Production Process

 

Electrothermic smelting of Calcium-Silicon is presently a well developed process, based on accumulated experience from operators, resulting in the modification of the standard reduction furnaces in order to better fit the peculiarities needed for the production of the alloy.

 

The most popular and efficient production process is the single-stage process, also called carbothermic process consisting of charging the low-shaft three-phase submerged electric arc furnace with a weighted mixture of lime, quartz and an appropriate reducer. The SØDERBERG-technology is used for the electrodes. Under the proper conditions of the electric reduction furnace the Calcium-Silicon alloy may be produced in accordance with the following overall simplified reaction:

 

2 SiO2 + CaO + 5 C = CaSi2 + 5 CO

 

In practice, the processes are very complex.