Steel Mills
Primetals to replace two EAFs at US mill
Written by Laura Miller
November 22, 2024
Primetals Technologies announced it will replace two electric-arc furnaces at a steel mill in the US with one more energy-efficient furnace with the latest technology.
The unnamed steelmaker has awarded Primetals a contract to engineer, supply, and start up a 68-ton EAF Ultimate.
The EAF Ultimate, the latest generation of Primetals’ electric furnace offerings, features short tap-to-tap times and a modern eccentric bottom-tapping (EBT) system.
The 750,000-ton-per-year furnace will replace two outdated spout-tapping EAFs.
Additionally, “The manufacturer has taken a pioneering step by selecting Active Power Feeder technology for this project,” London-based Primetals noted.
“With this groundbreaking power supply solution, the company becomes the first steel producer to power an EAF using direct AC-AC conversion utilizing Modular Multilevel Matrix converter (M3C) technology at a medium voltage level, marking a significant advancement in energy efficiency,” it said.
Primetals said power input is managed dynamically, and the melting process is optimized when the feeder is combined with Primetals’ electrode control system Melt Expert.
“This results in reduced energy consumption, lower electrode usage, decreased production costs, and increased process stability, all while meeting utility regulations,” the plant provider stated.
The new furnace is expected to begin operation by the end of 2026.
That’s also around the time new EAFs are slated to start up at ArcelorMittal Dofasco, Nucor Steel West Virginia, and Ternium Mexico, according to SMU’s EAF status table.
The unnamed steelmaker produces medium carbon, high-alloy, and free-cutting steel, according to Primetals, but it’s unclear if it makes flat or long steel products.
Laura Miller
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