1. History of the arc furnace
Known since Moissan's patents, the electric arc owes its first industrial applications to Héroult, first at La Praz in France on October 9, 1900, then a few years later in Syracuse (USA).
The Héroult furnace (figure 1 ) had a capacity of 2,500 kg. Continuously powered at 110 V and 4,000 A, it was the first to be able to produce steel from scrap.
Its qualities led to rapid development. Unlike the converter and the Martin furnace, was it not possible to obtain the high temperatures required to add ferroalloys in a non-oxidizing environment?
But the price of electric power and its low productivity meant that it could not compete with the blast furnace-converter tandem (or Martin furnace) for ordinary steel production, so...
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History of the arc furnace
Arc furnace principle
References
Economic data
The general data gathered here are divided into :
investment costs ;
costs of electric steel mill operations.
Organizations cited
Association Technique de la Sidérurgie ATS
Institut de Recherche de la Sidérurgie IRSID
International Iron and Steel Institute IISI
Listed manufacturers and operators
(non-exhaustive list)
ABB
Badische Stahl Engineering GmbH
CGE Distribution
Graftech Creusot Métal
Intersteel
Laminés Marchands Européens LME
Sarralle
SMS – Demag
Voest Alpine Industrieanlagenbau...
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