The critical heat flux surveys of thirteen Chinese blast furnaces were carried out.The mathematical model of hearth bottom was established and the temperature field was simulated by utilizing the method of inverse problem based on the collected parameters and temperature data.The critical heat flux and dangerous critical heat flux of hearth were defined and analyzed as well as the initial and investigative critical heat flux of hearth,and the influences of thermal conductivity and residual thickness of carbon bricks on critical heat flux were discussed.The relationships between critical heat flux of stave and hearth bricks were also compared.It is found that the dangerous critical heat flux of these blast furnaces ranged from 9.38 to 57kW/m2.Therefore,there was no uniform critical heat flux of hearth due to the structure design,refractory materials selection,construction quality of hearth and other factors.The heat flux should be lower than the critical heat flux with corresponding thickness of carbon bricks to control the erosion of hearth.The critical heat flux of stave would be much lower than that of hearth bricks with the air gap.However,the critical heat flux of stave should be higher than that of hearth bricks when gas existed between furnace shell and staves. The critical heat flux surveys of thirteen Chinese blast furnaces were carried out. The mathematical model of hearth bottom was established and the temperature field was simulated by utilizing the method of inverse problem based on the collected parameters and temperature data. Critical heat flux and dangerous critical heat flux of hearth were defined and analyzed as well as the initial and investigative critical heat flux of hearth, and the influences of thermal conductivity and residual thickness of carbon bricks on critical heat flux were discussed.The relationships between critical heat flux of stave and hearth bricks were also compared. It is found that the dangerous critical heat flux of these blast furnaces ranged from 9.38 to 57 kW / m2.Therefore, there was no uniform critical heat flux of hearth due to the structure design, refractory materials selection, construction quality of hearth and other factors. The heat flux should be lower than the critical heat flux with corresponding thi ckness of carbon bricks to control the erosion of hearth.The critical heat flux of stave would be much lower than that of hearth bricks with the air gap. However, the critical heat flux of stave should be higher than that of hearth bricks when gas existed between furnace shell and staves.