Maximum Performance of Electric Arc Furnace by Optimal Setting of the Series Reactor and Transformer Taps Using a Nonlinear Model

In electrical arc furnaces (EAFs), an unstable arc leads to unfavorable operation of the EAF, which can be rectified by using series reactors. Installation of the series inductor affects some electrical parameters of the EAF, such as arc stability, power factor, arc length, and the EAF efficiency. Furthermore, it reduces the effective transferred power to the EAF. To achieve desired transferred power after installation of the series reactors, the secondary voltage of the EAF transformer should be increased. However, after any tap changing of the EAF transformer, arc stability and other relevant parameters are affected. So the impact on the EAF electrical magnitudes caused by changes in the series reactor and in the EAF transformer tap should be simultaneously studied. This research deals with a new method for optimal setting of the series reactor and EAF transformer tap to achieve the EAF best performance. Using a nonlinear model for the EAF, its electrical characteristics, at nominal transformer current and for all of the possible transformer and reactor taps, are calculated and the results are tabulated. Using these tables, the optimal setpoint for transformer and series reactor taps is determined in different conditions. Finally, the method is investigated from an economic point of view.