Electrochemical reduction of steel in an induction furnace

Abstract

The electrochemical reduction of liquid iron in a 20-kg steel-smelting induction furnace is tested in semiindustrial conditions. The trials show that, with up to 20 kg of metal, liquid steel may be reduced by this method without contamination by a nonmetallic phase. The oxygen activity in the metal may be decreased from 0.1–0.2 to 0.0008–0.003. Intensification of the process so as to increase the rate and depth of reduction is discussed.