Hot Heel, Tapping and Energy Recovery

Hot Heel, tapping and energy recovery are three different process variables that control energy consumption. Hot heel is a very useful practice to accelerate the melting rate of the first additions of metallics, however, its operation is largely based on empirical grounds. The tapping practice has many important implications, because controls the final steel cleanliness and also a significant effect on energy consumption if the tapping temperature is too high. The section on energy recovery provides a discussion on the possibilities to recycle the sensible heat in the outlet streams and in this way increase the final thermal efficiency of the EAF.