Hot Run Using Eco-friendly High-efficiency Arc Furnace ECOARCTM for Benxi Iron & Steel—Promoting Decarbonization in China

18. Oct, 2022

本渓鋼鉄ECOARC(WEB)

We delivered two units of eco-friendly high-efficiency arc furnace ECOARCTM (*2) to Benxi Iron & Steel (head office in Liaoning, China) (*1). Unit 1 performed hot run on October 15, 2022.

Although we received the order for these units in February 2019, we were heavily affected by COVID-19 and the local environment with minus 27°C in winter, so the installation work was extremely difficult to perform. All related personnel worked hard to avoid getting infected and we managed to achieve this hot run without incident.

While we have delivered seven units of ECOARCTM Series in and outside Japan, these were the first two units in China.

The raw material used to be 100% scraps, but these new units are compatible with charging molten iron for the first time in the ECOARCTM Series, making it possible to manufacture higher quality crude steel.
Unit 2 is set to be operated in the beginning of the next fiscal year.

Under the banner of “Green & Smart” (green: technological innovation to promote decarbonization, smart: making products smart using the latest technology), Steel Plantech continues to provide technologies that contribute to people, society, and environment by developing and supplying products and services incorporating the latest technologies.

*1: Benxi Iron & Steel
Founded in 1905, this company has a long history in the Chinese steel industry. It is a core company that covers 60 or more types of products, including wires, reinforcing steel, pipe steel, various types of special steel, hot rolled steel sheets, cold rolled steel sheets, galvanized steel sheets, and stainless steel. The company is also compliant with more than 7,500 standards. It is constantly conducting corporate reform to save energy and reduce emissions and installing advanced technologies.

*2: ECOARCTM Series
The ECOARCTM Series is an eco-friendly high-efficiency arc furnace that provides significant reduction in unit power consumption compared with conventional electric furnaces. It reuses the thermal energy of exhaust gas generated in the process of melting iron scraps to preheat iron scraps to a high temperature. It can produce molten steel with less energy, so not only does it reduce power consumption and CO2 emissions, but it also reduces environmental load, such as noise, and white smoke and foul odors from exhaust gas treatment equipment.
The first unit was delivered in 2001. This series has three types now that can be used according to housing restrictions: ECOARCTM, ECOARC-lightTM, and ECOARC-FITTM.

操作室の様子。徹底した自動化により製鋼工場全体の集中遠隔操作が可能に。
Operation room. Full automation enables the central remote operation of the whole mill.

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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