Abstract: A three dimensional heat transfer model of copper cooling stave is built and analysis on steady-state heat transfer is carried out by finite element software ANSYS to investigate characteristics of slag skull generated during vanadium-bearing titaniferous magnetite smelting.The results show that the thickness of slag skull increases remarkably due to higher content of iron nuggets in vanadium-bearing titaniferous BF slag,which results in decrease of slag skull stability.When the temperature thermocouple measured at the copper cooling stave is kept in the range of 60 ℃ to 80 ℃,the slag skull stability will be improved to maintain safe operation of the copper stave.Under the existing technological conditions,water velocity adjusted from 2.3 m/s to 1.5 m/s has little influence on the slag skull.