INTRODUCTION

Power Quality :Power quality determines the fitness of electric power to consumer devices.
Synchronization of the voltage frequency and phase allows electrical systems to function in
their intended manner without significant loss of performance or life. The term is used to
describe electric power that drives an electrical load and the load's ability to function
properly. Without the proper power, an electrical device (or load) may malfunction, fail
prematurely or not operate at all. There are many ways in which electric power can be of poor
quality and many more causes of such poor quality power.
The electric power industry comprises electricity generation (AC power), electric
power transmission and ultimately electric power distribution to an electricity meter located
at the premises of the end user of the electric power. The electricity then moves through the
wiring system of the end user until it reaches the load. The complexity of the system to move
electric energy from the point of production to the point of consumption combined with
variations in weather, generation, demand and other factors provide many opportunities for
the quality of supply to be compromised.
While "power quality" is a convenient term for many, it is the quality of the voltage
rather than power or electric currentthat is actually described by the term. Power is simply
the flow of energy and the current demanded by a load is largely uncontrollable.
What can cause power quality problems?
We have found that the majority of power quality problems are related to issues
within a facility as opposed to the utility. Based on over 20 years of field experience, we
have found that 90% of power quality problems are caused within the site. Typical problems
include grounding and bonding problems, code violations and internally generated power
disturbances.
Other internal issues include powering different equipment from the same power
source. Lets take an example of a laser printer and a personal computer. Most of us would
not think twice about plugging the laser printer into the same power strip that runs the
PC. We are more concerned about the software and communication compatibility than the
power capability; however, some laser printers can generate neutral-ground voltage swells
and line-neutral voltage sags every minute or so. The long term effect to the PC may be
power supply failure. We have to be careful in how technology is installed and wired.
Simply put, power quality is a measure of an ideal power supply system. In general,
power quality as a concept is no different from the notion of quality for goods or services of
all kinds. But while quality is a general concept that includes subjective attributes like
personal likeability, taste or gut-feel, power quality is an objective, measurable and clear
metric that tells us about the state of the power being supplied.
Broadly, PQ may be defined as a provision of voltages and a system design so that the
user of electric power can utilise electric energy from the distribution system successfully,
without interference on interruption.

Power Quality is defined in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

(IEEE) 100 Authoritative Dictionary of IEEE Standard Terms as "the concept of powering
and grounding electronic equipment in a manner that is suitable to the operation of that
equipment and compatible with the premise wiring system and other connected equipment."
Utilities
may
want
to
define
power
quality
as
reliability.
PQ is an important issue for electricity consumers at all levels of usage, particularly
industries and the services sector. We extensively use sensitive power electronic equipment
and non-linear loads these days in industry, commercial and domestic applications. In such an
environment, problems like power surges/sags, poor voltage and frequency regulation,
harmonics, switching transients, electrical noise and the Electro-Magnetic Interference effect
are frequently encountered. This leads to damage of capital-intensive appliances, safety
concerns, loss of reliability and above all a huge economic loss.
Consequent to the enactment of Indian Electricity Act 2003, Power Quality is
becoming a priority among power supply utilities. Regulated entities, are expected to observe
'Quality of Service' regulations. Industry needs to gear up for a better understanding of this
issue and adopt a long term approach to mitigating the issues involved.

Arc Furnace:An electric arc furnace (EAF) is a furnace that heats charged material by means of
an electric arc.
Arc furnaces range in size from small units of approximately one ton capacity (used
in foundries for producing cast iron products) up to about 400 ton units used for
secondary steelmaking. Arc furnaces used in research laboratories and by dentists may have a
capacity of only a few dozen grams. Industrial electric arc furnace temperatures can be up to
1,800 C (3,272 F), while laboratory units can exceed 3,000 C (5,432 F). Arc furnaces
differ from induction furnaces in that the charge material is directly exposed to an electric
arc, and the current in the furnace terminals passes through the charged material.
An Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) is a very widely used device in metallurgical and
processing industries It is a, nonlinear time varying load, which can cause many problems to
the power system quality such as unbalance, harmonic inter-harmonic and voltage flicker.
Thus study of electric arc furnaces has potential benefits for both customers and utilities. An
accurate modeling of an EAF will help in dealing with the problems caused by its operation.
Minimization of the undesirable impact of EAFs can improve electric efficiency and reduce
power fluctuations in the system.
An electric arc furnace (EAF) transfers electrical energy to thermal energy in the form of an
electric arc to melt the raw materials held by the furnace. The arc is established between an
electrode and the melting bath and is characterized by a low voltage and a high current.
Arcfurnaces differ from induction furnaces in that the charge material is directly exposed to

an electric arc, and the current in the furnace terminals passes through the charged material.
Sir Humphrey Davy conducted an experimental demonstration in 1810 and welding was
investigated by Pepys in 1815. Pinchon attempted to create an electrothermic furnace in 1853
and, in 1878 - 79, William Siemens took out patents for an electric arc furnaces. The first
electric arc furnaces were developed by Paul Hroult, with a commercial plant established in
the United States in 1907. While EAFs were widely used in World War II for production of
alloy steels, it was only later that electric steelmaking began to expand. Of the steel made
today 36% is produced by the electric arc furnace route and this share will increase to 50 by
2030. A schematic cross-section through an EAF is presented in figure 1: three electrodes
(black), molten bath (red), tapping spout at left, refractory brick movable roof, brick shell,
and a refractory-lined bowl-shaped hearth.
An electric arc furnace (EAF) transfers electrical energy to thermal energy in the form of an
electric arc to melt the raw materials held by the furnace. The arc is established between an
electrode and the melting bath and is characterized by a low voltage and a high current.
Arcfurnaces differ from induction furnaces in that the charge material is directly exposed to
an electric arc, and the current in the furnace terminals passes through the charged material.
Sir Humphrey Davy conducted an experimental demonstration in 1810 and welding was
investigated by Pepys in 1815. Pinchon attempted to create an electrothermic furnace in 1853
and, in 1878 - 79, William Siemens took out patents for an electric arc furnaces. The first
electric arc furnaces were developed by Paul Hroult, with a commercial plant established in
the United States in 1907. While EAFs were widely used in World War II for production of
alloy steels, it was only later that electric steelmaking began to expand. Of the steel made
today 36% is produced by the electric arc furnace route and this share will increase to 50 by
2030. A schematic cross-section through an EAF is presented in figure 1: three electrodes
(black), molten bath (red), tapping spout at left, refractory brick movable roof, brick shell,
and a refractory-lined bowl-shaped hearth.
The furnace is primarily split into three sections:
the shell, which consists of the sidewalls and lower steel 'bowl';
the hearth, which consists of the refractory that lines the lower bowl;
the roof, which may be refractory-lined or water-cooled, and supports the refractory delta in
its centre, through which one or more graphite electrodes enter.
Separate from the furnace structure is the electrode support and electrical system, and the
tilting platform on which the furnace rests. Possible configurations: the electrode supports
and the roof tilt with the furnace, or are fixed to the raised platform. A typical alternating
current furnace has three electrodes (Hernandez et al., 2007). The arc forms between the
charged material and the electrode, the charge is heated both by current passing through the
charge and by the radiant energy evolved by the arc. The electrodes are automatically raised
and lowered by a positioning system and a regulating system maintains approximately
constant current and power input during the melting of the charge, even though scrap may
move under the electrodes as it melts. Since the electrodes move up and down automatically,

heavy water-cooled cables connect the bus tubes/arms with the transformer located adjacent
to the furnace. The energy diagram shown in Figure indicates that 70% of the total energy is
electrical, the remainder being chemical energy arising from the oxidation elements such as
carbon, iron, and silicon and the burning of natural gas with oxy-fuel burners. About 53 % of
the totalenergy leaves the furnace in the liquid steel, while the remainder is lost to slag, waste
gas, or cooling.

Fig: Constructional view of EAF

Fig :Energy Pattern of EAF

Capacity :These furnaces exist in all sizes-right, from the smallest one having a capacity of around 1
ton to the largest one having of 400 tons (approx.)
Furnace Temperature :The electric furnace can have temperatures up to 1800 Celsius.
Advantages :I.

II.
III.

IV.

The use of EAFs allows steel to be made from a 100% scrap metal feedstock,
commonly known as cold ferrous feed to emphasise the fact that for an EAF, scrap
is a regulated feed material.
The primary benefit of this is the largest reduction in specific energy (energy per unit
weight ) required to produce the steel.
Another benefit is flexibility: while blast furnaces cannot vary their production by
much and are never stopped, EAFs can be rapidly started and stopped, allowing the
steel mill to vary production according to demand.
Although steelmaking arc furnace generally use scraps steel as their primary feedback,
if hot metal from a blast furnace or direct-reduced iron is available economically,
these can also be used as furnace feed.