A decompression heat-insulating pipe structure that can exhibit the desired heat-insulating performance and is easy to assemble. In the structure, a space between ends of inner and outer tubes is decompressed. The outer tube includes a first flange, which extends radially inward from an axially one end thereof, and a second flange, which extends radially outward from the axially other end thereof. The inner tube includes a third flange, which extends radially inward from an axially one end thereof and is opposed to the first flange at an axially inward position of the first flange, and a fourth flange, which extends radially outward from the axially other end thereof and being opposed to the second flange at an axially outward position of the second flange. First and second elastic seal members are disposed between the first and third flanges and between the second and fourth flanges, respectively.

The disclosure relates to substrate processing apparatus, with a first and second reactor, each reactor configured for processing a plurality of substrates; and, a substrate handling robot constructed and arranged to transfer substrates between a substrate cassette at a substrate transfer position and the first and second reactor. The apparatus is constructed and arranged with a maintenance area between the first and second reactors to allow maintenance of the reactors from the maintenance area to both the first and second reactor.

A method for supplying raw material to a sinter plant and facilitating a sinter process with reduced consumption of fossil fuels, provides that a mixed material is used to supply raw material, wherein the mixed material includes particulate iron-containing material and particulate pyrolised biomass in mixed form. The iron-containing material is preferably iron ore and/or the pyrolised biomass is preferably charcoal.

A continuous concentrate feeding equipment of the present invention, which can supply the concentrate to a smelting furnace continuously when the concentrate is received, includes a pressure-adjusting tank that temporarily accumulates granular concentrate; a lift tank that receives the concentrate from the pressure-adjusting tank and discharges the concentrate to a smelting furnace; an air passage for introducing compressed air into the pressure-adjusting tank and the lift tank, respectively; and control means for controlling the compressed air, and the concentrate is continuously supplied from the lift tank to the smelting furnace even when the lift tank receives the concentrate from the pressure-adjusting tank by the control means.

The disclosure describes equipment for magnetic annealing of a substrate, the equipment including: an anneal chamber configured to heat and cool a substrate held at a soak location along a first direction in the anneal chamber, the anneal chamber including: a heater, a cooler, and a substrate lifter including a substrate holder, where the substrate holder is configured to support a substrate oriented such that the first direction is perpendicular to a major surface of the substrate; and a magnet assembly configured to establish a homogeneous zone in the anneal chamber, the soak location being within the homogeneous zone, the homogeneous zone including a region of magnetic field.

A method of packaging water-reactive aluminum may include directing at least one discrete object into a container, the at least one discrete object including an aluminum alloy, the aluminum alloy plastically deformed and non-recrystallized, introducing, into the container, a liquid metal alloy including one or more activation metals, enclosing the at least one discrete object and the liquid metal alloy with one another in the container to form a kit, for a predetermined period, exposing the kit to a heating environment, and agitating the at least one discrete object and the liquid metal alloy in the container in the heating environment during the predetermined period to form the kit into a packaged unit of water-reactive aluminum.

A method of packaging water-reactive aluminum may include directing at least one discrete object into a container, the at least one discrete object including an aluminum alloy, the aluminum alloy plastically deformed and non-recrystallized, introducing, into the container, a liquid metal alloy including one or more activation metals, enclosing the at least one discrete object and the liquid metal alloy with one another in the container to form a kit, for a predetermined period, exposing the kit to a heating environment, and agitating the at least one discrete object and the liquid metal alloy in the container in the heating environment during the predetermined period to form the kit into a packaged unit of water-reactive aluminum.

A vortex injection system for a metal recycling furnace a delacquering chamber and a melt chamber, and a molten metal flow channel running through each chamber. The system diverts a portion of the molten metal flow through a vortex bowl, after which that portion of the molten metal flow is then returned to the main molten metal flow. The vortex bowl has an insertion port through which scrap metal and other materials may be controllably injected into the molten metal flow.

A scrap melting system and method includes a vessel that is configured to retain molten metal and a raised surface about the level of molten metal in the vessel. Solid metal is placed on the raised surface and molten metal from the vessel is moved upward from the vessel and across the raised surface to melt at least some of the solid metal. The molten metal is preferably raised from the vessel to the raised surface by a molten metal pumping device or system. The molten metal moves from the raised surface and into a vessel or launder.

A method for preheating metal pellets before charging into a melting furnace, wherein the pellets are transported by a conveyor belt to a chute and discharged from the chute into the melting furnace, the method including heating the pellets by direct flame impingement from two or more banks of burners, wherein the two or more banks of burners comprise an upstream bank of burners and a downstream bank of burners; and controlling the upstream bank of burners to operate oxygen-rich so as to create an oxidizing zone and the downstream bank of burners to operate fuel-rich so as to create a reducing zone.