Tackling Harsh Operating Conditions — Hot Metal Pretreatment Case Study
In the pursuit of high-quality and green development within the steel industry, Hot Metal Pretreatment plays a critical role in producing low-sulfur, clean steel. At the core of this process, valve performance directly determines production efficiency and product quality.
Facing the long-standing challenge that traditional metal hard-sealed Ball Valves could only last around two months under severe conditions, Yantai Kingway Science & Technology Co., Ltd. (KOWOV) has developed an innovative ceramic valve technology that offers a revolutionary solution for steel enterprises.
The Challenge: Aggressive Media and Valve Failure
During the Hot Metal Pretreatment process, the medium mainly consists of calcium oxide (CaO), which is highly hygroscopic. It absorbs moisture from the air and reacts to form calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)₂), expanding in volume and forming hard agglomerates.
These solid particles accumulate inside the valve body—especially around the ball-seat interface and actuator components—causing jamming, operational failure, or even complete seizure.
When traditional metal valves are forced to close, the hard deposits grind and scratch the metal sealing surfaces or PTFE soft seals, leading to permanent seal damage, leakage, and frequent downtime—becoming a major bottleneck for stable production.
The Solution: KOWOV ceramic valve Breakthrough
In 2019, Kingway partnered with a major domestic steel enterprise to introduce KOWOV ceramic valves into their Hot Metal Pretreatment system.
These valves are constructed using high-performance structural ceramics with hardness ≥ HRA 87, employing a ceramic-to-ceramic hard sealing design and precision lapping process to achieve zero leakage and exceptional wear resistance.
Thanks to the ceramics’ unique self-lubricating properties, the operating torque is reduced to one-fifth of that of a traditional metal valve, dramatically improving usability and operational safety.
Proven Performance: 4 Years of Continuous Operation
After four consecutive years of field operation, the Ceramic Valves have maintained outstanding performance, achieving a service life more than 20 times longer than conventional metal valves — setting a new benchmark in the industry.
This breakthrough not only solves the problems of wear and seal failure but also significantly boosts productivity and stability. By extending replacement cycles and minimizing unplanned shutdowns, Kingway’s ceramic valves have helped customers reduce production costs by over 50%.
Furthermore, their long service life effectively reduces waste from discarded valves, aligning perfectly with the modern steel industry’s green and low-carbon development goals.
Leading the Future of Sustainable Steelmaking
Today, Kingway’s ceramic valve technology has been successfully applied in multiple large-scale steel enterprises, becoming the preferred solution for hot metal pretreatment systems.
As a pioneer in industrial valve innovation, Kingway remains committed to advancing material science to drive industrial upgrading. Together with our partners, we aim to empower the global steel industry with high-efficiency, intelligent, and sustainable ceramic valve solutions, building a cleaner and smarter future for metallurgy.