Way 2 - Arc furnace

Scrap metal is treated on the recycling route in electric furnaces for 100% recyclability. The material remains a versatile and ever more useful resource for an almost infinite range of products .

Steel is the most recycled material in the world.

Resources are not available in unlimited quantities. The recycling of steel makes a particular contribution to the sustainable use of resources. The declared aim is to conserve and preserve them for future generations.

When steel has served its purpose after a few decades, it becomes scrap. However, this scrap remains a high-quality raw material. It can then be recycled as often as required without any loss of quality and returned to the economic cycle without residue.

• Scrap is melted in an electric arc furnace at high temperatures. Graphite electrodes conduct the electric current and generate the arc, which converts the electrical energy into heat of fusion with very good efficiency and high energy density.
• This process does not require iron ore. Virtually no CO2 is produced in the actual process.
• It should be borne in mind that most of the electricity required still comes from coal-fired power plants.
• The CO2 emissions have therefore already occurred at an earlier stage.
• Another challenge is the fact that there is not nearly enough scrap in the world to completely eliminate the need for iron ore.
• In addition, the number of electric arc furnaces is limited, and this process is mainly used for the production of stainless steels.
• Therefore, this route can only serve as a solution or bridge technology to a limited extent.

Bei diesem Vorgang wird Schrott in einem Elektrolichtbogenofen bei hohen Temperaturen geschmolzen. Graphitelektroden leiten dabei den elektrischen Strom und erzeugen den Lichtbogen, der die elektrische Energie mit sehr gutem Wirkungsgrad und hoher Energiedichte in Schmelzwärme umwandelt. Hier wird kein Eisenerz verwendet und während des eigentlichen Prozesses entsteht so gut wie kein CO2. Dennoch kommt der benötigte Strom bislang größtenteils noch aus Kohlekraftwerken, sodass die CO2 Emissionen bereits zu einem früheren Zeitpunkt anfallen. Aufgrund des begrenzten Schrottaufkommens, kann bislang nicht komplett auf Eisenerz verzichtet werden.