Electric Arc Furnace

(EAF) steelmaking
Hot Spot formation
• Radiation effect from arc flame
• Radiation from bath surface.
• High duration of power.
Slag Practice
• Oxidizing single slag : When S removal is not required. Used to make
Carbon/low alloy steel. Charge is melted and refined under basic oxidizing slag.
• Oxidizing double slag : Early slag is removed and new slag is made to achieve
effective desulphurization and dephosphorization.
• Reducing single slag : Used for high alloy steel making to achieve maximum
recovery of alloying elements from scrap. Sulphur could be removed as the
condition is reducing. C and P in scrap must be below the spec limit.
• Double slag Practice : When both P and S are required to be removed double
slag practice is used. In double slag practice, oxidizing slag (P, Si,C, Mn) is
removed and reducing slag is formed by lime, coke etc after deoxidation with
ferrosilicon or ferromanganese or aluminum. Reducing slag helps to avoid loss of
alloying elements and eliminate S.
Composition of Oxidizing and Reducing
slag

Slag Type %CaO %SiO2 %FeO %MnO %MgO

Oxidizing Slag 38-45 10-15 13-20 10-15
Reducing slag Carbide Slag 65-70 20-25 0.5 max - 5-10
Lime slag 55-60 25-30 1.0 max - 5-10
 Trends in EAF steelmaking technology

Lecture 16 : Developments in EAF steelmaking, NPTEL Lecture

Toulouevski Y. N. and Zinurov I. Y., Innovation in electric arc furnaces, Springer, Heidelberg Dordrecht London New York, 2010
Developments in process operating
technologies
• i) Bottom stirring /Induction stirring
• In convectional arc furnaces there is little natural electrical turbulence
within the bath. Due to absence of stirring large piece of scrap can take
a long time to melt and may require oxygen lancing. Argon or nitrogen
stirring
• Eliminates temperature and concentration gradients
• Shortens tap-to-tap times
• Reduces refractory, electrode and power consumption and
• Improves yield of iron and alloys
 Developments in process operating
technologies

Lecture 16 : Developments in EAF steelmaking, NPTEL Lecture

Developments in process operating
technologies
• ii) Foamy slag practice
 In EAF unshielded arc leads to increase the wear of refractory.
 Arc shielding by scrap.
 The efficiency of foamy slag depends on
Slag basicity,
FeO content of slag,
Slag temperature and
Activity of carbon gor reaction with oxygen or FeO of slag.
 Developments in process operating
technologies
• ii) Foamy slag practice
• Gas bubbles formation
a) Reaction between FeO of slag with carbon
(FeO)+C=[Fe]+{CO} (1)
b) Between carbon and oxygen dissolved in metal
[C]+[CO]={CO} (2)
c) Between chromium oxide and carbon:
Cr2O3+3C=2Cr+3CO (3)

Carbon Addition for increasing slag foaming tendency.

 Developments in process operating
technologies
iii) Scrap preheating
540℃ heating results in 81kwh/ton of surplus energy.

o Decrease in energy consumption of 40-60 kwh/ton based on the

scrap preheat temperature
o Decrease in Electrode consumption by 0.3 to 0.36 kg/ton
o Decrease in Refractory consumption by 0.9 to 1.4 kg/ton
o Decrease in Tap to tap time by 5 to 8 minutes.

Lecture 16 : Developments in EAF steelmaking, NPTEL Lecture

 Energy balance of an electric furnace
steelmaking

Lecture 16 : Developments in EAF steelmaking, NPTEL Lecture

 Usage of Chemical Energy

• Chemical energy contributes to 35% to 40% of the total energy in

most of the modern EAFs.

• i) Oxidation reactions
Oxidation of Fe, C and oxidation of Si Mn.
Fe oxidation provides higher energy as compared to C oxidation.
productivity loss.
Usage of Chemical Energy
Fe+0.5O2=FeO; Heat content 6kW/m3O2
C+0.5O2=CO; Heat content 3.5kW/m3O2

• C content >0.3%, higher CO formation.

• C< 0.3 % the CO formation decreases, higher FeO is formed in the slag.
 Usage of Chemical Energy
ii) Post combustion
• Proper oxygen content to combust CO and H2 which evolve within the EAF.
Carbon monoxide is generated in an EAF by
• Hydrocarbons injection with scrap
• FeO reduction by carbon during slag foaming.

• Benefits of C addition
i. 100 percent scrap addition, carbon injection is important due to low Co
formation.
ii. Combustion of CO generates thermal energy.
iii. Foaming of slag.
 Usage of Chemical Energy
• iii) Oxy – fuel burner
• Natural gas or oil, along with pure oxygen for very high flame temperature.
• Melt unmelted scrap and heat energy to cold
• Burner rating: 0.133 MW/ ton of furnace capacity. Others recommend
• 32 kWh/ ton of burner power to remove cold spots in a UHP furnace
• 50 to 200 kWh/ ton of burner power for low powered furnaces.

Lecture 16 : Developments in EAF steelmaking, NPTEL Lecture

 Future of EAF steelmaking
Design for cooling system and side wall and roof.
 New design of electrodes a) Water cooled electrodes b) Argon Purged Hollow
electrodes.
 DC Electric arc furnace :
improved operating economy due to significantly lower electrode consumption.
(One vs three electrodes).
a. Electrode cost can be reduced by 50%.
b. more stable arc than AC EAF.
c. Less noise emission than AC EAF.
d. Hot spot problem is reduced due to one central vertical arc in DC EAF than AC
EAF