OPTIMIZATION OF ELECTRICAL REGIME OF HIGH-POWER ORE SMELTING FURNACES

From a critical discussion of published views on the factors influencing ferroalloy production it is concluded that charge conduction currents have a significant effect, but only at high temperatures. An important characteristic of the process is the ratio between the powers evolved in the arc, the melt, and the solid charge. As this characteristic depends not only on melt composition, but also on raw material quality and many other factors, including furnace power, it is erroneous to select and control the electrical regime in high power ore smelting furnaces only from the ratio between the powers in the arc and melt for an efficiently operating furnace.