A steel melting induction furnace is a superior way of processing steel. The need for steel is as great now as it has ever been. In 2017, the world’s total production of crude steel was nearly 1.7 billion tons and around half of the world’s steel production is needed just to put up buildings and infrastructure. Another 13% of the world’s steel is needed by the automotive industry for the production of cars, trucks, and other motor vehicles. While previous furnaces for the production of steel tending to be of the electric arc variety, there are many good reasons to prefer the steel melting induction furnace over an electric furnace.
How Does An Electric Furnace Work?
This type of furnace works by charging metal with an additive to improve slag recovery and then using an alternating electric current from three electrodes to generate heat and melt the steel.
How Does an Induction Furnace Work?
These furnaces may be coreless or channel furnaces. The first uses lined crucibles with copper coil borders while the latter is entirely surrounded by inductors.
Why Are Electric Furnaces Inferior?
The primary problem with electric furnaces is that they have trouble mixing the metal properly, mostly due to the shape and size of the furnaces in question. The steel and additives need to be mixed thoroughly and properly in order to produce materials of the highest quality after melting.
How a Steel Melting Induction Furnace Works Better
The typical steel melting induction furnace is far superior to an electric arc furnace, for several important reasons.
Cleanliness
Induction melting is far cleaner than any other type of melting furnace because the melting process produces far less particulate matter into the air. Very little air pollution is released, and thus the work environment is cleaner and safer and the expense of cleaning the air is lessened, as well.
Superior Mixing
The process of refining using a steel melting induction furnace means that the steel and other materials mix more thoroughly and cleanly than with other types of refining forges. This is due to the eddy currents naturally produced within an induction forge, which provides for natural and thorough mixing.
Better Product
When using a steel melting induction furnace, it is possible to decrease the levels of oxygen and sulfur easily and simply. The result is cleaner and stronger steel than can easily be produced by other furnace types.
Induction furnaces are not only an excellent choice for melting steel, but also for working with gold, silver, aluminum, and all types of alloys. As induction furnaces continue to develop, it remains to be seen what other advances may be designed in the future.