The furnace chamber, located above the hearth of an electric arc furnace, is the volume enclosed by the water-cooled panels. This region is essential for charging operations and for completing various metallurgical processes. Like the hearth, the furnace chamber often has a truncated cone shape.
Furnace Wall Inclination and Height
- The furnace walls are typically tilted at an angle of 6° to 7°. This tilt supports ease of furnace relining and repairs.
- Excessive tilt would unnecessarily increase the shell diameter, leading to higher heat losses and mechanical complexity.
The furnace chamber height is measured from the top of the hearth slope to the upper edge of the furnace shell. Proper height is critical:
- Too high, and it increases radiation loss and the height of the building, which will increase both operation and construction cost.
- Too low, and it compromises top charging operations and may overheat the roof.
The recommended ratio of furnace height to hearth diameter varies by capacity:
- For small furnaces (≤5t): ratio = 0.5–0.6
- For medium furnaces (10–40t): ratio = 0.45–0.5
- For large furnaces (80–180t): ratio = 0.4–0.45
As furnace capacity increases, the relative height decreases. This design strategy helps shorten electrode and busbar lengths, reducing resistance, impedance, and construction height requirements.
