May. 12, 2026

The use of oxygen in steelmaking can strengthen the smelting process, shorten the refining time, and effectively reduce electricity consumption. One of the main experiences in energy saving is "replacing electricity with oxygen," which is indeed an important measure to lower power consumption. In electric arc furnace (EAF) steelmaking, oxygen is mainly applied in two stages: oxygen-assisted melting and oxygen oxidation.
To melt solid furnace materials quickly, it is necessary to increase heat sources and reduce heat loss. During the power-on stage of EAF steelmaking, oxygen-assisted melting acts like adding a dynamic point heat source inside the furnace, compensating for the uneven heating of the three fixed electric arcs.
Oxygen-assisted melting allows elements such as carbon, silicon, and manganese in the furnace materials to oxidize and release a large amount of heat, accelerating the melting process. It also enables cutting of furnace materials as needed, helping large and difficult-to-melt materials to melt.
Using oxygen-assisted melting can compensate for the immobility of the electrodes and allows materials at the furnace wall to melt sooner when they fall into the molten pool. Since oxygen-assisted melting is a boiling exothermic reaction, it also facilitates the early formation of slag, which supports smooth degassing and dephosphorization.
Points to Note in Oxygen-Assisted Melting:
Timing of Oxygen Injection:
Oxygen-assisted melting is most effective when the furnace materials are heated to a certain temperature. When the materials near the furnace door are red-hot and the furnace is tilted slightly, molten steel can be seen, and oxygen can react with the hot materials. At this point, oxygen injection produces the best results.
Pressure of Oxygen Injection:
The pressure of oxygen injection should not be too high. Excessive pressure reduces oxygen utilization efficiency and may damage the furnace near the slag line. The oxygen lance should not be too close to the materials to avoid slag and steel splashing, which could solidify on the furnace walls and roof as hard-to-melt cold steel, negatively affecting the melting process.
Oxygen oxidation occurs simultaneously during the assisted melting process. The early formation of slag promotes degassing and dephosphorization. For typical raw material compositions, high phosphorus content in steel is not a major concern, so oxygen can be fully utilized.
Oxygen reacts exothermically with carbon, silicon, and manganese. If the molten steel contains sufficient carbon and some manganese and silicon, these reactions release chemical heat, rapidly raising the temperature of the molten pool and allowing significant savings in electricity consumption for heating.
In addition, oxygen injection strongly stirs the molten pool, which benefits degassing and the removal of inclusions.
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