November 30, 2025
Introduction to the Electric Arc Furnace
The electric arc furnace (EAF) utilizes the intense heat generated by an electric arc between electrodes to melt ores and metals. During arc formation, energy is highly concentrated, with arc-zone temperatures exceeding 3000 °C. Compared to other steelmaking furnaces, the EAF offers greater operational flexibility, enables effective removal of impurities such as sulfur and phosphorus, allows precise temperature control, and requires a relatively small plant footprint—making it particularly suitable for producing high-quality alloy steels.
Industrial furnaces that employ electric arcs for heating—using either metal or non‑metal electrodes—are collectively referred to as electric arc furnaces. Based on arc configuration, EAFs can be classified into several types, including three‑phase arc furnaces, consumable‑electrode furnaces, single‑phase arc furnaces, and resistance‑type arc furnaces.
The main structure of an arc steelmaking furnace comprises a roof, a charging door, a tapping spout (or eccentric bottom tapping system), and the furnace body. The hearth and sidewalls are lined with either basic (alkaline) or acidic refractories. In terms of power input, arc furnaces are categorized as ordinary‑power, high‑power, or ultra‑high‑power based on transformer capacity per ton of furnace volume.
In EAF steelmaking, electrical energy is supplied via graphite electrodes, and the arc struck between the electrode tips and the charge serves as the primary heat source. Because the process relies on electric heating and permits control of the furnace atmosphere, it is especially advantageous for melting steel grades containing elements prone to oxidation. Shortly after its invention, the electric arc furnace was adopted for alloy steel production and has since undergone substantial development.
With ongoing advances in EAF equipment, improved process technologies, and the expansion of power infrastructure, the operating cost of electric arc furnace steelmaking has steadily declined. Today, the EAF is not only used for alloy and specialty steel production but also increasingly for manufacturing ordinary carbon steels. As a result, the share of EAF‑based steel output continues to grow in the total steel production of major industrialized nations.
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