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Electric Arc Furnace Door Slag Cleaner

Views: 0 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2025-09-26 Origin: Site

Electric Arc Furnace Door Slag Cleaners: Revolutionizing Steelmaking Efficiency and Safety

In the electric arc furnace (EAF) steelmaking process, the accumulation of solidified slag at the furnace door during the melting phase poses significant challenges to operational continuity. This slag—formed by splashed molten steel (reaching up to 600mm in thickness) that cools and adheres to door surfaces—must be removed before the oxidation stage to enable oxygen lance insertion. Traditional manual cleaning methods, however, have long plagued steelmakers with inefficiencies and safety risks. The emergence of automated EAF door slag cleaners has addressed these pain points, marking a pivotal advancement in metallurgical equipment technology.

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1. The Imperative for Automated Slag Cleaning

Manual slag removal relies on teams of workers using 4-meter-long oxygen pipes to pry off solidified slag. This approach suffers from three critical flaws:

Safety Hazards: Workers operate within close proximity to 1,600°C furnace interiors, exposed to intense thermal radiation. Furnace collapses or slag splashes can cause severe injuries or fatalities .

Energy Loss: Extended door opening times (often 15–20 minutes per cleaning) result in substantial heat dissipation, increasing electricity consumption by 8–12% per heat .

Productivity Bottlenecks: Removing large slag formations manually requires 3–4 workers and delays subsequent smelting steps, reducing overall throughput.

These challenges have driven the adoption of mechanized solutions, with modern EAF door slag cleaners now standard in medium-to-large steel mills.

2. Core Design and Operational Principles

Contemporary slag cleaners integrate precision mechanical systems with robust thermal protection, engineered to withstand extreme EAF environments. A typical configuration (exemplified by the ZL10 model from Innovake) comprises three key subsystems :

2.1 Mechanical Actuation System

The core cleaning mechanism utilizes a lead screw-telescoping rod assembly for distance adjustment. A first motor drives the lead screw, which rotates within a threaded blind hole in the telescoping rod. Guided by symmetric slider-chute pairs, the rod extends or retracts to position the cleaning tool (a hardened steel pry bar) at the slag interface . This design enables precise positioning up to 6 meters from the furnace door, keeping operators at a safe distance.

2.2 Reciprocating Cleaning Mechanism

A second motor powers a crankshaft-linkage system to generate the prying force. As the crankshaft rotates, its connecting rod drives a lifting plate (guided by vertical 滑槽 rails) to move the pry bar in cyclic upward/downward motions. This reciprocating action fractures slag adhesion points without damaging the furnace lining . The ZL10 model achieves a cleaning frequency of 120 cycles per minute, removing 50kg of slag in under 3 minutes.

2.3 Structural Durability

Components are constructed with high-temperature alloy steel (e.g., 310S stainless steel) to resist thermal deformation. Motor enclosures feature ceramic fiber insulation, and sliding interfaces use graphite lubricants stable at 800°C . The ZL10’s compact dimensions (6800×1410×2150mm) and 2.5-ton weight facilitate integration with existing EAF layouts.

3. Performance Advantages and Economic Benefits

Field applications confirm transformative improvements over manual methods:

Metric	Manual Cleaning	Automated Cleaner (ZL10)
Cleaning Time	15–20 minutes	2–3 minutes
Labor Requirement	3–4 workers	1 operator
Energy Savings	N/A	8–12% per heat
Accident Rate	0.3 incidents/year	Near-zero

Beyond operational gains, slag cleaners deliver tangible cost reductions. A 100-ton EAF facility reports annual savings of

180,000fromreducedelectricityuseand

90,000 from lower lime consumption (due to improved slag incorporation) . Extended furnace lining life (by 15–20%) further reduces maintenance costs .

4. Future Trends: Intelligence and Integration

As steelmaking evolves toward green and smart production, EAF slag cleaners are adapting to new demands:

Automation Integration: Modern units connect to EAF control systems, triggering cleaning automatically when temperature sensors detect slag solidification.

Energy Recovery: Emerging designs incorporate waste heat exchangers to capture door-radiated heat for facility heating.

Material Innovation: Nanocoated pry bars (e.g., titanium carbide) are being tested to extend tool life by 300% in high-slag environments .

Regulatory pressures for carbon reduction are also driving development of electric-powered cleaners to replace diesel-driven models, aligning with global decarbonization goals.

Conclusion:

EAF door slag cleaners have transcended their role as mere auxiliary equipment to become critical enablers of safe, efficient, and sustainable steelmaking. By eliminating manual labor risks, cutting energy waste, and integrating with smart manufacturing systems, these devices represent a cornerstone technology for modern metallurgy. As materials science and automation advance, their contribution to the steel industry’s green transition will only grow—solidifying their status as indispensable tools in the global steelmaking landscape.

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Electric Arc Furnace Door Slag Cleaner

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