Method of operating an electric arc furnace and steel mill

Abstract

The disclosure discloses a method of operating an electric arc furnace, the method comprising capturing, from at least one facility of a steel mill, a heated metallurgical gas comprising water and carbon monoxide; conducting, by a reactor supply line, said metallurgical gas to a reactor; transforming, by a treatment of said metallurgical gas within said reactor, the carbon monoxide and water into hydrogen and carbon dioxide according to a water-gas shift reaction; and subsequently separating said hydrogen by a separation device. The method is characterized in that it further comprises providing an iron-bearing material, which comprises iron mainly in the form of iron oxide, to the electric arc furnace; at least partially melting the iron-bearing material to obtain a molten bath; conducting, by a furnace supply line, said hydrogen to the electric arc furnace, which is arranged downstream of the furnace supply line; and injecting, by a plurality of hydrogen injection devices, said hydrogen into said electric arc furnace, such that said hydrogen reacts as a reducing agent for reducing iron oxide in the molten bath during a smelting operation of the electric arc furnace.