The evening times., 1902-07-10
REPORTS FROM CONSULS
AROUND THE WORLD

formation about the production Of eIee-
tro-steeI at GysiDge.
The problem of smelling steel by
electricity has for a long time at
tracted the attention OF inventors, and
experiments have been made here. BY
the advice of Engineer KjeIIin. Mr..
Benedicks decided in 1898 to build az
Gysinge a neIectric steel furnace without
G electrodes
n tbe latter part OF February, 1909.
the first furnace was finished and really
for trial, ard after a few experiments
the first iugot was produced. The steel
was found TO be of excellent quality.
The problem was solved technically, but
not economically; for. with the dynamo
OF IS kilowattS used. not more than
5T5 pounds Of steel were obtained in
twenty-four hours, ans in the furnace
there vas not room fIe more THAI I76
pounds. A larger furnace was seen 10
be necessary, and this was completed
in November, 1900, and proved to be a
great improvement N the second fur
mace. which held S97 pounds, ]. .220 to 1910
pounds Of steel were produced IN twenty
four hours The Gyslnge sulphide fac
tory burned down on August II, 1901, and
it was decided to build steel WORKS
in itG place and to use the water power
available there For the steel furnace
there was utilized q turbine of geo
horsepower, with direct-coupled geneT-
ator- The new furnace is to hold 1870
pounds, and the production IS estimated
10 be at least 800 tons year II charged
y.ith cold raw material
Engineer KjeIIin said that the steel
produced IS OF superior quality and
characterized by strength, density, uni
foTTtty, tOughness. and the ease with
which it can be worked IN cold, IN
hardened condition, even when contain
ing very high percentage OF carbon
Compared with ether steel, It also has
less tendency to crack OF warp when
hardened
The reason why this steel in certain
qualities differs from other steel es-
pecially in its softness when unhard-
ened, Is considered 10 De its freedom
from g. ses. The manufacture Of special
steel, with nickel, chrolze, manganese.
or wolfram, viii, Of course. not meet
with any difficulties The chrome steel
and WSlfram steel produced at Gysinge
has proved tC be excellent for lathe
tools. When used for permanent mag
nets, the Gysirge wolfram steel has
been found 20 give stronger magnets
than other wolfram steel and has net
warped in the hardening.
From estimates made. it has been as
ceTtained that the furnace used at
GysiIge, which is simple in construction
and easily managed. has prospects Of
competing, as to cost Of operation. with
the furnaces heretofore used for fusion
OF steel, especially as 1t yields steel Of
a better quality.
For this country. with its good ores
and large supply OF water power. the
electric method OF sInelting steel ought
to be OF great Importance, and abroad.
where blast furnace gas is becoming a
cheap source Of power, II ought to. come
into extensive use
After the lecture. Engineer .WahIbarg
made some statements concerning tests
Of steel ingots from Gysi8ge. which had
been found to be uniform and homoeen-
GUS MiscToscopic examinations had in
dieated that there was no difference be-
tween the electro-steel and crucibIe
steel. which was 50 much more re-lark-
able as the electro-steeI in 3tner re-
spects had different qualities.