EUROPEAN STEEL TECHNOLOGY AND APPLICATION DAYS 2017 - ESTAD 2017

Steelmakers strive for a high degree of effectiveness combined with efficient energy. Equally important are productivity of the process and the quality of the product. Hellenic Halyvourgia, Greece (HLV) and SMS group have developed a completely new and unique process for scrap preheating: the SHARC furnace (shaft arc furnace) process. This process minimizes energy consumption to a minimum level and simultaneously generates a significant increase in economic efficiency. Modern automation systems and environmental technologies comply with the strict requirements on occupational health and safety and environmental protection. The SHARC at HLV is a 100 ton and 54 MW direct-current electric arc furnace with preheating shafts in which the scrap is dried and preheated. With the SHARC furnace, it is possible to ensure economically efficient and smooth operation even when charging low-quality scrap (low density) without additional pretreatment. This design is unique worldwide and has the advantage that the scrap is melted homogeneously. The SHARC has been operating successfully and reliably in Greece. The cooperation between HLV and SMS mainly focuses on the further technological development and marketing of the furnace.