{"id":2444,"date":"2026-05-06T09:03:51","date_gmt":"2026-05-06T09:03:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/boshiya.com\/?p=2444"},"modified":"2026-05-06T09:23:56","modified_gmt":"2026-05-06T09:23:56","slug":"blast-furnace-vs-electric-arc-furnace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/boshiya.com\/es\/blog\/blast-furnace-vs-electric-arc-furnace\/","title":{"rendered":"Alto horno frente a EAF: \u00bfcu\u00e1l es el adecuado para su planta sider\u00fargica?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Blast Furnace vs Electric Arc Furnace (EAF): A Sustainable Steelmaking Guide for the Steel Industry<\/h1>\n

Whether creating a new steel plant or reassessing a major capacity expansion, the choice of blast furnace (BF-BOF) versus electric arc furnace (EAF) steelmaking will shape the capital cost, environmental footprint and product mix of your project for the next 30\u201350 years. This comparison considers both approaches in all respects of interest to plant engineers and project developers: from process chemistry to procurement cost.<\/p>\n

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Blast Furnace vs. EAF \u2014 At a Glance<\/h2>\n

\"Blast<\/p>\n

Both routes dominate the global steel industry but start from very different raw materials, energy sources, and carbon profiles. For an overview of various steel plant configuration options<\/a> across both routes, see our plant overview.<\/p>\n

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<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Parameter<\/th>\nBlast Furnace (BF-BOF)<\/th>\nElectric Arc Furnace (EAF)<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Primary feedstock<\/td>\nIron ore + metallurgical coke<\/td>\nSteel scrap and\/or DRI<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Energy source<\/td>\nCoke combustion + oxygen injection<\/td>\nHigh-current electric arc (graphite electrodes)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
CO\u2082 per tonne of steel<\/td>\n2.34 tCO\u2082\/t (2024)<\/td>\n0.69 tCO\u2082\/t scrap-EAF (2024)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Typical plant CAPEX<\/td>\n$1\u20133B+ (integrated greenfield)<\/td>\n$200\u2013700M (mini-mill)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Global share (2024)<\/td>\n~72% of world steel<\/td>\n~28% globally; 70% in the USA<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

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What is the difference between a blast furnace and an EAF?<\/h3>\n

The blast furnace is an integrated iron making process, converting iron ore into liquid pig iron using coke and large quantities of oxygen at temperatures above 1,500\u00b0C. This liquid pig iron then flows to a basic oxygen furnace (BOF) where large quantities of oxygen are blown through it to refine it into steel. An electric arc furnace bypasses iron making entirely it heats steel scrap or DRI, and produces liquid steel directly by electric arc heating as opposed to coke and oxygen consumption (iron ore based). The BF-BOF route is iron ore-based and carbon-intensive whereas the EAF route is feedstock flexible and emits ca. 70% less CO per tonne of steel.<\/p>\n

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\ud83c\udfed BF-BOF Strengths<\/p>\n