Skip to main content

The DIRECT ARC FURNACE ( ELECTRIC PROCESS IN STEEL MAKING )

The direct arc furnace consists of a steel shell lined with refractory bricks and a removable roof through which carbon or graphite electrodes ( about 2m long ) pass. Graphite electrodes offer less resistance to current and are considered to be more durable at high temperature but they are more expensive than the carbon electrodes. The number of electrodes correspond to the number of phases.




The electrodes are lowered into the furnace and the current is switched on. The heat generated by a powerful spark between the electrodes and the metallic charge on the hearth melts the charge. The charge usually consists of steel scrap and iron oxide in the form of iron oxide ore. Pig iron is not directly treated in electric furnaces, though sometimes it is partly purified in an open hearth furnace and then transferred to electric furnaces for final treatment and alloying. When the furnace is in operation, the electrodes are consumed and they become shorter. So a definite distance must be maintained between the electrodes and the charge by raising or lowering them by automatic controls. whenever necessary, a new electrode id built up (screwed) on top of the old one. 

Modern arc furnaces are built in 0.5 to 80 tons capacity but most favored are those with capacities of up to 80 tons. A melt is produced in 6 to 8 hour for an arc furnace 30 to 35 tons in capacity. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Air Refrigeration System :

 Advantages Of  Air Refrigeration : 1. The refrigerant used namely air is cheap and easily available. 2. There is no danger of fire or toxic effects due to leakages. 3. The weight to ton of refrigeration ratio is less as compared to other systems. Disadvantages Of Air Refrigeration : 1. The quantity of  Refrigerant used per ton of refrigeration is high as compared to other systems. 2. The COP of the system is very low. Therefore running cost is high. 3. The danger of frosting at the expander valves is more as the air contains moisture content. 

ELECTRICAL COMPARATORS AND ITS WORKING

Electrical Comparators are used as a means of  detecting and amplifying small movements of a work contacting elements. An electrical comparator consists essentially of  a pick-up head or transducer for converting a displacement into a corresponding change in current and a meter or recorder connected in the circuit to indicate the electrical change, calibrated to show in terms of displacement. Generally, an amplifier is needed to provide the requisite sensitivity and to match the characteristics of different parts of  the circuit. Electrical comparators can be classified according to the electrical principle used in the pick-up head. Most of the comparators use either a differential transformer, an inductance bridge, a strain gauge or a capacitor as a means of detecting movement of the gauging element. There are different types of  electrical comparators. One kind called an electrolimit gauge is used to check or measure the outside diameter of a  roll. The objec...

SIMPLE CARBURETOR - CONSTRUCTION AND WORKING

CONSTRUCTION OF SIMPLE CARBURETOR :  The main Components of Simple Carburetor are : Float Chamber, float, nozzle, venturi, throttle valve, inlet valve, and metering jet . In the float chamber, a constant level of petrol is maintained by the float and a needle valve.  The float chamber is ventilated to atmosphere.  This is used to maintain atmospheric pressure inside the chamber. The float which is normally a metallic hollow cylinder rises and closes the inlet valve as the fuel level in the float chamber increases to certain level. The mixing chamber contains venturi, nozzle and throttle valve. The venturi tube is fitted with the inlet  manifold. This tube has a narrow opening called venturi. A nozzle is provided just below the centre of this venturi. The nozzle keeps the same level of petrol as that of the level in the float chamber. The mixing chamber has two butterfly valves.  One is to allow air into the mixing chamber known as choke valve. The other is to al...