Wear resistant composite material, its application in cooling elements for a metallurgical furnace, and method of manufacturing same

A cooling element for a metallurgical furnace,

• the cooling element comprising a body comprised of a first metal,
• the body comprising at least one surface along which there is provided a facing layer,
• the facing layer comprised of a composite material, wherein the composite material comprises abrasion-resistant particles arranged in a matrix of a second metal, the abrasion-resistant particles having a hardness greater than a hardness of the first metal and greater than a hardness of the second metal.

A method for manufacturing a cooling element for a metallurgical furnace, comprising:

• (a) providing an engineered configuration of said abrasion-resistant particles;
• (b) positioning the engineered configuration of said abrasion-resistant particles in a mold cavity, with the engineered configuration located in an area of the mold cavity which is to define the facing layer of the cooler;
• (c) introducing a molten metal into the mold cavity, wherein the molten metal comprises the first metal of the body of the cooling element and the second metal of the composite material.

The method of claim 54, wherein the engineered configuration of said abrasion-resistant particles is provided in step (a) in the form of a pre-fabricated assembly.