Evaporation of iron during steelmaking in arc furnaces

The problems of iron evaporation during steelmaking in an arc steel-melting furnace are considered. A procedure is developed for the calculation of the specific iron evaporation rate and the heat losses during evaporation. More complete absorption of the heat of condensation by a charge and the oxidation of iron vapors are shown to be promoted by the following factors: the presence of a slag coating, a decrease in the well diameter, an increase in the well depth, an increase in the electrode failure diameter, and directional supply of an oxidizer to the near-electrode zone.