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Views: 249 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2026-09-28 Origin: Site
Content Menu
● Oxygen Burner vs Oxygen Lance: The Core Difference
● When an Oxy-Fuel Burner Is Better for Scrap Melting
>> Use a burner when the EAF needs more thermal penetration
● When an Oxygen Lance Is Better for EAF Melting and Refining
>> Typical oxygen-lance applications in an EAF
● Burner and Lance Selection by EAF Operating Stage
● The Most Common Mistake: Treating Burners and Lances as Replacements
>> Why burner-only operation can underperform
>> Why lance-only operation can underperform
● How Xi'an Starmet Designs an EAF Oxygen System
>> Our engineering evaluation includes
>> Practical upgrade priorities
● Expert Operating Checklist for Better Scrap Melting
● Conclusion: Choose an Integrated EAF Oxygen Strategy
● FAQ
>> 1. What is the main difference between an oxygen burner and an oxygen lance in an EAF?
>> 2. Can an oxygen lance melt scrap without an oxy-fuel burner?
>> 3. When should EAF operators reduce burner fuel?
>> 4. Does more oxygen always reduce EAF power consumption?
>> 5. How does carbon injection work with oxygen lancing?
>> 6. What should be checked before installing a new EAF oxygen burner or lance?
>> 7. Can Xi'an Starmet provide EAF upgrade equipment and spare parts?
At Xi'an Starmet Equipment Co., Ltd., we support global steel, ferroalloy, and non-ferrous metal producers with metallurgical engineering, EAF equipment supply, manufacturing coordination, project delivery, upgrade solutions, and spare-parts service. From our engineering perspective, oxy-fuel burners and oxygen lances should not be treated as interchangeable items. They perform different jobs in the EAF melting process, and the best result usually comes from a coordinated burner–lance–carbon–slag-control strategy.
An oxy-fuel burner is primarily a controlled heat-transfer tool for cold scrap. An oxygen lance is primarily a chemical-energy and refining tool for the molten bath, scrap cutting, decarburization, and slag formation. Selecting the wrong system—or operating the right one at the wrong time—can raise oxygen consumption, increase iron oxidation, reduce metallic yield, and create avoidable operational instability.
An EAF oxygen burner combines oxygen with fuel, typically natural gas, to generate a high-temperature flame. Its principal purpose is to transfer thermal energy to cold scrap, particularly in areas where the electric arc does not efficiently reach during the early melting stage.
An oxygen lance injects oxygen directly toward the molten bath or targeted scrap. Its purpose is to accelerate oxidation reactions, cut heavy scrap, improve bath agitation, support decarburization, and promote foamy-slag practice when coordinated with carbon injection.
| Comparison point | Oxy-fuel burner | Oxygen lance |
|---|---|---|
| Primary function | Heating and melting cold scrap | Oxygen injection for cutting, melting assistance, refining, and decarburization |
| Main energy source | Fuel combustion with oxygen | Exothermic oxidation reactions in the furnace |
| Best operating phase | Early and middle scrap-melting stages | After a molten heel or bath is available; also for targeted scrap cutting |
| Main target | Solid scrap and cold zones | Molten steel, slag, selected scrap bridges, and reaction zones |
| Typical operational value | Faster scrap heating, better cold-zone melting, reduced electrical burden | Faster decarburization, improved bath stirring, chemical energy release, foamy-slag support |
| Main risk if overused | Heat loss to off-gas, refractory overheating, inefficient late-stage firing | Excessive Fe oxidation, yield loss, violent reactions, refractory wear, excess fume generation |
| Best system philosophy | Apply flame where scrap can absorb heat | Inject oxygen where the reaction can be controlled and productively used |
A modern EAF uses electric power as its main melting source, while oxygen, fuel, and carbon provide chemical energy and process control. Tenova describes an EAF as a furnace heated by electric arc energy combined with chemical power from oxygen and fuel. This reflects the operating reality: electrical energy, burner energy, oxygen injection, slag practice, and off-gas control must work as one system. [tenova]
An oxy-fuel burner is usually the stronger option when the furnace contains a large amount of cold, dense, bulky, or poorly positioned scrap. During the first phase of melting, scrap can shield lower layers from radiation and limit arc access. A properly located burner adds direct heat to these cold zones before a stable molten bath develops.
At Xi'an Starmet, we typically prioritize burner capacity and burner positioning when a plant faces the following issues:
- Long power-on time caused by cold or heavy scrap
- Large bundles, turnings, shredder scrap, or uneven basket density
- Persistent unmelted scrap in the sidewall or door-area cold zones
- Arc shadowing caused by scrap geometry
- High risk of scrap bridging or delayed scrap collapse
- A need to increase chemical energy without immediately intensifying bath oxidation
The burner's value is greatest when flame energy is absorbed by solid material. Once the scrap has substantially melted and the furnace contains an exposed liquid bath, the operating logic changes. Continuing to fire at full burner rate can become inefficient because more heat may leave through the furnace exhaust system instead of entering the metal charge.
This is why effective burner operation requires a staged control philosophy:
1. Start with strong, stable oxy-fuel heating when cold scrap has a clear line of exposure.
2. Direct flame toward the largest cold mass, not toward an already-liquid zone.
3. Monitor scrap collapse and roof/off-gas response to confirm heat absorption.
4. Reduce fuel as the molten bath opens, especially when scrap no longer presents a high heat-transfer surface.
5. Transition toward oxygen-lance and refining functions when chemical reactions can produce more useful furnace energy.
Industry solutions increasingly combine burner, oxygen, and carbon functions in one sidewall injector. For example, combined systems are designed to heat and melt scrap, support foamy slag, decarburize, maintain temperature, and prevent clogging across different stages of the EAF heat. [es.airliquide]
An oxygen lance becomes more valuable when the process needs chemical reaction energy rather than only flame heating. Once there is sufficient molten metal and a controlled reaction zone, oxygen injection can oxidize carbon and other elements, generate heat, accelerate decarburization, and improve bath movement.
The oxygen lance is therefore not only a "melting tool." It is a metallurgical control tool.
- Cutting oversized, bridged, or frozen scrap
- Accelerating the melting of scrap adjacent to the molten bath
- Oxidizing carbon to generate chemical heat
- Supporting decarburization before tapping
- Helping form and maintain foamy slag with carbon injection
- Increasing bath agitation and temperature uniformity
- Assisting impurity transfer to slag under the correct slag chemistry
Air Liquide notes that oxygen injection in the decarburization stage can reduce carbon content to below 0.1% and help transfer elements such as phosphorus into slag. Its supersonic oxygen-lance systems are designed to minimize jet turbulence and are reported to achieve typical decarburization rates of 0.1% to 0.15% carbon reduction per minute.
However, more oxygen does not automatically mean better EAF performance. Excessive oxygen injection can oxidize iron rather than selectively reacting with carbon and other desired species. That may raise FeO in slag, reduce metallic yield, increase refractory attack, destabilize foamy slag, and overload the fume-extraction system.
The best oxygen-lance practice is controlled oxygen use, not maximum oxygen use.
The following practical matrix can help EAF managers decide where burners and lances deliver the greatest value.
| EAF stage | Primary process condition | Preferred tool | Operating objective |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial melting | Cold, dense scrap; limited molten bath | Oxy-fuel burner | Heat cold zones and accelerate scrap collapse |
| Scrap bridge removal | Large or hanging scrap obstructs melting | Oxygen lance, carefully controlled | Cut and open the scrap profile safely |
| Mid-melting | Growing molten pool with remaining scrap | Burner plus oxygen lance | Balance thermal heating and chemical-energy input |
| Foamy-slag development | Liquid bath and active carbon/oxygen reactions | Oxygen lance plus carbon injection | Generate CO, stabilize slag, shield arc |
| Decarburization | Molten steel requires carbon reduction | Oxygen lance | Achieve carbon target without excessive oxidation |
| End of heat | Composition and tapping temperature control | Reduced, targeted oxygen input | Avoid over-oxidation and protect yield |
Tenova's EAF technology illustrates this integrated approach: a specialized burner-postcombustor can accelerate scrap melting during the initial phase, while lances and carbon/lime injectors support formation of a more homogeneous foamy slag layer over the bath.
A common misconception is that an oxygen lance can replace an oxy-fuel burner, or that a larger burner can eliminate the need for controlled oxygen injection. In practice, this creates an unbalanced heat.
A burner delivers thermal energy through flame-to-scrap heat transfer. A lance delivers chemical energy and metallurgical reaction control. Their physical mechanisms, ideal locations, and optimal operating windows are different.
A burner-only strategy may struggle when:
- The scrap has already melted and flame heat is no longer efficiently absorbed.
- The furnace needs faster decarburization.
- Foamy slag is weak or unstable.
- Heavy scrap needs controlled cutting rather than broad flame heating.
- The process requires better bath mixing and reaction control.
A lance-only strategy may struggle when:
- The EAF starts with a very cold, dense scrap charge.
- The molten heel is too small to absorb oxygen safely and effectively.
- Oxygen injection causes localized oxidation instead of productive reactions.
- Scrap shadow zones remain insufficiently heated.
- The off-gas and fume-extraction system becomes a bottleneck.
The preferred approach is usually an integrated oxygen-and-chemical-energy package designed around furnace geometry, scrap mix, power profile, tap-to-tap target, oxygen supply pressure, off-gas capacity, water-cooling conditions, and metallurgical grade requirements.
At Xi'an Starmet Equipment Co., Ltd., we begin with the actual melting practice—not a generic burner or lance catalog selection. Every EAF has a different scrap profile, sidewall condition, transformer rating, melting pattern, and production target.
- EAF capacity, shell diameter, and furnace geometry
- Scrap mix, density, size distribution, and charge sequencing
- Current melting time, power-on time, and tap-to-tap time
- Oxygen and fuel consumption per heat
- Electrical-energy consumption and arc stability
- Burner locations and sidewall injector positions
- Available oxygen pressure, flow stability, and gas-train design
- Fume-extraction capacity and fourth-hole operating margin
- Water-cooling configuration and panel condition
- Refractory wear pattern and slag-line performance
- Carbon injection, lime addition, and foamy-slag practice
- Steel-grade requirements, yield target, and final chemistry
We then provide a solution that can include EAF engineering, burner and lance arrangement, combined injector integration, cooling-system coordination, piping and valve selection, control logic, manufacturing coordination, installation support, modernization planning, and critical spare parts.
For many existing EAFs, the best improvement is not a complete furnace replacement. A targeted modernization may deliver a better return through:
- Repositioning burners toward actual cold-scrap zones
- Upgrading to combined burner–lance injectors
- Improving oxygen-flow measurement and interlocks
- Adding automated fuel-to-oxygen ratio control
- Integrating carbon injection with oxygen-lance practice
- Improving off-gas monitoring and post-combustion control
- Replacing worn nozzles, valves, hoses, and cooling components
- Creating furnace-specific operating recipes by scrap mix
The following checklist can help operations teams improve results before increasing oxygen or fuel consumption.
1. Map unmelted scrap locations by heat. Record where bridges, skulls, or cold zones repeatedly develop.
2. Match burner direction to scrap exposure. Flame should impinge on absorbent scrap, not escape directly toward the roof or exhaust.
3. Use lancing only with a defined purpose. Identify whether the objective is scrap cutting, bath stirring, decarburization, or foamy-slag support.
4. Control oxygen by stage. Do not apply the same oxygen flow during cold melting, open-bath melting, and end-point refining.
5. Coordinate carbon injection. Oxygen without suitable carbon and slag practice may increase oxidation losses instead of generating stable foamy slag.
6. Watch off-gas capacity. Higher chemical input can increase CO, CO₂, dust, and fume volume; extraction capacity must remain adequate.
7. Protect water-cooled equipment. Inspect injector cooling circuits, nozzle wear, leaks, and thermal loading routinely.
8. Track yield, not only melting speed. A shorter heat with poor metallic yield can be less profitable than a slightly longer, more stable process.
9. Review burner and lance performance by scrap category. Heavy scrap, shredded scrap, DRI/HBI additions, and mixed scrap require different recipes.
10. Train operators on transition points. The moment to reduce burner fuel and shift toward lancing is often where performance gains are won or lost.
The best answer to oxygen burner vs oxygen lance for EAF scrap melting is not "one or the other." An oxy-fuel burner is usually the best tool for transferring heat into cold scrap during early melting. An oxygen lance is usually the better tool for controlled chemical energy, scrap cutting, decarburization, bath agitation, and foamy-slag development after a molten reaction zone exists.
For EAF producers pursuing lower energy consumption, shorter melting time, stronger process stability, and improved metallic yield, the priority should be a balanced burner–lance–carbon–slag system designed around real furnace conditions.
Xi'an Starmet Equipment Co., Ltd. can help evaluate your EAF melting practice and develop a customized oxygen burner, oxygen lance, injector, equipment-upgrade, engineering, and spare-parts solution. Share your furnace capacity, scrap mix, current power-on time, oxygen consumption, and operating bottleneck with our engineering team to begin a targeted technical assessment.
An oxygen burner mixes fuel and oxygen to create a flame that heats cold scrap. An oxygen lance injects oxygen into targeted scrap, slag, or molten steel to drive oxidation reactions, cut scrap, promote decarburization, and support foamy-slag practice.
Yes, an oxygen lance can assist scrap melting and cut heavy scrap, but it is usually less effective than an oxy-fuel burner for broad, controlled heating of cold scrap during the first melting stage. The best solution depends on scrap density, furnace geometry, molten-heel condition, and operating practice.
Fuel should normally be reduced when the scrap has substantially melted, the molten bath is exposed, and flame heat is no longer efficiently absorbed by solid scrap. At that point, excessive burner firing can increase off-gas heat losses and refractory thermal loading.
No. Productive oxygen use can replace part of the electrical-energy requirement through exothermic reactions. However, excessive oxygen can oxidize iron, reduce metallic yield, increase slag FeO, raise fume generation, and create higher overall operating cost.
Carbon injection reacts with iron oxide in the slag to form CO gas. This helps create foamy slag, which can shield the electric arc, improve heat transfer, reduce radiation losses, and support more stable furnace operation. Carbon, oxygen, lime, and slag chemistry must be controlled together.
Key checks include EAF capacity, sidewall space, cooling-water availability, oxygen and fuel pressure, fume-extraction capacity, scrap mix, existing burner/lance locations, refractory condition, control-system capability, and targeted production improvements.
Yes. Xi'an Starmet provides engineering solutions, equipment supply, manufacturing coordination, project delivery, upgrade and retrofit support, and spare parts for EAFs, submerged arc furnaces, refining furnaces, vacuum-treatment systems, continuous-casting equipment, and associated metallurgical equipment.
1. Air Liquide. "[Use of Oxygen in Electric Arc Furnaces]." Information on oxy-fuel burner design, supersonic oxygen injection, decarburization, scrap melting, foamy slag, and multifunctional EAF burner systems. [es.airliquide]
2. Tenova. "[Electric Arc Furnaces]." Overview of EAF chemical power generated through oxygen and fuel in combination with electrical arc heating. [tenova]
3. Tenova. "[Electric Arc Furnaces Brochure]." Technical information on KT lances, carbon/lime injection, foamy slag, burner-postcombustors, and scrap-melting acceleration. [tenova]
4. AIST. "[Application of EAF Wall Injectors for High-Alloy Steel Production]." Discussion of combined sidewall burner/oxygen-lance injectors for EAF melting and refining of high-alloy steels. [aist]
5. Purdue University. "[Optimization of Steelmaking Processes in an EAF]." CFD-based research on oxygen-injection rates, burner-lance operation, bath mixing, injection cavities, and dead-zone reduction. [hammer.purdue]
6. Primetals Technologies. "[The EAF Ultimate: The Ultimate in Electric Steelmaking]." Information on combined burner, supersonic oxygen-lance, carbon-injection technology, scrap preheating, decarburization, and operational performance. [primetals]
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