2050 – 05 – Working with an Electric Arc Furnace

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Roughly thirty percent of the steel in the US is made with an electric arc furnace. They’re used to create specialty alloys and steels.

Pig iron can be used in the electric arc furnace but, typically, scrap iron and steel is used. Unlike the basic oxygen furnace, which starts with a hot material, the electric furnace starts with cold materials. Pig iron, scrap iron, or steel is combined with limestone inside the furnace. When activated, the electric arc furnace generates heat using, as its name suggests, electric arcs between electrodes.

Most manufacturers consider steel from electric arc furnaces to be higher quality. These steels tend to be more expensive due to their rarity and superiority – but also because they are so demanding to create.

Typically, electric arc furnaces make stronger steel, but cost more to use than a basic oxygen furnace.