Arc furnace electrode length determination

An electrode column [10] for use in an arc furnace comprising an electrode mantel [13], an electrode [11] which is concentrically located in and movable in an axial direction relatively to the mantel [13], an electrode slipping arrangement [12] including a lower electrode slip clamp [32] which surrounds the electrode [11] and which is carried by a ring beam, an upper electrode slip clamp [30] around the electrode [11] which is spaced vertically from and movable relatively to the lower clamp [32], slipping cylinders [34] which are connected to and between both slipping clamps [30,32] and electrical load regulating cylinders [26] which are connected to act between the ring beam [24] and fixed structure above the furnace roof,

• characterised in that the electrode column [10 ] includes at least one resiliently yieldable load resisting device [36] which is located between the upper slip clamp [30] and structure on the ring beam [24] and on which the electrode [11], when clamped only by the upper slip clamp [30] may totally be supported and means for measuring the load induced yield of the load resisting device [36].