Charging materials:
Steel scrap is the principle raw material. It may constitute 60 to 80% of the charge. In some practices sponge iron and or pig iron is also used for chemical balance. In basic furnaces slag formers like limestone, fluorspar, sand, and quartzite are used to form a slag to refine the metal. For decarburization oxygen lancing is used. Iron ore is also added. Ferro-manganese, ferrosilicon or aluminium are used for deoxidation. To produce alloy steels, alloying elements are added.
Plant layout
Layout of an electric arc furnace steelmaking shop varies from plant to plant due to difference in the quality of the product and the scale of production. Some plants have just one EAF while others have two. The variation is also due to whether the shop is provided with oxygen lancing and carbon injection facilities, gas cleaning equipments and finished castings or ingots. Broadly electric furnace steelmaking shop comprises of the following:
- Electric furnace
- Transport facilities for ladle
- Scrap charging
- Auxiliary injection facilities
- Electrode movement mechanism
- Charging of raw materials and weighing system
- Slag disposal.
In an ideal layout, all the above facilities should be arranged so as to ensure smooth input and output of materials.
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