Cutting Edge Ferrosilicon Furnace For Large Scale Ferroalloy Manufacturing

1. The main uses of ferrosilicon alloy are:
Ferrosilicon is widely used in the steelmaking industry, foundry industry, and other industrial production.
Ferrosilicon is an essential deoxidizer in the steelmaking industry. In steelmaking, ferrosilicon is used for precipitation deoxidation and diffusion deoxidation. Ferrosilicon is also used as an alloying agent in steelmaking. Adding a certain amount of silicon to steel can significantly improve its strength, hardness, and elasticity. Improve the magnetic permeability of steel and reduce the hysteresis loss of transformer steel. General steel contains 0.15% to 0.35% silicon, structural steel contains 0.40 to 1.75% silicon, and tool steel contains 0 30%～1.  80%, spring steel contains 0.40-2.80% silicon, stainless acid resistant steel contains 3.40-4.00% silicon, heat-resistant steel contains 1.00% -3.00% silicon, and silicon steel contains 2% -3% or more silicon.
High silicon ferrosilicon or silicon alloys are used as reducing agents in the production of low-carbon ferroalloys in the ferroalloy industry. Silicon iron added to cast iron can serve as an inoculant for ductile iron, and can prevent the formation of carbides, promote the precipitation and spheroidization of graphite, and improve the properties of cast iron.
In addition, silicon iron powder can be used as a suspended phase in the mineral processing industry and as a coating for welding rods in the welding rod manufacturing industry; High silicon ferrosilicon can be used in the electrical industry to prepare semiconductor pure silicon, and in the chemical industry to manufacture silicone and other materials.
In the steelmaking industry, approximately 3-5 kg of 75% silicon iron is consumed for every ton of steel produced.

2. Working principle
Ferrosilicon furnaces are mainly produced using submerged arc electric furnaces. The principle is to use electrodes inserted into the furnace material, and heat the furnace material through the arc discharge generated between the electrodes and the furnace material, as well as the resistance heat generated when the current passes through the furnace material. Under high temperature conditions, the silica (mainly composed of silicon dioxide) in the furnace charge is reduced by reducing agents (such as coke, blue coke, etc.) to produce ferrosilicon alloy.

3. Technical Parameter
Electric furnace power: The power of a ferrosilicon furnace varies depending on the production scale and product requirements, generally ranging from several thousand kilowatts to tens of thousands of kilowatts. The higher the power, the higher the temperature inside the furnace, and the higher the production efficiency, but at the same time, the higher the requirements for the power supply system and equipment.
Working temperature: The working temperature inside the furnace is usually around 1600-1800 ℃. High temperature is a key condition for ensuring the full reduction of silica and the formation of ferrosilicon alloy, but excessively high temperature will increase energy consumption and equipment loss, so it needs to be reasonably controlled according to the actual situation.
Electrode current density: The electrode current density is generally controlled within the range of several amps to tens of amps per square centimeter. Appropriate current density can ensure the normal operation of electrodes and the heating effect inside the furnace, while avoiding problems such as electrode overheating and rapid consumption. The current density is related to factors such as electric furnace power, electrode diameter, and charge resistance, and needs to be adjusted and optimized according to production conditions.

4. Advantages and Applications
Advantages: The production of ferrosilicon by ferrosilicon furnace has the advantages of high production efficiency, stable product quality, and strong adaptability to raw materials. By precisely controlling the temperature, atmosphere, and reaction time inside the furnace, silicon iron products with different silicon and impurity contents can be produced to meet the needs of different users. In addition, ferrosilicon furnaces have the characteristics of high automation, easy operation, and easy maintenance, which are conducive to reducing production costs and improving production efficiency.
Application: Ferrosilicon is an important alloy additive in the steel industry, mainly used in steelmaking and casting fields. During the steelmaking process, ferrosilicon can serve as a deoxidizer and alloying agent, effectively reducing the oxygen content in steel and improving its strength, toughness, and corrosion resistance. In the casting industry, ferrosilicon can be used as an inoculant and spheroidizing agent to improve the microstructure and properties of cast iron, and enhance the quality and performance of castings. In addition, ferrosilicon is widely used in non-ferrous metal smelting, chemical industry and other fields.