Since the second World War, this has been the standard furnace for melting steel in large quantities. Typical Capacities are 80 to 120 Tonnes. They were generally used as direct replacements for Siemens Open Hearth Furnaces. Low Voltage, High Current electricity arcs between three large electrodes hung from the lid of the furnace and the metal on the furnace hearth. This produces very intense heating in the centre of the furnace, in a similar way to arc welding. The heating can be very accurately controlled and as there are no 'products of combustion' (smoke and flame) within the furnace high quality steels are easily produced.
A steelmaking furnace which predominantly uses scrap as an iron source. The furnace houses either one or three graphite electrodes from which an electric arc can be generated to provide heat to melt the steel scrap. Electricity can be applied either as direct current (DC), where only one electrode is required, or alternate current (AC), where three electrodes are required. These two types of furnaces are respectively known as DC furnace and AC furnace. Our factory operates a DC Finger Shaft Furnace with an 80-tonne capacity per heat.
In this furnace the heating is by means of an electric arc shot between graphite electrodes and the metal charge.
A furnace for scrap-based steelmaking. Once the furnace is charged and covered, graphite electrodes are lowered through holes in the roof. The electric arc travelling between the electrodes and the metallic charge creates intense heat which melts the scrap. Alloying elements can be added during the process.
Steel-making furnace where scrap is generally 100% of the charge. Heat is supplied from electricity that arcs from the graphite electrodes to the metal bath. Furnaces may be either an alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC). DC units consume less energy and fewer electrodes, but they are more expensive.
A stainless steel producing furnace where scrap generally makes up a high percentage of the charge. Heat is supplied from electricity that arcs from the electrodes to the metal bath. These furnaces may operate on AC or DC.
An electric arc furnace is a system 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.