Héroult furnace

Also known as: Héroult electric furnace

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June 29, 2026

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The Hèroult furnace, named after French chemist Paul-Louis-Toussaint Hèroult, is an electric-arc furnace primarily used for making steel. Hèroult also independently developed the electrolytic process for producing aluminum, making the metal affordable and widely available.12

The Hèroult furnace heats materials through both radiation and the electrical resistance of the bath it contains. This invention was crucial for the industrial production of aluminum and ferroalloys, first in Europe and then globally.21

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Paul-Louis-Toussaint Héroult
…is also noted for the Héroult electric furnace named for him, which found widespread use in the manufacture of aluminum and ferroalloys, first in Europe and later throughout the world.
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…is also noted for the Héroult electric furnace named for him, which found widespread use in the manufacture of aluminum and ferroalloys, first in Europe and later throughout the world.
Read More