Heat 23

By the following morning, the detailed inspection findings were immensely encouraging.

Ernest and Hollen stood at the bottom of the drained, cooled converter pit with lanterns in hand, examining the internal refractory brickwork. The lining showed only minor surface glazing near the slag line, well within normal thermal tolerances. The nineteen bottom tuyere blocks had survived the violent high-pressure air blast completely intact without localized erosion or metal backflow, the lower windbox remained tightly sealed, and the hydraulic tilting drive operated smoothly without a trace of gear slippage.