2008 Hiroyuki Matsuura Development of a Decarburization and Slag Formation Model for the Electric Arc Furnace isijinternational.48.1197

Electric arc furnace (EAF) production of steel has significantly increased, particularly in advanced plants manufacturing high-value products. The study aims to develop a model for decarburization and slag formation based on mass balances and kinetic equations. A detailed analysis was conducted, examining melting patterns for scrap and pig iron while calculating variations in metal carbon content and iron oxide in the slag. The developed model facilitates the optimization of oxygen injection, flux additions, carbon injection, yield, and slag foaming, with further implications for future research. The complexity of EAF models arises from the continuous injection of flux and carbon throughout the melting cycle, contrasting with the batch process of oxygen steelmaking. Unlike traditional models, this approach accounts for the heterogeneous composition of the charge in EAFs and liquid-phase mass transfer effects influencing decarburization at low carbon content. The findings suggest that the established model effectively outlines the challenges of EAF operation and offers a pathway toward enhanced steel production efficiency. This research contributes to the understanding of EAF dynamics and optimizes the operational parameters for improved outcomes.