory industries to meet mutual interests and address the challenges ahead.
