Chinese steel producer Wuhan Shunle Stainless Steel Co. Ltd. (Wuhan Shunle) has placed an order with Primetals Technologies to supply two EAF Quantum electric arc furnaces and two ladle furnaces for its production site in Hubei Province. The EAF Quantum furnaces are designed to handle scrap steel of varied composition and quality. The electrical energy requirement of the electric arc furnaces is extremely low because the scrap is preheated. This reduces both the operating costs and the CO2 emissions. The twin ladle furnaces set the desired steel grades and the correct casting temperature. The new furnaces are scheduled to be commissioned in the third quarter of 2019.

Wuhan Shunle manufactures and distributes steel products. The company produces screw thread steels, steel wires, steel tubes, carbon steels, alloy steels, stainless steels, and other products. For the new EAF Quantum electric arc furnaces and the twin ladle furnaces, Primetals Technologies will supply the complete mechanical and electrical process equipment and the automation technology. This includes the automated scrap yard management, the automated charging process, automation of the oxygen injection and sand refilling, as well as the Level 2 automation which makes the plant ready for Industry 4.0.

The EAF Quantum developed by Primetals Technologies combines proven elements of shaft furnace technology with an innovative scrap charging process, an efficient preheating system, a new tilting concept for the lower shell, and an optimized tapping system. This all adds up to very short melting cycles. The electricity consumption is considerably lower than that of a conventional electric arc furnace. Together with the lower consumption of electrodes and oxygen, this gives an overall advantage in the specific conversion cost of around 20 percent. In comparison to conventional electric arc furnaces, total CO2 emissions can also be reduced by up to 30 percent per metric ton of crude steel.

Primetals Technologies, Limited headquartered in London, United Kingdom is a worldwide leading engineering, plant-building and lifecycle services partner for the metals industry. The company offers a complete technology, product and service portfolio that includes integrated electrics, automation and environmental solutions. This covers every step of the iron and steel production chain, extending from the raw materials to the finished product – in addition to the latest rolling solutions for the nonferrous metals sector. Primetals Technologies is a joint venture of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and Siemens. Mitsubishi-Hitachi Metals Machinery (MHMM) – an MHI consolidated group company with equity participation by Hitachi, Ltd. and the IHI Corporation – holds a 51% stake and Siemens a 49% stake in the joint venture. The company employs around 7,000 employees worldwide.