The converter

 

Basic Oxygen Furnace (BOF)

It is necessary to remove the impurities from the hot metal such as sulfur, phosphorus, silica or carbon to transform it into steel with the required mechanical properties.

Lime pebbles or fines combined with oxygen are the major reactive agents of this transformation. Lime and oxidized impurities form a refining slag and allow the production of steel.

Dolime will increase the chemical resistance of the refractories and so increase the refractory lining livetime.

 

Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) 

The electric arc furnace is used to melt scrap. This method is now used more often due to its flexibility and reduced investment cost.

Liquid Pig Iron and Direct Reduced Iron can also be used as feedstock to produce high quality steel.

As with oxygen based steelworks, lime and dolime are essential reactive agents in this process to eliminate the impurities through slag-making.