Carbon Paste Electrode Submerged Arc Furnace

Carbon paste electrode submerged arc furnace are a conductive material used in submerged arc furnaces (such as ferroalloy furnaces and calcium carbide furnaces). They are also known as self-baking electrode paste or Soderberg electrode paste. Made from raw materials such as calcined petroleum coke, electrocalcined anthracite, and coal tar pitch, they self-bake and form a conductor under the high temperatures of the SAF (Separately Aerated Fired Furnace). 

Within the submerged electric furnace, these electrodes are self-baked into conductive rods, which are then fed into the furnace for smelting, melting the charge to produce products such as ferroalloys, calcium carbide, and metallic silicon.

In submerged arc furnaces, carbon paste electrodes withstand high temperatures and thermal shock, reducing the risk of hard breakage or loss, and lowering energy loss. The electrode pastes formula can be adjusted to suit different smelting processes, such as ferronickel, ferrochromium, high-carbon ferromanganese, and silicon.

Operating Principle of Carbon Paste Electrode Submerged Arc Furnace

1. Charging: Electrode paste is added from the top of the submerged arc furnace through the electrode barrel.

2. Softening: As the electrode moves downward, the temperature gradually increases, and the binder (coal tar pitch) in the electrode paste softens at approximately 80-100°C and begins to flow.

3. Calcination: When the temperature exceeds 500°C, the binder cokes, calcining the electrode pastes into a solid carbon electrode. Its mechanical strength and thermal conductivity increase with increasing temperature.

4. Consumption: The tip of the electrode is gradually consumed by discharge within the furnace, reducing the overall electrode mass and making room for new electrode paste to be added to the top (called slip).

Electrode Pastes Features & Advantages

SAF carbon paste electrodes are typically supplied in cylindrical, ovoid, or block shapes, with customizable specifications and sizes.

Advantages

Conductivity & High-Temperature Resistance: As a furnace conductor, they can withstand and conduct the high temperatures generated by the arc while maintaining good conductivity to reduce energy consumption.

Low Thermal Expansion Coefficient: They are less susceptible to deformation due to temperature changes, ensuring electrode stability. Low porosity helps slow the oxidation rate of the electrode when heated.

High mechanical strength: It can withstand mechanical and electrical loads, preventing electrode breakage.

Applications

Main applications: smelting ferroalloys (such as ferrosilicon, ferromanganese, and ferrochrome), metallic silicon, calcium carbide, yellow phosphorus, and corundum.

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