Electric furnace steelmaking refers to a steelmaking process that uses scrap steel as the main raw material and uses electricity as the main heat source. Typical representatives include electric arc furnaces (EAF), which are widely used in the production of various types of steel such as stainless steel, high alloy steel, and special steel, and induction furnaces (IF), a very cost-effective means of steelmaking.
With the abundance of scrap steel resources, the optimization of electricity price structure (such as the popularization of clean energy such as hydropower and nuclear power), and the promotion of environmental protection policies, electric furnace steelmaking has ushered in a period of rapid development. Its low investment cost, short construction period, and fast return are more prominent in induction furnaces, and it has become an important choice for small and medium-sized steel companies.
Technological characteristics of electric furnace steelmaking
Using scrap steel as the main material, recycling resources
Electric furnaces mainly use scrap steel for smelting, which effectively reduces scrap metal storage and environmental pollution, and accelerates the recycling and reuse of metal resources. This feature is applicable to electric arc furnaces and induction furnaces.
Simple equipment and small construction investment
The electric furnace system is relatively simple, with less civil engineering, which is convenient for rapid production and suitable for flexible plant construction and small and medium-sized layout. Among them, the induction furnace has advantages in equipment cost and operating manpower.
Strong ability to smelt high-alloy steel grades
The electric arc furnace can melt high-melting-point elements such as tungsten and molybdenum, which is suitable for the production of high-alloy steel and special steel; at the same time, it has good temperature control ability, and the terminal temperature control accuracy can reach ±5℃.
High thermal efficiency and strong adaptability
The arc temperature of the electric arc furnace is as high as 4000–6000℃, and the thermal efficiency is generally more than 65%. It is suitable for cold and hot charging of furnace materials, and even low-quality scrap steel (such as slag iron and large castings) can be used to smelt high-quality steel.
Possess strong refining capabilities
The electric furnace has excellent capabilities in deoxidation, desulfurization, degassing and alloying, especially the electric arc furnace. Combined with the LOD furnace and the LF refining furnace, the induction furnace can also construct the IF+LOD+LRF process to achieve a refining level similar to that of the electric arc furnace.
Flexible composition adjustment and wide range of steel types
Electric furnace steelmaking is suitable for various types of steel with complex compositions, such as stainless acid-resistant steel, heat-resistant steel and high-temperature alloys, which facilitates the flexible production of small batches and multiple varieties.
Flexible production organization and stable system
Electric furnaces can achieve continuous production or intermittent operation. Even after a long shutdown period, they can quickly resume production. The system structure is simple and has strong anti-interference ability. Both electric arc furnaces and induction furnaces have this advantage.
Different electric furnace processes are suitable for different scenarios
Electric arc furnaces have strong refining capabilities and can produce high-quality special steels and complex steel types, but they need to rely on stable and sufficient capacity power grid resources, which has a greater impact on the power system and requires high quality of operators.
Induction furnaces are friendly to the power grid, simple to operate, and have low technical requirements for personnel. They are the best choice for projects in specific areas, but they themselves have almost no refining capabilities and have high requirements for scrap steel quality. However, after adopting the IF+LOD+LRF process independently developed by our company, its overall refining capacity is no less than that of the electric arc furnace. It is no longer overly picky about scrap steel and can produce steel billets that meet market demand.
