Italian steel producer Acciaieria Arvedi S.p.A. has ordered an EAF Quantum from Primetals Technologies. This new type of electric arc furnace, to be installed in the Cremona steel works, reduces specific conversion costs of electric steel production by around 20 % and will have an annual production capacity of up to 1.57 million t of crude steel.
The order also includes a complete dedusting system for primary, secondary and auxiliary emission sources with a heat recovery system to reuse the thermal power from the furnace offgas to produce steam for the pickling lines. The new EAF Quantum is scheduled to go on stream in the summer of 2016.
The new EAF Quantum from Primetals Technologies will have a tapping weight of 125 (±10) t and replace an existing, conventional 120 ton electric arc furnace, expanding the production capacity of Acciaieria Arvedi as well as reducing conversion costs. The new electric arc furnace combines proven elements of shaft furnace technology with a new scrap charging process, an efficient preheating system, a new tilting concept for the lower vessel, and an optimized tapping system, enabling tap-to-tap times of between 36 and 40 minutes. Electricity consumption, being as low as 280 kWh/t, is considerably less than that of a conventional electric arc furnace. An additional advantage of the new EAF Quantum is an increase of the yearly production by 20 % – from 1.1 to 1.35 million t/a – without changing the tapping weight or the power input. Together with the reduced consumption of electrodes, this produces an overall conversion cost benefit of some 20 %. Overall CO2 emissions can also be cut by up to 30 % per t of crude steel in comparison to conventional electric arc furnaces.
The scope of supply also includes three refining combined burner (RCB) systems, a Lomas gas analysis system to optimize process control, and a LiquiRob robot system for taking samples and measuring temperatures. This feature allows for manless operation on the spot, thus increasing working safety.
Source: Primetals Technologies, Ltd.
