Abstract

JONES, R.T; REYNOLDS, Q.G; CURR, T.R  and  SAGER, D. Some myths about DC arc furnaces. J. S. Afr. Inst. Min. Metall. [online]. 2011, vol.111, n.10, pp. 665-674. ISSN 0038-223X.

DC arc furnaces are widely used for steel scrap melting as well as for reductive smelting of ore fines. Industrial smelting applications include the smelting of chromite to produce ferrochromium, the smelting of ilmenite to produce titania slag and pig iron, and the recovery of cobalt from nonferrous smelter slags. A number of myths and misconceptions are widely held, especially regarding: the age of the technology, the use of a hollow electrode, arc stability and shape, arc and bath radiation, interaction between the arc and molten slag, electrical behaviour of arcs and slags, a comparison between AC and DC furnaces, DC reactors, the lifespan of bottom electrodes, and the applicability of DC arc furnaces to various metallurgical systems.

Keywords : pyrometallurgy; DC arc furnace; myths; history; hollow electrode; radiation; resistance; flicker; AC.