Electric arc furnace is an electric furnace that uses high temperature generated by electrode arc to smelt ores and metals. When the gas discharge forms an arc, the energy is very concentrated, and the arc temperature is above 3000°C.For smelting metals, compared with other smelting furnaces, electric arc furnaces can effectively remove impurities such as sulfur and phosphorus, and are suitable for smelting high-quality alloy steel.

There are mainly four kinds of electric arc furnace, which are three-phase electric arc furnaces (for smelting steel), consumable electric arc furnaces (also known as vacuum consumable electric arc furnaces for melting alloy steel), single-phase electric arc furnaces (for melting copper and Copper alloy), resistance electric arc furnace (also known as submerged arc furnace, used to smelt ore) .