Method and arrangement for measurement of electrode paste in an electrode column of an electric arc furnace

A method for measurement of electrode paste in an electrode column of an electric arc furnace, which electrode column comprises a steel casing surrounding and covering the electrode paste formed of a graphite-based material and said electrode column being provided with a contact shoe ring formed of contact shoe elements and placed in contact with the steel casing to conduct electric current to the electrode, in which method the electrode column is filled with electrode paste by introducing said paste from above into the steel casing, whereby the electrode paste evolves through different phases, ranging from raw paste in the upper part of the steel casing to melted paste in the area starting above the contact shoe ring and further to baked paste in the lower part of the electrode column below the contact shoe ring, said method comprising:

• providing a plurality of laser devices comprising a first laser device and a second laser device on the top of the electrode column, said laser devices each transmitting laser beams downwards,
• determining the level of the raw paste in the steel casing corresponding to the height of the paste cylinder in the steel casing with the laser beam transmitted by the first laser device,
• determining the level of the molten paste in the steel casing with the laser beam transmitted by the second laser device, and
• utilizing the data received from the laser devices for calculation of the distances of the levels of the raw paste and molten paste from the contact shoe ring.