AGC Ceramics manufactures and sells Roiceram-C silicon carbide. This ceramic material is highly heat-resistant and contributes to higher energy efficiency in the manufacturing process. Specifically, it enables process control in a high temperature zone, which had been impossible with metal materials.

There are usually several dozen hot blast pipes installed around a blast furnace but in the past, no highly heat-resistant control valves were available for the pipes. Therefore, the same hot blast volume was constantly sent into the furnace for the combustion of materials. In other words, hot air was sent even to the parts inside the furnace that were unevenly heated, resulting in damage to the furnace wall materials. This problem, however, can be solved by using Roiceram-C as a material for the control valves. Roiceram-C can lead to the long-term stable control of the hot blast volume sent into the furnace; furthermore, hot air can be sent in the necessary amount to only the necessary locations, which will in turn help prolong the life of the furnace and improve the combustion and energy efficiency.

In addition, Roiceram-C can be applied to high temperature gas control products such as high-temperature fans, leading to higher energy efficiency in the manufacturing process through the waste heat from high temperature gas.

Furnace incorporating hot blast control valves made from Roiceram-C