Hebei Ruitong Carbon Overcomes Electrode Manufacturing Challenges, Driving Dual Improvements in EAF Steelmaking Efficiency and Energy Performance 

Release Date: April 2025

As the global steel industry accelerates its transition toward green and low-carbon production, electric arc furnace (EAF) steelmaking has emerged as an efficient and environmentally friendly process. The performance and quality of graphite electrodes, the core consumables in this process, have become critical bottlenecks for industry advancement. Hebei Ruitong Carbon Co., Ltd., a leading domestic manufacturer of carbon materials, has announced the full completion of its "Graphite Electrode Intelligent Manufacturing Line Technology Upgrade Project" following the successful launch of its new generation Ultra-High Power (UHP) graphite electrodes. This upgrade significantly enhances product performance and effectively addresses persistent issues such as electrode burn-off and breakage, facilitating simultaneous improvements in steelmaking efficiency and energy utilization.

Technological Innovation — Gradient Density Sintering Technology Elevates Thermal and Electrical Properties

The core of Ruitong Carbon’s recent upgrade is its proprietary "gradient density sintering technology." Conventional graphite electrode sintering often suffers from uneven density distribution, leading to insufficient load-bearing capacity at the electrode core and crack formation at the edges. These defects cause premature burnout and central fractures, severely compromising electrode lifespan and operational safety.

Ruitong’s innovation enables precise density customization across different electrode zones:

1.Core density reaches up to 1.72 g/cm³, ensuring superior current-carrying capacity and low electrical resistivity, which enhances conductivity efficiency;

2.Edge density optimized at 1.68 g/cm³, significantly improving thermal shock resistance and structural integrity to mitigate crack initiation;

3.Overall thermal shock fracture resistance increased by approximately 20% compared to conventional electrodes, effectively reducing the risk of cracking under rapid temperature fluctuations.

This advanced sintering method fundamentally resolves the key challenges of high-power EAF graphite electrodes related to uneven burnout and fracture, while improving both mechanical strength and electrical conductivity.

Field Validation — 100-Ton EAF Trials Demonstrate Significant Operational Gains

Ruitong Carbon partnered with a special steel producer in Shandong Province to conduct extensive on-site testing of the new electrodes on a 100-ton electric arc furnace.

The results demonstrated:

1.Single electrode lifespan extended to 120 heats, substantially surpassing the industry average and reducing downtime from frequent electrode replacement;

2.Electrode consumption decreased to 0.75 kg per ton of steel, a 23% reduction compared to conventional products, yielding significant material cost savings;

3.Steelmaking energy consumption lowered by 18% year-over-year, with integrated intelligent power management cutting monthly electricity expenses by over RMB 500,000.

Production Manager Zhang from Ruitong Carbon stated, "By precisely controlling the spatial distribution of material density and microstructure, we have systematically resolved electrode burn-off and fracture issues under ultra-high power conditions, generating clear economic and environmental benefits for our customers."

Intelligent Manufacturing Empowers the Green Steel Supply Chain

The technology upgrade project also incorporated AI-based temperature control systems and robotic automated forming equipment, creating a fully integrated smart production line from raw material selection, forming, baking, graphitization process to final machining. The AI system continuously monitors sintering temperatures and density parameters, ensuring high consistency and stability in bulk density, electrical conductivity, and bending strength, thereby enabling comprehensive product performance enhancement.

With its core technology platform characterized by "density controllability and performance tunability," Ruitong Carbon has become a key pillar in the green metallurgy materials supply chain. The company is accelerating capacity expansion, targeting an annual output of 50,000 tons of high-performance graphite electrodes by 2025 to meet the growing demand from a global EAF steel production projected to exceed 1.2 billion tons.

Key Technical Specifications Ensuring Superior Performance

The optimized parameters of the new graphite electrodes include:

1.Bulk density: 1.68–1.72 g/cm³ (gradient controlled by region)

2.Electrical resistivity: <5.4 μΩ·m (at room temperature)

3.Bending strength: >10 MPa

4.Thermal conductivity: >100 W/(m·K)

5.Ash content: <0.2%

6.Maximum sintering temperature: up to 3000°C

This integrated parameter optimization guarantees excellent arc stability, electrical performance, and extended service life, meeting the rigorous demands of modern high-power, high-efficiency EAF operations.

Future Outlook — Leading Smart and Sustainable Development in Graphite Electrodes

In response to the global push for green steel production, Hebei Ruitong Carbon will continue to advance intelligent manufacturing technology and application, driving the graphite electrode industry toward higher efficiency, energy saving, and environmental sustainability. The company plans to further enhance density and performance control through AI-powered quality management, reinforcing comprehensive process oversight from raw material procurement to final product delivery to elevate industry standards and competitiveness.

Looking ahead, Ruitong Carbon aims not only to fulfill domestic market demand but also to expand its international presence, promoting Chinese high-performance graphite electrodes globally. This will contribute to the steel industry's low-carbon transformation and sustainable development by delivering dual gains in operational efficiency and energy performance, firmly establishing Ruitong Carbon as a cornerstone of the green steel revolution.