Charging tires in the EAF as a substitute to carbon

Shredded tires can substitute for coal or anthracite in the Electric Arc Furnace (EAF), at least up to levels of 8-12 kg/t steel. The substitution takes place at a rate of 1.7 kg tire for I kg carbon. Some simple rules have to be followed to avoid poor performance or even detrimental operating conditions. Among them a well-adjusted and weighted amount of tires, the proper location in the scrap charge, an adapted post-combustion practice. Environmental emissions were also monitored: none of the molecules that we monitored, including dioxins, exhibited any significant difference with or without tire addition. Further development of the process is under way in order to develop a fully packaged technology.