Graphite electrode is the main raw material for electric furnace steel-making. Electric furnace steel-making uses the graphite electrode to introduce current into the furnace, and uses the high temperature heat source generated by the electric arc between the electrode end and the furnace charge for smelting. Although the graphite electrode looks ordinary, it has a complex production process. Next, we will introduce the production characteristics of the graphite electrode.

(1)Long production cycle. The production cycle of RP graphite electrode is about 45 days, and the production cycle of UHP graphite electrode is more than 70 days, while the production cycle of graphite electrode nipples requiring multiple impregnations is longer.

(2)High energy consumption. The production of 1T RP graphite electrode requires about 6000kw·h of electric energy, thousands of cubic meters of gas or natural gas, and about 1T of metallurgical coke particles and metallurgical coke powder. 

(3)There are many production processes. The production process includes raw material calcination, crushing and grinding, batching, kneading, molding, baking, impregnation, graphitization and machining. Its production requires many special machinery and equipment and kiln with special structure. The construction investment is large and the payback period of investment is long.

(4)A certain amount of dust and harmful gas are produced in the production process, and it is necessary to take perfect environmental protection measures to reduce dust and eliminate harmful gas.

(5)The carbonaceous raw materials for production, such as petroleum coke and coal tar pitch, are by-products of the production and processing of oil refining enterprises and coal chemical enterprises. The quality and stability of raw materials are difficult to be fully guaranteed. In particular, needle coke, modified electrode pitch and special impregnant pitch with low quinoline 

insoluble content for the production of high-power and ultra-high power graphite electrodes are in urgent need of the attention and active cooperation of China's petroleum and coal chemical processing enterprises.