Provided is a pressure ring assembly for contact shoes in an electrode system of an electric arc furnace provided with at least one electrode column assembly. The electrode column assembly comprises a contact shoe ring formed of a plurality of contact shoe elements, a pressure ring formed of a plurality of pressure blocks, and a heat shield formed of a plurality of heat shield segments. An elongated groove is formed on both substantially vertical side edges of each pressure block, and an elongated lock bar is placed in the grooves of two adjacent pressure blocks to join said pressure blocks with each other. The form of the lock bar essentially matches to the form of the grooves of said two adjacent pressure blocks. Each lock bar is locked in place in the grooves by fastening bolts through holes in the pressure blocks.

Provided is a pressure ring assembly for contact shoes in an electrode system of an electric arc furnace provided with at least one electrode column assembly. The electrode column assembly comprises a contact shoe ring formed of a plurality of contact shoe elements, a pressure ring formed of a plurality of pressure blocks, and a heat shield formed of a plurality of heat shield segments. An elongated groove is formed on both substantially vertical side edges of each pressure block, and an elongated lock bar is placed in the grooves of two adjacent pressure blocks to join said pressure blocks with each other. The form of the lock bar essentially matches to the form of the grooves of said two adjacent pressure blocks. Each lock bar is locked in place in the grooves by fastening bolts through holes in the pressure blocks.

Provided is an arrangement for sealing a bellows cylinder in a pressure block of a pressure ring assembly. The bellows cylinder is located in a cavity formed in the pressure block and is operated by hydraulic fluid to give pressure against a contact shoe of a contact shoe ring arranged on the inside of the pressure ring assembly. The bellows cylinder is sealed to the cavity. A sealing bowl is arranged on the bellows on the inner side of the pressure block. The sealing bowl has an essentially flat surface towards the contact shoe and is provided with a side edge extending into the cavity. A circumferential groove containing a gasket ring is on the side wall of the cavity. A flexible sealing ring is arranged around the gasket ring to give tension and pressure on the gasket ring against the side edge of the sealing bowl.

Provided is an arrangement for sealing a bellows cylinder in a pressure block of a pressure ring assembly. The bellows cylinder is located in a cavity formed in the pressure block and is operated by hydraulic fluid to give pressure against a contact shoe of a contact shoe ring arranged on the inside of the pressure ring assembly. The bellows cylinder is sealed to the cavity. A sealing bowl is arranged on the bellows on the inner side of the pressure block. The sealing bowl has an essentially flat surface towards the contact shoe and is provided with a side edge extending into the cavity. A circumferential groove containing a gasket ring is on the side wall of the cavity. A flexible sealing ring is arranged around the gasket ring to give tension and pressure on the gasket ring against the side edge of the sealing bowl.

Provided is an arrangement for cooling channels in an electrode column assembly of an electric arc furnace, wherein the lower part of the electrode column assembly is provided with a contact shoe ring formed of a plurality of contact shoe elements, a pressure ring formed of a plurality of pressure blocks, and a heat shield located above the pressure ring and formed of a plurality of heat shield segments. The contact shoe elements and/or the pressure blocks are provided with channels for a cooling liquid to flow therein. The channels made in the material of the contact shoe elements and/or the pressure blocks extend obliquely downwards from the upper ends of said contact shoe elements and/or the pressure blocks near to the lower ends of the same. At least two of said oblique channels join together at their lower ends to form a continuous channel.

An electrode adjustment device and a vehicle positioning system for positioning the electrode adjustment device adjacent a furnace. The electrode adjustment device is utilized for adjusting the electrode during maintenance of the furnace (e.g., removal of the electrode for replacement or repair, repair of the refractory material, or other like furnace or electrode repair). When the electrode adjustment device is moved to a location adjacent the furnace, it is used to apply force under the bottom electrode to break the connection between the bottom electrode and the furnace. After the connection is broken the bottom electrode is pushed up into the furnace vessel by the electrode adjustment device until the electrode can be removed. After removing the bottom electrode, the electrode adjustment device is covered with debris and can be cleaned adjacent the furnace.

An electrode adjustment device and a vehicle positioning system for positioning the electrode adjustment device adjacent a furnace. The electrode adjustment device is utilized for adjusting the electrode during maintenance of the furnace (e.g., removal of the electrode for replacement or repair, repair of the refractory material, or other like furnace or electrode repair). When the electrode adjustment device is moved to a location adjacent the furnace, it is used to apply force under the bottom electrode to break the connection between the bottom electrode and the furnace. After the connection is broken the bottom electrode is pushed up into the furnace vessel by the electrode adjustment device until the electrode can be removed. After removing the bottom electrode, the electrode adjustment device is covered with debris and can be cleaned adjacent the furnace.

A self-baking electrode includes a cylindrical shroud having a longitudinal central axis A. The shroud is made of an electrically-conductive material and disposed vertically on top of a vat of the furnace over one length of the self-baking electrode. The electrode includes a central column disposed within the shroud, substantially aligned on the longitudinal axis A. The central column is suspended from a device independent of the shroud such that the central column is adapted to slip in vertical translation within the shroud and a crude carbonaceous paste disposed around the central column in a top portion of the shroud. The paste is softened and baked under an effect of heat into a stiff carbonaceous paste sticking to the central column in a bottom portion of the shroud. The central column includes a series of electrically-conductive carbonaceous elongate elements. The carbonaceous elongate elements are flexible.

A copper contact jaw for an electrical smelting unit can be attached to an electrode carrying arm of the smelting unit. By the contact jaw an electrode of the smelting unit can be electrically conductively connected to the electrode carrying arm. The copper contact jaw has a main body having a rear face and an oppositely arranged front face, a first end face and a second, axially oppositely arranged end face, and at least one first and one second side face; two contact faces arranged on the front face of the main body, which contact faces are designed to be mirror-symmetrical relative to one another and extend axially along the main body; and a cooling channel system having a coolant inlet opening and a coolant outlet opening and a plurality of cooling channels that extend axially and radially through the main body.