Electric Arc Furnace Upgrade is Key to Green Steel Developments
We are investing £2.9m to upgrade our Electric Arc Furnace (EAF). This seven-tonne furnace is the only research facility of its kind in the UK and plays a pivotal role in developing the technologies and processes that will enable the next generation of green steel production.
The upgraded EAF will provide a cutting-edge facility for developing, testing, and refining advanced green steel technologies under realistic industrial conditions. By bridging the gap between laboratory research and full-scale production, it will support the transition to scalable, sustainable, low-carbon steelmaking backed by existing secondary refining and casting capability to make almost any steel.
Work on this upgrade began more than 18 months ago with the evaluation of future requirements and the development of detailed technical specifications. Installation is about to commence, with major components—including the furnace body and platform, electrode masts and arms, control panels, charging systems, and hopper systems—arriving in December.
The new furnace is scheduled to be fully operational by the end of February 2026. Initial dismantling will begin before Christmas, including the removal of refractory materials, the extraction hood, and the concrete roof. The existing EAF will be taken out in January 2026, after which installation, cold and hot commissioning trials, and final production readiness testing will follow.
The programme builds upon upgrades to the furnace control systems two years ago. Key features of the upgrade will be:
- Jet box injection: Enables powder injection into molten steel or the slag bath while the furnace remains powered. This removes the need for operator intervention, improving safety, reducing melt times, and increasing energy efficiency.
- HDI/DRI feeder and argon-fed porous plug: Supports continuous charging under power, for improved feedstock management and process stability.
- Continuous automated temperature monitoring: Provides remote, on-power temperature measurement for improved production efficiency and operator safety.
- Carbon injection stand: Improves control of carbon inputs and overall process performance
- Integrated digitalisation and modelling: Delivers real-time monitoring and predictive insights to optimise furnace operations.
- Enhanced tapping and slag-removal control: Additional instrumentation enables precise hydraulic furnace tilting across both forward and reverse axes.
- Electrode magnetic drives: Giving improved control over electrode movement, supporting faster and more efficient melt cycles.
The upgraded EAF will serve as an industry-leading pilot-scale platform for developing and testing technologies that accelerate the adoption of sustainable practices, support the steel sector’s transition to EAF-based production and the development of new low-carbon green steel grades, and the broader transition to EAF-based steelmaking. It will also strengthen our ability to deliver bespoke specialist melting services for sectors such as nuclear, defence, offshore, aerospace, and engineering - manufacturing steel alloys to precise customer specifications and tonnage requirements.
Stay updated on progress with this EAF installation by visiting the news section of our website or by following us on LinkedIn.
This project is supported with funding from Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), through the Foundation Industry Sustainability Consortium’s (FISC) EconoMISER programme. The programme provides access to advanced facilities and specialist expertise to help manufacturers integrate sustainable technologies into their processes.
26 November 2025
