Dongkuk Steel Leads Eco-Friendly Steel Transition with 'Hyper Electric Furnace'
Government Plan to Participate in Projects for Carbon Emission Reduction
Dongkuk Steel is leading the transition to eco-friendly steel through research on carbon emission reduction-type hyper electric furnace processes.
Dongkuk Steel is participating in the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's 'Carbon Neutrality Development Project for Four Major Industries' in the steel sector, specifically the task of 'Developing Energy Circulation Hyper Process Technology to Improve Electric Furnace Efficiency,' and plans to complete research on the hyper electric furnace process by 2028.
Through this government project, Dongkuk Steel expects to lead the establishment of future standard electric furnace processes and contribute to improving carbon neutrality technologies among domestic steelmakers.
The core of the hyper electric furnace is speed and energy efficiency. Increasing the operation speed reduces power consumption, thereby lowering carbon emissions. Dongkuk Steel plans to complete hyper electric furnace technology by improving the preheating and charging methods of steel scrap to enhance the power efficiency of the EcoArc electric furnace and overall energy efficiency.
The EcoArc electric furnace at Dongkuk Steel’s Incheon plant has the highest power efficiency by domestic standards. It uses 30% less power compared to conventional electric furnaces through preheating steel scrap and continuous charging. If the development and introduction of the hyper electric furnace technology succeed, additional improvements in power efficiency and eco-friendly technology can be expected.
The electric furnace process recycles steel scrap to produce steel, emitting less carbon than blast furnaces, but there is significant technological disparity between countries, making research and development essential. In line with the global carbon neutrality trend, domestic blast furnace-based steelmakers such as POSCO are promoting the introduction of one electric furnace each in Pohang and Gwangyang, and Hyundai Steel plans to establish the electric furnace ‘Hy-cube’ by 2030.
This hyper electric furnace operation research is part of Dongkuk Steel’s 'Steel for Green ? Future Electric Furnace Technology Research.' Last year, Dongkuk Steel established its mid- to long-term eco-friendly strategy 'Steel for Green' with the goal of reducing carbon emissions by 10% by 2030 compared to 2018 levels.
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Dongkuk Steel was the first company in Korea to operate an electric furnace. It holds strengths such as the country’s only eco-friendly ‘EcoArc electric furnace.’ Dongkuk Steel is setting a mid- to long-term roadmap for carbon neutrality and carrying out short-term improvement tasks through the ‘Greenhouse Gas Subcommittee Meeting’ under the ESG Committee.
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