The EOF – “Energy Optimizing Furnace” – is a melting/refining oxygen based process for the production of liquid steel, starting from hot metal, with the addiction of of up to 40% scrap, preheated in the process. The unique proprietary scrap preheating process has a 25 year history of success. The EOF works with combined oxygen blow, (submerged and atmosphere oxygen), in an initial charge containing hot metal, preheated scrap and fluxes for slag formation.
Developed in Brazil for replacing small open hearth furnaces, the EOF technology has grown and is now striving to occupy its position in the iron and steel world, disputing with the established processes of Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) and the oxygen converter (BOF or LD). Notwithstanding its 24 years of successful operation at the GERDAU Divinopolis plant in Brazil, delivering more than 42 heats per day and about 600.000 t/y liquid steel, and the three efficient units operating in India, the EOF is still little known. This paper endeavors to present the technology with its latest achievements and developments.