2007: Graphite Electrode and Needle Coke Development

The booming Asian economies are driving the recent increase in steel production. Although BOF steel production growth is much stronger than EAF, the outlook for EAF is promising due to increasing substitution of steel scrap by DRI and pig iron, as well as an increase in electrical energy supply in China. The favorable operational reliability of AC-furnaces is the reason that most new furnace projects will use AC technology, with preferential 600 mm (24") diameter graphite electrodes. The need to further increase the efficiency in EAF steel melting will drive greater usage of combustion energy and more gas tight furnace design in order to reduce energy losses. This will increase oxidation and the thermal stress requirements for graphite electrodes. The quality of the key raw material, needle coke, must be improved to deal with these higher thermal stress loads. Efforts to improve graphite electrode production technology will also support this goal. Legislation and taxation on CO2 release may place additional constraints on the intensive use of combustion energy in EAF's, particularly at the local level. However, there is no competitive alternative technology for EAF's anticipated for the near-term.