An electric arc furnace (EAF) is a type of furnace that heats charged material (usually scrap metal) through an electric arc. Here's how it works: 1. **Setup and Charge**: Scrap metal is loaded into the furnace where it acts as the charge. 2. **Electrodes Lowering**: Large graphite electrodes are lowered into the furnace to make contact with the charge. 3. **Arc Generation**: High-voltage electricity is passed through the electrodes, creating an intense electric arc. The heat from this arc melts the scrap metal . 4. **Melting Process**: The temperature inside the furnace increases, and the metal turns into molten steel. As the process stabilizes, the arc becomes more consistent, which allows for controlled heating and melting . 5. **Tapping the Molten Steel**: Once the melting is complete, the molten steel is tapped out of the furnace into ladles for further processing in steelmaking . Electric arc furnaces are efficient and primarily use electrical energy instead of burning fuel, making them a preferred choice for recycling scrap metal into new steel . ![[Pasted image 20240402224741.png]]