A power supply system for an electric arc furnace includes an AC input connectable to an electrical grid and an AC output for supplying at least one power electrode of the arc furnace; a resonant circuit interconnected between the AC input and the AC output. The resonant circuit includes a controllable bypass switch for connecting and disconnecting a circuit input and a circuit output of the resonant circuit and a capacitor and a main inductor connected in parallel with the bypass switch.

A power supply system for an electric arc furnace includes an AC input connectable to an electrical grid and an AC output for supplying at least one power electrode of the arc furnace; a resonant circuit interconnected between the AC input and the AC output. The resonant circuit includes a controllable bypass switch for connecting and disconnecting a circuit input and a circuit output of the resonant circuit and a capacitor and a main inductor connected in parallel with the bypass switch.

The present invention provides a power supply device and a power supply method for a DC electric arc furnace, wherein the power supply device comprises phase-shifting rectifier transformers, rectifying units and a regulator; through a structural design of a plurality of branches and a plurality of rectifying units at an output end of each phase-shifting rectifier transformer, and a structural design that outputs of the plurality of rectifying units are connected in parallel and then connected to a power supply short network of a DC electric arc furnace through bus bars, a current output topological structure is formed, which can provide a stable large current for one electrode assembly, and a plurality of current output topological structures can supply power to a plurality of electrode assemblies, so that requirement of a larger power supply current of the DC electric arc furnace can be satisfied; positions of top electrodes are judged and adjusted by the regulator according to real-time working parameters, which ensures that a lifting mechanism of the top electrodes can steadily perform the function of stabilizing arc burning for a long time; at the same time, output voltages and output currents of the rectifying units are adjusted by the regulator according to feedback of the real-time working parameters, so as to provide stable electric energy for the DC electric arc furnace.

An electric power apparatus for an electric arc furnace comprises at least one electrode and is connectable to a power network to supply to the electrode the electric energy to generate an electric arc to melt a metal mass. The apparatus comprises an electric regulation unit interposed and connected to the power network and to the electrode and configured to regulate at least one electric quantity for powering the electrode. The apparatus comprises at least one detection device to detect the electric quantity, interposed between the electrode and the electric regulation unit, a positioning device to move the at least one electrode nearer to/away from the metal mass to be melted and a control and command unit.

An electric power apparatus for an electric arc furnace comprises at least one electrode and is connectable to a power network to supply to the electrode the electric energy to generate an electric arc to melt a metal mass. The apparatus comprises an electric regulation unit interposed and connected to the power network and to the electrode and configured to regulate at least one electric quantity for powering the electrode. The apparatus comprises at least one detection device to detect the electric quantity, interposed between the electrode and the electric regulation unit, a positioning device to move the at least one electrode nearer to/away from the metal mass to be melted and a control and command unit.

A system measures parameters of the electricity drawn by an arc furnace and, based on an analysis of the parameters, provides indicators of whether arc coverage has been optimized. Factors related to optimization of arc coverage include electrode position, charge level, slag level and slag behaviour. More specifically, such indicators of whether arc coverage has been optimized may be used when determining a position for the electrode such that, to an extent possible, a stable arc cavity is maintained and an open arc condition is avoided. Conveniently, by avoiding open arc conditions, the internal linings of the furnace walls and roof may be protected from excessive wear and tear.

A system measures parameters of the electricity drawn by an arc furnace and, based on an analysis of the parameters, provides indicators of whether arc coverage has been optimized. Factors related to optimization of arc coverage include electrode position, charge level, slag level and slag behaviour. More specifically, such indicators of whether arc coverage has been optimized may be used when determining a position for the electrode such that, to an extent possible, a stable arc cavity is maintained and an open arc condition is avoided. Conveniently, by avoiding open arc conditions, the internal linings of the furnace walls and roof may be protected from excessive wear and tear.

A configuration of switches added to a line control circuit allows for switching back and forth between a configuration featuring a series-connected thyristor switch and reactor and a configuration featuring a parallel-connected thyristor switch and reactor. Connecting the reactor in series with the thyristor switch allows a controlled high-impedance circuit configuration that is particularly well adapted for cold furnace start-ups and furnace idling. In this manner, there is reduced need for such equipment as extra startup transformers, alternate low-voltage power supply configurations and temporary specialty electrical apparatus for cold furnace start-ups.

An electric arc furnace (1) operated with alternating current has a converter (2) which converts mains voltage (U), into primary voltage (U′) having a furnace frequency (f′). A furnace transformer (4) transforms the primary voltage (U′) into a secondary voltage (U″), supplied to electrodes (6) in a furnace vessel (8) (1). They apply electric arcs (10) to a melt material (9) in the vessel (8). The secondary voltage (U″) is also supplied to a capacitor assembly (7) on the output side of the furnace transformer (4) and the furnace transformer (4) is connected on the output side. A control device (5) controls the converter (2) such that a primary voltage (U′) output from the converter (2) to the furnace transformer (4) has a furnace frequency (f) of least ten times the mains frequency (f) and/or greater than 1 kHz.

It is proposed herein to employ thyristor firing angles as a fast prediction of flicker in power supply for an electric arc furnace. It is further proposed to actively modify operating variables for the electric arc furnace to maintain the flicker below a predefined threshold. Aspects of the present application use the thyristor firing angles in combination with control ranges of variable reactance devices to predict the flicker severity level generated by the electric arc furnace with thyristor-controlled variable reactance devices. Based on the predicted flicker level, at least one operating variable of the electric arc furnace may be changed, if required, to maintain flicker to acceptable limit.