Primetals Technologies awarded contract for EAF Ultimate

U.S. steel producer has awarded Primetals Technologies a contract for the engineering, supply, and startup of a 68-ton EAF Ultimate electric arc furnace integrated with Active Power Feeder power supply technology.

The order also includes a primary dedusting system, a material handling system, auxiliary equipment, and a complete Level 1 and Level 2 automation system. Startup is scheduled for the end of 2026.

EAF Ultimate—fully automated operation

EAF Ultimate is part of Primetals Technologies’ latest generation of electric steelmaking equipment, characterized by short tap-to-tap times, fully automated operation, and advanced control systems. EAF Ultimate features the modern eccentric bottom-tapping (EBT) system, which eliminates the issue of slag escaping the furnace during tapping, leading to improved final steel quality.

The new equipment will replace two spout-tapping electric arc furnaces and will boast an annual production capacity of 0.75 million tons. The steel producer specializes in medium carbon, high-alloy, and free-cutting steel grades.

Active Power Feeder—next-generation EAF power supply

The manufacturer has selected Active Power Feeder technology for this project. With this power supply solution, the company becomes the first steel producer to power an EAF using direct AC-AC conversion utilizing Modular Multilevel Matrix converter (M3C) technology at a medium voltage level.

The Active Power Feeder solution provides fast dynamic control, resulting in efficient energy input to the EAF while simultaneously minimizing disturbances on the grid.

When combined with Melt Expert, the Active Power Feeder manages EAF power input and optimizes the melting process. This results in reduced energy consumption, lower electrode usage, decreased production costs, and increased process stability, all while meeting utility regulations. Additionally, the Active Power Feeder system draws symmetrical power and can compensate for the ladle furnace without the need for a separate compensation system.

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