A method for making covetic metal-carbon composites or compositions by electron beam melt heating under vacuum (pressure <10.sup.3 Torr) is described herein. This fabrication method is advantageous, in that it provides oxygen-free covetic materials in a process that allows precise control of the composition of the covetic material to be produced. The method described herein also can be applied to produce multi-element-carbon composites within a metal or alloy matrix, including high melting temperature materials such as ceramic particles or prefabricated nano- or micro-structures, such as carbon nanotubes or graphene compounds. The covetic reaction between metal and carbon takes place under the influence of flowing electrons through the melted metal-carbon precursor. This process creates strong bonding between nanocarbon structure and the metal elements in the melt.

Apparatus for pre-heating and conveying a metal charge to a container of a melting plant, comprising at least a conveyor channel along which said metal charge is able to advance so as to be delivered to the container, and in which above said conveyor channel at least a hood is disposed which defines a tunnel inside which at least part of the fumes exiting from said container are able to advance. At least a zone of the hood comprises an expansion chamber located above at least a portion of said metal charge, and able to expand and keep said fumes inside it for a minimum desired time of at least 1.5 seconds before they go into contact with the metal charge.

A furnace system includes a furnace and a preheater configured to preheat material before it enters the furnace. The system further includes a duct system including a mixing chamber disposed between the furnace and preheater. The duct system further includes an exhaust duct in fluid communication with an exhaust fluid outlet of the furnace and configured to vent fluid exhausted from the furnace. The exhaust duct is in fluid communication with the mixing chamber and configured to redirect a portion of the fluid exhausted from the furnace to the mixing chamber. The duct system further includes a preheater duct in fluid communication with the mixing chamber and a fluid inlet of the preheater and configured to direct fluid from the mixing chamber to the preheater. The system further includes a duct scraper configured for movement within the mixing chamber to move particulates from the mixing chamber into the exhaust duct.

Molten iron is obtained with a low electric power consumption rate by efficiently and reliably preheating a cold iron source by ascertaining the preheating state of the cold iron source. A method of producing molten iron in an electric furnace having a preheating chamber and a melting chamber includes: a cold iron source feeding step; a cold iron source preheating step having a preheating confirmation step; a supply step; and a melting step.

Molten iron is obtained with a low electric power consumption rate by efficiently and reliably preheating a cold iron source by ascertaining the preheating state of the cold iron source. A method of producing molten iron in an electric furnace having a preheating chamber and a melting chamber includes: a cold iron source feeding step; a cold iron source preheating step having a preheating confirmation step; a supply step; and a melting step.

A process and a plant for preheating a metal charge fed in continuous to an electric melting furnace through a preheating tunnel provided with a horizontal conveyor, wherein the metal charge is hit, in countercurrent, by the exhaust fumes or gas leaving the electric melting furnace and by jets of gas ejected through a plurality of nozzles positioned on the hood of the tunnel. The nozzles are arranged in groups interspaced from each other in a longitudinal direction with respect to the tunnel, and generate a small-scale turbulence or inject small fast gas jets that can penetrate the main gas stream passing through the preheating tunnel, and simultaneously generate a horseshoe vortex structure composed of a descending central gas flow (downwash), and ascending flows (upwash) close to the side walls of the preheating tunnel, which enable a desired circulation of the gases.

A process for activating clays having high residual moisture by: feeding wet clay into a device for drying, comminuting the previously dried clay in a device for comminuting, thermally activating the comminuted clay in an entrained flow reactor or in a fluidized bed reactor in which the comminuted clay is in suspension in a hot gas, removing the gas from the entrained flow reactor or the fluidized bed reactor in a device for removing, and cooling the thermally activated clay in a device for cooling with a cooling gas, and to a corresponding plant. The cooling gas, heated after cooling the thermally activated clay, is combined with the gas from the reactor, and the combined gases are introduced into the drying device. The drying air is filtered after drying, and clay removed by filtration is unified with the dried clay.

A heat treatment furnace and a method for heat treatment of a steel sheet blank is disclosed having at least one furnace chamber and a transport system for conveying the steel sheet blanks through the furnace chamber. A preheating chamber, a metallurgical bonding path and a cooling chamber, wherein the steel sheet blank can be heated in the preheating chamber to a temperature of above 200 C. A method for the production of a hot-formed and press-quenched motor-vehicle part is also disclosed.

A heat treatment furnace and a method for heat treatment of a steel sheet blank is disclosed having at least one furnace chamber and a transport system for conveying the steel sheet blanks through the furnace chamber. A preheating chamber, a metallurgical bonding path and a cooling chamber, wherein the steel sheet blank can be heated in the preheating chamber to a temperature of above 200 C. A method for the production of a hot-formed and press-quenched motor-vehicle part is also disclosed.

Apparatus to heat and transfer mainly metal materials to a melting furnace (12), the apparatus comprising a transporter device (13) configured to move the materials continuously to the melting furnace (12), and at least an induction heating unit (28) associated with the transporter device (13) and configured to heat by electromagnetic induction the materials moved in the transporter device (13), keeping them in a solid state.