In today’s competitive steelmaking landscape, carbon additive—often called carbon raiser—isn’t just another raw material; it’s a precision tool that directly impacts product quality, operational efficiency, and environmental compliance. With over mang years of specialized ferroalloy production experience, Beifang Alloy provides this comprehensive guide to help procurement professionals navigate the complex carbon additive market and make strategic sourcing decisions that deliver measurable ROI.
Carbon Raiser (also known as Carbon Additive or Recarburizer) is a carbon-rich material added to molten steel or iron during the steelmaking or foundry process to increase the carbon content of the metal. It’s a critical raw material, especially in electric arc furnace (EAF) steelmaking, where scrap steel—which often has insufficient carbon—is melted down.
When steel is made from scrap in an EAF, the carbon content is typically lower than required for the final steel grade. Carbon raiser is added to “recarburize” the melt—bringing the carbon level up to the precise specification (e.g., for making high-carbon steel, cast iron, or certain alloy steels).
Calcined Petroleum Coke (CPC) – Most widely used; high fixed carbon (98–99.5%), low sulfur and ash.
Graphite Petroleum Coke – Higher purity, excellent carbon recovery.
Anthracite Coal – Lower cost but higher ash and volatile matter.
Gas Calcined Anthracite Coal (GCAC) – Improved quality over raw anthracite.
Synthetic Graphite – Highest purity, used for premium steel grades.
| F.C | Ash | V.M | S | T.M |
| 91%MIN | 7%max | 3.0%max | 0.4%max | 1.5%max |
Challenge: A major automotive steel supplier needed to reduce sulfur variation in final product while maintaining profitability.
Beifang Solution: Custom-developed low-sulfur carbon additive (S < 0.07%) with optimized particle size distribution.
Results:23% reduction in desulfurization agent consumption；0.5% improvement in carbon yield；Elimination of sulfur-related quality claims；ROI: 6 months through reduced additive and agent usage
Critical Questions to Answer:
Beifang Recommendation: “Develop a plant-specific specification document that includes both standard parameters and performance-based metrics like ‘carbon recovery efficiency’ and ‘slag reduction percentage.'”
Essential Qualification Checklist:ISO 9001:2015 or equivalent certification；On-site audit capability (virtual or physical)；Minimum 3 years of production experience；Reference checks with similar-scale operations；Third-party lab test reports for last 6 batches；Documented quality control procedures；Financial stability verification
Structured 4-Stage Trial Process:
Key Contract Elements for Carbon Additive Procurement:
Poor-quality carbon raiser (high sulfur, high ash) can: Increase slag volume；Cause casting defects；Lead to off-spec steel chemistry；Raise refining costs
