Electric Arc and
Ladle Furnaces

Customer challenges
in Electric Arc and Ladle Furnaces

The metallurgical industry relies heavily on Electric Arc Furnaces (EAF) and Ladle Furnaces (LF) to produce steel. These furnaces use high-power electrical systems to melt scrap metal, refine it, and then pour it into molds to create steel products.

First, electrodes are lowered into the EAF, and an electric arc is created between the electrodes and the scrap metal. The heat generated by the electric arc melts the scrap metal. Fluxes and other additives are added to the molten metal to remove impurities and adjust the composition of the steel. Once the desired composition is achieved, the molten steel is poured into an LF for further refining or casting. When this secondary refining process is complete, the steel can be cast into various products.

While these furnaces have revolutionized the steel production industry, they also come with different power quality issues such as voltage sags, harmonic distortion, flicker, and reactive power. These issues can lead to production downtime and equipment damage. It is crucial for the metallurgical industry to invest in solutions to mitigate these issues and ensure the efficient operation of their facilities. With good quality compensator devices, the productivity of an EAF and LF can be increased and their OPEX decreased due to lower losses and reduced electrode consumption.

Merus® Solutions improving power quality
in Electric Arc and Ladle Furnaces

• Shorter melting time, reduced tap-to-tap times
• Increased production capacity of melting plants
• Elimination of flicker
• Reduced consumption of electrodes
• Lower energy and maintenance costs
• Extended lifetime of refractory lining and equipment
• Compliance with strict grid codes including IEEE 519, G5/4, EN 50160, and also other power quality standards and regulations