Numerical Investigation of the Mutual Influence of Materials and Energy in the Electric Arc Furnace: A Case Study in Khorasan Steel Complex

Knowledge of the measurable parameters in an electric arc furnace can effectively increase efficiency while declining energy consumption, hence leading to positive environmental consequences. This issue has been frequently addressed in various studies, but the extent of these effects and their cause-effect relationships have been rarely explored. In decision-making procedures that depend on various factors, the extent of the effect could be also effective in addition to the priority. The optimization and the effect intensity, as well as affectability of some effective parameters of an electric arc furnace, can dramatically influence the quality of the produced steel, energy consumption of the process, and consumption of electrode and refractory substances. The aim of this study is thus to examine the mutual effects of various carbon injection contents, electrical power consumption levels, slag, and other effective parameters of the electric arc furnace during different charges including material and energy consumption, volume and quality of the slag, and pollutant emission using the DEMATEL mathematical model. To this end, calculations of some of the recorded parameters of a 110-ton electrical arc furnace in the Khorasan steel complex were studied and compared.