NEDO’s energy-saving technology model project by ECOARC™, Environmentally Conscious High-Efficiency Arc Furnace, was successfully demonstrated at UMC Metals in Thailand

8. Feb, 2013

UMC完工600

Construction has been completed for the environmentally conscious high-efficiency arc furnace “ECOARC™”, and it was successfully demonstrated at UMC Metals Ltd. in Thailand. This project was entrusted to JP Steel Plantech Co. by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) and was for UMC Metals in Thailand.

In accordance with the completion of construction, the inauguration ceremony was held at UMC Metals Chonburi Works on February 6, 2013. From the Thai side, the ceremony was attended by Vice Minister Mr. Piyawat Niyomrerks (Ministry of Industry), Director General Mr. Sophon Pholprasit (Department of Industrial Promotion), Managing Director Mr. Wikrom Vajragupta, (Iron and Steel Institute of Thailand), Deputy Managing Director Mr. Joe Ein, (UMC Metals), and other related persons. Guests from the Japanese side included Executive Director Mr. Fumio Ueda (NEDO), President Mr. Yoshiyuki Fujiwara (JP Steel Plantech) and other related persons.

On the same day, a dissemination seminar was held to report on how the ECOARC™ has performed since its hot-run at the end of November 2012, and lively discussions were conducted. Major steel producers in Thailand and other related persons attended the seminar, and UMC Metals and JP Steel Plantech made the latest report on ECOARC™ operation results, saying that within the two short months after its hot-run, it achieved energy-saving of approximately 30% (compared to existing conventional arc furnaces) and reduced CO2 emissions. The ECOARC™’s performance and the advanced technology and skills of UMC Metals and JP Steel Plantech Co. received accolades from the seminar guests.

Thanks to the support of Thai and Japanese governments, we have been able to successfully demonstrate the ECOARC™ environmentally conscious high-efficiency arc furnace through this model project. In the future, we hope to disseminate this advanced technology and contribute to promoting the efficient use of energy in Thailand and the nations of Southeast Asia. We sincerely hope that the wonderful relationship forged between the staff of UMC Metals and ourselves through this project will serve as a bridge for further environmental preservation development in Thailand. We remain committed to our company’s mission of “contributing to the further development of the world’s steel industry and local communities and to the preservation of the global environment.”

Related Products

Ecological and Economical Arc Furnace (ECOARC™)

ECOARC™, the ecological and economical arc furnace developed independently by Steel Plantech, is filled with innovative technology. It comes with advanced scrap preheating technology that eliminates the white smoke and foul odors generated when melting scrap metal, and addresses environmental requirements of the future. Furthermore, it is equipped with melting technology that achieves higher productivity than conventional electric arc furnaces.

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