The Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) will become the largest producer of steel worldwide, replacing the conventional route through the blast furnace and BOF. In most developed countries the EAF process is already the main steelmaking reactor. This is due to many advantages, such as much lower emissions of CO2, higher flexibility in furnace capacity and higher flexibility in the raw materials such as scrap, direct reduced iron (DRI) and pig iron. The EAF process has also experienced a larger level of automation that provides a higher productivity. However, the EAF process also has a large number of limitations in comparison with the BOF, for example; (i) use of an expensive type of energy (electric energy), (2) very poor stirring conditions which results in lower decarburization rates, (3) residual elements in steel scrap, (3) cost of scrap can be higher than iron ore, (4) dependance on DRI to produce higher quality steels, (5) higher heat losses, (6) lower metallic yield (slag leaves the furnace losing iron and heat). If the EAF process overcomes these limitations it will be able to fully overcome the BF-BOF route and become the dominant process for steelmaking in the 21st century. This book discusses in detail 15 methods to decrease energy consumption in the EAF. Decreasing energy consumption requires an integral approach which means that all methods should be fully understood and optimized.

This book equips a reader with knowledge necessary for critical analysis of innovations in electric arc furnaces and helps to select the most effective ones and for their successful implementation. The book also covers general issues related to history of development, current state and prospects of steelmaking in Electric Arc Furnaces. Therefore, it can be useful for everybody who studies metallurgy, including students of colleges and universities. The modern concepts of mechanisms of Arc Furnace processes are discussed in the book at the level sufficient to solve practical problems: To help readers lacking knowledge required in the field of heat transfer as well as hydro-gas dynamics, it contains several chapters which provide the required minimum of information in these fields of science. In order to better assess different innovations, the book describes experience of the application of similar innovations in open-hearth furnaces and oxygen converters. Some promising ideas on key issues regarding intensification of the heat, which are of interest for developers of new processes and equipment for Electric Arc Furnaces, are also the concern of the book It should be noted, that carrying out the simplified calculations as distinct from using "off the shelf" programs greatly promotes comprehensive understanding of physical basics of processes and effects produced by various factors. This book gives numerous examples of such calculations performed by means of simplified methods and formulas. Getting familiar with material in this book will allow the reader to perform required calculations on his / her own without any difficulties.

This book presents a new electric arc furnace process and discusses potential for developing a steelmaking aggregate of the new generation, namely the Fuel Arc Furnace based on existing shaft furnaces. It also reviews the history of developing various types of furnaces with the scrap preheating and flat bath advantages of these furnaces, identifying their disadvantages and presenting methods of eliminating them.