December 17, 2025
Ferroalloy Electric Furnace Production Method
The electric furnace method is the predominant technology for producing ferroalloys used in continuous casting, accounting for over 70% of global ferroalloy output. Electric furnaces for ferroalloy production are broadly categorized into two types: submerged arc furnaces and electric arc furnaces, the latter also referred to as refining furnaces.
These furnaces, commonly known as ore reduction furnaces, are primarily used for producing ferroalloys using carbon as a reducing agent. During operation, mixed raw materials are charged into the furnace. The electrodes are partially submerged (buried) in the charge, and heat is generated by the electric arc and the resistance of the charge itself to the passing current. Molten metal and slag are tapped periodically through a tap hole, making the process essentially continuous.
Submerged arc furnace operations can be further classified based on slag volume:
Low-Slag (or Slagless) Method: Used for alloys like ferrosilicon and high-silicon ferrochrome, where high-purity raw materials contain minimal impurity oxides. No flux is added, resulting in very little slag. Typical raw materials include silica, coke, and steel scrap. Carbon ferrochromium is used as a raw material in the production of silicon-chromium alloys via this method.
Slag Method: Applied in the production of carbon ferromanganese, carbon ferrochrome, and silicomanganese alloys, where the ores contain significant impurities and oxides. A flux is added to form a slag for impurity removal. The slag volume in this process typically exceeds the weight of the alloy produced. Raw materials therefore include ore, a carbonaceous reducing agent, and a flux.
A key characteristic of submerged arc furnaces is that the use of a carbonaceous reducing agent results in high-carbon alloys (with the notable exception of silicon-based alloys).
Electric Arc Furnaces (Refining Furnaces)
For producing ferroalloys with low carbon content (primarily using silicon as a reducing agent), electric arc furnaces similar to steelmaking arc furnaces are employed. The raw materials typically consist of an ore (often a concentrate or purified oxide), a siliceous reducing agent, and sometimes a flux.
The process is intermittent (batch-based). Charge is added from the top or through a door. The smelting cycle consists of distinct stages: arc ignition, charging, melting, refining, and tapping. Heat is supplied by the electric arc and the exothermic reaction of silicon oxidation. The tapping time is determined by the target silicon content in the final alloy.
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