VERFAHREN ZUR LEISTUNGSREGELUNG EINES ELEKTRISCHEN SCHMELZOFENS

The subject-matter of the invention is a method for controlling and balancing the electric-furnace power in smelting and annealing furnaces, in which the power is supplied into the furnace via at least one electrode, the tip of the electrode, or the tips of the electrodes, being held at the same level throughout the process period. The power is controlled by varying the voltage prevailing between the furnace electrodes, it being possible to vary the electrical engineering variables of the furnace freely throughout the process period. The imbalance resulting from the electrode structure and the changes in the furnace behaviour is overcome by controlling the electrode movement to correspond to the wearing away of the furnace electrodes. This is done by utilising variables which are measured on/in the furnace and on the basis of these short-term and long-term trends obtained, and linear functions of these trends.