Donghua Iron & Steel has commenced construction on its electric-arc furnace (EAF) project in Tangshan, Hebei province, featuring the installation of two new Danieli Zerobucket EAFs.
Danieli’s Zerobucket technology enables continuous and flexible charging of metallics, including scrap, direct reduced iron (DRI), hot briquetted iron (HBI), and hot metal, ensuring faster and more efficient steel production. The two new EAFs at Donghua Steel will tap liquid steel every 33 minutes when using scrap and up to 40pct hot metal, including the time required for hot metal decarburization.
A key advantage of Zerobucket technology is its continuous feeding of preheated scrap using process off-gases, eliminating the need to open the EAF roof for bucket charging. This design improves energy efficiency, reducing overall electrical and chemical energy consumption by 50 kWh per ton. The system also includes Danieli’s Q-Reg electrode-regulation system for optimal arc control and a sand EBT filling system for safer furnace operation.
Compared to conventional EAFs, Danieli Zerobucket reduces power-on time by 10pct and power-off time by 40-50pct, leading to higher productivity and lower operational costs. Additionally, the technology significantly cuts direct emissions, contributing to a more sustainable steelmaking process. The two new furnaces are scheduled to begin operations in Q2 2026.
