£2.9m electric arc furnace upgrade
“This upgrade marks a major milestone for MPI and for the UK’s journey toward commercial-scale low-emission steelmaking.”
The Materials Processing Institute (MPI) has announced a £2.9m upgrade of its seven-tonne electric arc furnace (EAF) to accelerate the development of green steel technologies.
With key components now on site at its Green Steel Centre in Middlesbrough, installation work on the UK’s only pilot-scale research EAF will begin in January.
The upgraded facility will provide a platform for developing, testing, and refining low-emission steelmaking processes under realistic industrial conditions.
By bridging the gap between laboratory research and full-scale production, it strengthens domestic and international capability to advance scalable, sustainable steelmaking, supported by MPI’s existing secondary refining, ingot and slab casting capabilities and world class laboratories.
Chris Oswin, CEO of MPI, said, “This upgrade marks a major milestone for MPI and for the UK’s journey toward commercial-scale low-emission steelmaking.
“It significantly enhances our capacity to develop and demonstrate the technologies needed for future EAF-based production, providing industry with a unique environment to test and prove innovation and bring higher recycled content, high-performance steel grades and technologies to market quicker.
“As installation begins, we are moving into a crucial phase of work that will deliver long-lasting benefits for industrial decarbonisation, competitiveness, and the resilience of the UK steel supply chain.”
It is supported by Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), through the Foundation Industry Sustainability Consortium’s (FISC) EconoMISER programme – an initiative that provides access to advanced research facilities and specialist expertise to help manufacturers integrate sustainable technologies into their processes.
Work on the upgrade began more than 18 months ago with detailed evaluations and technical specifications. Major components – including a new furnace body and platform, electrode masts and arms, control panels, and upgraded charging and hopper systems – are now being delivered to the MPI’s Teesside site.
Initial dismantling has commenced, covering the removal of refractory materials, extraction hood, and the existing concrete roof. The current furnace will be removed in January to allow full installation to proceed, followed by cold and hot commissioning trials.
The upgrade will offer a range of advanced capabilities designed to improve safety, energy efficiency, feedstock management, and process control, including:
• Jet box powder injection, enabling injection into molten steel or slag while powered, improving safety, melt times, and energy efficiency
• HBI/DRI/H2DRI feeder and argon-fed porous plug to support continuous charging for enhanced process stability
• Automated, continuous temperature monitoring for improved efficiency and operator safety
• Carbon injection stand for greater control of carbon inputs and metallurgical performance
• Integrated digitalisation and modelling tools providing real-time monitoring and predictive insights
• Enhanced tapping and slag-removal instrumentation delivering precise hydraulic tilting capabilities
• Electrode magnetic drives to support faster and more efficient melt cycles.
The enhanced pilot-scale furnace will support the development and industrialisation of new green steel grades and slag products, accelerate the shift to EAF-based production, allow new instruments and steelmaking technologies to be road tested, and expand MPI’s capabilities in delivering specialist melting and casting services for sectors including nuclear, defence, offshore, aerospace, packaging and advanced engineering.
New EAF Fumex hood