Definition of arc furnace in English English dictionary
Type of electric furnace in which heat is generated by an arc between carbon electrodes above the surface of the material (commonly a metal) being heated. William Siemens first demonstrated the arc furnace in 1879 at the Paris Exposition by melting iron in crucibles; horizontally placed carbon electrodes produced an electric arc above the container of metal. The first commercial arc furnace in the U.S. (1906) had a capacity of four tons (3.6 metric tons) and was equipped with two electrodes. Modern furnaces range in heat size from a few tons up to 400 tons (360 metric tons), and the arcs strike directly into the metal bath from vertically positioned, graphite electrodes to remelt scrap steel or refine briquettes of direct-reduced iron ore
arc furnace
Hyphenation
arc fur·nace
Turkish pronunciation
ärk fırnıs
Pronunciation
/ˈärk ˈfərnəs/ /ˈɑːrk ˈfɜrnəs/
Etymology
[ 'ärk ] (noun.) 14th century. Middle English ark, from Middle French arc bow, from Latin arcus bow, arch, arc; more at ARROW.