Analysis and optimisation on the energy consumption of electric arc furnace steelmaking

Abstract

To clarify the influence factors and optimization direction of energy consumption of EAF steelmaking, this study established a complete mass and energy balance model, comprising infiltrated air and offgas flowrate measurement model and radiative and convective heat loss model, to forecast power and oxygen consumption. The influence of power supply, oxygen supply, carbon injection, infiltrated air, and hot metal charging on the power consumption of EAF is discussed. The results show that optimizing production parameters will effectively reduce power consumption, especially improve the infiltrated air flowrate when there are sufficient combustible gases, which is conducive to energy conservation and emission reduction. Additionally, due to the intensive energy and carbon input in the upstream process of hot metal production, the energy consumption and carbon emissions of hot metal charging EAF are much higher than those of 100% scrap charging EAF.

Mathematical modelling and techno-economic analysis of electric arc furnace steelmaking process with hot metal charging in China

“…Equation ( 28) refers to the second constraint condition, which is committed to obtaining better economic benefits. The third and fourth constraint conditions, as displayed in equations ( 29) and (30), are determined by reference (45). The influence of four constraint conditions on the mass of caron powder and coal gas is shown in Figure 13.…”

“…Duan et al 29 studied the influence of HM ratio on tap-to-tap time, consumption of electricity and lime, and desulphurisation and desulphurisation abilities of a 50t EAF with HM and scrap. Liu et al 30 investigated the effects of electricity and oxygen supply, carbon injection and infiltrated air on energy consumption, and clarified the carbon emission and energy consumption of HM charging in EAF steelmaking process.…”