An immersion probe with a variable connection length is configured to compensate for longitudinal and/or radial length variations in an immersion sublance connected to the immersion probe. The immersion probe is characterized by an adjustable portion that changes length upon engagement with a coupling end of an immersion sublance. The immersion probe can have a sensor head. An immersion assembly of the immersion probe connected to an immersion sublance can be used to take measurements or samples of molten metal in a converter furnace.

Provided is a method of, in ladle refining treatment of a molten steel, accurately estimating the molten steel temperature after the ladle refining treatment. An operation method of ladle refining treatment by which ladle refining treatment of a molten steel is performed while continuously measuring a molten steel temperature during operation of the ladle refining treatment of the molten steel comprises setting a time earlier than a scheduled ending time of the ladle refining treatment in a continuous measurement period of the molten steel temperature as a determination timing, and estimating the molten steel temperature at the scheduled ending time on the basis of a change with time of the molten steel temperature in continuous measured data of the molten steel temperature from a start of continuous measurement of the molten steel temperature to the determination timing.

The invention relates to a method for extracting metal from metal-containing raw material in a batch process by using a direct current electric arc furnace (100) having one or more than one top electrode (125) and at least one bottom electrode (115), wherein the method comprises the following steps: adding the metal-containing raw material to the furnace (100), thereby obtaining a loaded bath, moving the top electrode(s) (125) onto the raw material, heating the loaded bath in a heating step by applying direct current through the top electrode(s) to provide an arc to melt the raw material, thereby obtaining molten metal (202), wherein an average voltage during the heating step is from 20 V to 110 V, and forming solid metal from the molten metal (202). The invention further relates to a direct current electric arc furnace, a system comprising a direct current electric arc furnace, and a solid metal obtainable by the method.

A decarburization end point determination method includes: estimating the carbon concentration and oxygen concentration of the molten steel and carbon dioxide gas concentration of exhaust gas in the vacuum chamber by using measurement values of the carbon concentration and the oxygen concentration of the molten steel, a measurement value of internal pressure of the vacuum chamber, and a model formula; correcting a parameter included in the model formula to reduce at least one of a difference between an estimate value and a measurement value of the oxygen concentration and a difference between an estimate value and a measurement value of the carbon dioxide gas concentration of the exhaust gas; estimating the carbon concentration of the molten steel by using the model formula in which the parameter is corrected; and determining timing when an estimate value reaches a target value as the completion time point of the vacuum decarburization treatment.

A decarburization refining method for molten steel under reduced pressure. The method includes an oxygen-blowing decarburization and a rimmed decarburization. Using operation data taken at a time when oxygen-blowing decarburization is started and a time when oxygen-blowing decarburization is ended, an amount of carbon removed while the oxygen-blowing decarburization is performed is estimated. Based on the estimated amount of carbon removed, a carbon concentration in molten steel at a time when the rimmed decarburization is started is estimated. Using the estimated value as the carbon concentration in molten steel at the time when the rimmed decarburization is started, a change over time in the carbon concentration in molten steel while the rimmed decarburization is performed is calculated. Based on the calculated change over time in the carbon concentration in molten steel while the rimmed decarburization is performed, a determination is made about a time when the rimmed decarburization is ended.

A method determines the consumption of electrode material during the operation of an electric furnace, particularly an arc furnace for producing steel. The method determines a weight of an electrode column, which is arranged in the electric furnace or is to be introduced into the electric furnace, using a weighing device. A device for determining the consumption of electrode material of an electric furnace, particularly an arc furnace for producing steel, is provided for performing the method. The device contains a weighing device for determining the weight of at least one electrode column which is arranged in the electric furnace or is to be introduced into the electric furnace, wherein the weighing device is integrated in an operating device of a system containing the electric furnace. Vibration conditions of the electrode column during operation of the electric furnace can also be determined with the method and with the device.

Sensors measure magnetic field components, and the measured fields are used to calculate and estimated transverse position of a longitudinal electric current flowing as an electric discharge across a discharge gap. Based on the estimated position, and according to a selected transverse trajectory or distribution of the estimated discharge position, magnetic fields are applied transversely across the discharge gap so as to control or alter the estimated discharge position. Inventive apparatus and methods can be employed, inter alia, during operation of a vacuum arc furnace.

A system and method for monitoring consumption of graphite electrodes during the operation of an electric arc furnace (EAF) uses machine vision cameras operatively communicating with a computer processor. The system can determine, track, manage, and optimize the consumption of the graphite electrodes in real time. Electrode consumption is determined for each EAF heat by measuring the length and tip diameter of the electrode. The length and tip diameter are used to determine the electrode consumption amount using a consumption model. Measured hydraulic pressure within the EAF correlating with a known electrode weight can also be used to determine electrode consumption and correlated with the model calculation. Butt loss can also be determined based on the machine vision measured lengths of the electrode and/or based on the hydraulic pressure. The calculated electrode consumption amounts are also stored in a database and correlated to other measured EAF parameters for multiple EAFs.

Provided is a method of batching and scheduling for steelmaking production with plant-wide process consideration, including the steps of: establishing a mathematical model for quantitatively describing the decision problem of batching on steelmaking and continuous casting procedures; starting from the production capacity balance between parallel equipment of the same procedure, and material flow convergence between upstream and downstream procedures, establishing a model for the assignment and sequencing of batches on continuous casting equipment and the time dimension; integrating the batching plan and the production scheduling scheme, issuing the batching plan and the production scheduling scheme integrated to all production and manufacturing units at the steelmaking stage. The present invention improves product quality, increases the material yield, resource utilization rate and equipment operation efficiency, realizes load balance on parallel equipment and smooth material linkage between serial equipment, and reduces the material flow transportation jam, downstream equipment waiting time and inventory.

A method for operating an electric arc furnace having at least one electrode, the method including the following steps: introducing material that is to be melted in the form of an actual mass flow into the electric arc furnace and feeding electrical energy via at least one electrode into the electric arc furnace in order to melt the introduced material depending on a previously determined, necessary electrical energy input. The necessary electrical energy input into the arc furnace is determined depending on the mass flow input into the furnace.