ELECTRODE MANAGEMENT – INVESTIGATION INTO ... - Pyro.co.za

742 INFACON XI
the risk of breakage in the un-baked part of the electrode as a consequence: “Soft breakage”.
In general, soft breakage or paste leakage can happen because of the following reasons.
i) Mechanical failure in casing (fig.1)
– Design (thickness, steel quality, “window” size / distance
– Welding
ii) Burning of casing too early (fig.1)
– Too fast slipping
– Too slow baking
Figure 1
iii) If too high current in steel casing (fig.2)
iv) Position of 500 deg. C isotherm (fig-3):
Figure 2
– 500deg. C isotherm can be predicted and controlled