Differences between electric arc furnace and induction furnace

What is an induction furnace?

The induction furnace is a power supply device that converts power frequency 50HZ alternating current into intermediate frequency (300HZ and above to 20KHZ). The intermediate frequency alternating current flowing in the induction coil generates high-density magnetic lines of force in the induction coil, and cuts the metal material contained in the induction coil, generating a large eddy current in the metal material. This eddy current also has some properties of intermediate frequency current, that is, the free electrons of the metal itself flow in the metal body with resistance to generate heat.

IF furnace series melting furnace features

1. High melting efficiency, good power saving effect, compact structure and strong overload capacity.

2. The temperature around the furnace is low, the smoke and dust are less, and the working environment is good.

3. The operation process is simple and the smelting operation is reliable.

4. The metal composition is uniform.

5. The melting temperature rises quickly, the furnace temperature is easy to control, and the production efficiency is high.

6. The furnace utilization rate is high and the variety is convenient to change.

7. The long arc yoke shields the magnetic flux leakage and reduces the external magnetic resistance, and has the magnetic flux leakage at both ends of the shielded coil. The cross section of the yoke is the inner side of the arc and the outer wall is seamlessly close to increase the effective magnetic permeability area, so that the lower ring can obtain for better support. The unique positive and negative rotation coil greatly improves the efficiency of the system.

8. The heating is uniform, the temperature difference between the core and the surface is extremely small, and the temperature control accuracy is high. The heat of induction heating is generated in the workpiece itself, so the heating is uniform, and the temperature difference between the core and the surface is extremely small. The application of temperature control system can realize precise control of temperature and improve product quality and qualification rate. The intermediate frequency furnace heating device has the advantages of small size, light weight, high efficiency, excellent thermal processing quality and favorable environment. It is rapidly eliminating coal-fired furnaces, gas furnaces, oil furnaces and ordinary resistance furnaces.

9. The intermediate frequency furnace is the main equipment of the casting, forging and heat treatment workshop. The stability, reliability and safety of its work are the guarantee for the normal and stable operation of the casting, forging and heat treatment production line of the flow operation.

10. There is no need to worry about the waste of heated billets due to power failure or equipment failure. Due to the fast heating rate of this heating method, there is very little oxidation, and each ton of forgings can save at least 20-50 kilograms of steel raw materials compared with coal-fired furnaces, and its material utilization rate can reach 95%.

Main features of electric arc furnace

The electric arc furnace steelmaking process is short, the equipment is simple, the operation is convenient, the pollution control is relatively easy, the construction investment is small, the floor area is small, and it does not need to rely on the complicated ironmaking system like the converter steelmaking.

1. Electric arc furnace steelmaking has strong adaptability to the charge. It uses scrap steel as the main raw material, but at the same time it can also use molten iron (blast furnace or iron furnace molten iron), sponge iron (DRI) or hot briquettes (HBI), pig iron blocks and other solid and liquid ferrous raw materials.

2. Due to the controllable atmosphere in the electric arc furnace steelmaking furnace, the operation of slag adjustment or replacement is relatively easy, and melting, decarburization, dephosphorization, degassing, inclusion removal, and temperature control can be completed in the same operating system. , composition adjustment (alloying) and other complex process operations at various stages.

Electric arc furnace steelmaking can be intermittently produced, and the production varieties can be flexibly exchanged within a certain range. In addition, modern electric arc furnaces can also use a lot of auxiliary energy, such as injection of heavy (light) oil, pulverized coal, natural gas, etc. Therefore, the electric arc furnace steelmaking process has strong adaptability, flexible operation and wide application.

3. The electric arc furnace can not only smelt high-quality steel with low phosphorus, sulfur and oxygen content, but also can use a variety of elements for alloying (including easily oxidized elements such as lead, boron, vanadium, titanium and rare earth) to produce various types of steel. A variety of high-quality steel and alloy steel, such as ball bearing steel, stainless acid-resistant steel, tool steel, electrical steel, heat-resistant steel, magnetic materials and special alloys.

Compared with electric arc furnace, the cost of steelmaking in intermediate frequency furnace is lower, which is suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises (small workshops). However, the steel produced by the intermediate frequency furnace has many impurities and high carbon content, so the steel produced is not pure. If the requirements are not high, the steel produced by the intermediate frequency furnace can be selected.

The volume of the electric arc furnace is generally more than 3 tons, so the electric arc furnace is only used by enterprises with a certain scale, and the steel produced by it is relatively pure.

Electric arc furnaces use power frequency electricity, while intermediate frequency electric furnaces use intermediate frequency electricity. Compared with the electric arc furnace, the induction furnace has high thermal efficiency, so as to achieve high production efficiency, flexible operation and low energy consumption.