Provided is a rotary sintering furnace. The rotary sintering furnace includes a furnace body assembly and a knocking device. The furnace body assembly includes a rotary furnace and a heat preservation housing. The rotary furnace is rotatably disposed through the heat preservation housing, and the heat preservation housing has a via hole. The knocking device is disposed outside the heat preservation housing. The knocking device includes a knocking member. The knocking is configured to movably pass through the via hole and knock on the rotary furnace.

A melting furnace feedstock charger includes a charger conduit including an inlet to receive feedstock and an outlet at an outlet portion of the charger conduit to transmit feedstock, and an auger or other feedstock mover coupled to the charger conduit to convey feedstock in a direction from the inlet toward the outlet. A gate may be detachably coupled to the outlet portion of the charger conduit and configured to be coupled directly to a wall of a melting vessel. The auger may have a helical flight with an outer diameter of varying size. A stripper may be movably carried by the charger conduit and may include a stripping tool moved by an actuator with respect to the charger conduit to facilitate transmission of feedstock and/or to strip away clogged feedstock and/or molten material.

A melting furnace feedstock charger includes a charger conduit including an inlet to receive feedstock and an outlet at an outlet portion of the charger conduit to transmit feedstock, and an auger or other feedstock mover coupled to the charger conduit to convey feedstock in a direction from the inlet toward the outlet. A gate may be detachably coupled to the outlet portion of the charger conduit and configured to be coupled directly to a wall of a melting vessel. The auger may have a helical flight with an outer diameter of varying size. A stripper may be movably carried by the charger conduit and may include a stripping tool moved by an actuator with respect to the charger conduit to facilitate transmission of feedstock and/or to strip away clogged feedstock and/or molten material.

A heat treatment system disclosed herein may include: one or more saggars, each of which is configured to accommodate powder of a lithium positive electrode material; and a heat treatment furnace configured to heat-treat the powder accommodated in the one or more saggars. Each of the one or more saggars may include a contact surface which is to make contact with the powder, wherein at least the contact surface of each saggar is constituted of a nickel-based alloy. The heat treatment furnace may be configured to heat-treat the powder accommodated in the one or more saggars at a temperature of 300 C. or more and 1000 C. or less for a duration of 10 hours or more and 30 hours or less.

A heat treatment system disclosed herein may include: one or more saggars, each of which is configured to accommodate powder of a lithium positive electrode material; and a heat treatment furnace configured to heat-treat the powder accommodated in the one or more saggars. Each of the one or more saggars may include a contact surface which is to make contact with the powder, wherein at least the contact surface of each saggar is constituted of a nickel-based alloy. The heat treatment furnace may be configured to heat-treat the powder accommodated in the one or more saggars at a temperature of 300 C. or more and 1000 C. or less for a duration of 10 hours or more and 30 hours or less.

To provide a method of forming a positive electrode active material with high productivity. To provide a manufacturing apparatus capable of forming a positive electrode active material with high productivity. Provided is a method of forming a positive electrode active material including lithium, a transition metal, oxygen, and fluorine. An adhesion preventing step is performed during heating of an object. Examples of the adhesion preventing step include stirring by rotating a furnace during the heating, stirring by vibrating a container containing an object during the heating, and crushing performed between the plurality of heating steps. By these manufacturing methods, a positive electrode active material having favorable distribution of an additive at the surface portion can be formed.

A metallurgical vessel structure and method is provided for producing low-impurity Magnesia-Carbon reclaimed aggregate suitable for reuse in the production of high purity Magnesia-Carbon refractory. A metallurgical vessel is assembled with a non-reactive or chemically similar backup lining. The entire height of the working lining wall is Magnesia-Carbon brick suitable for reuse. The working lining is exposed to a metal making high temperature process, and the working lining is sequentially demolished. Due to the assembly of vessel, metallurgical practice, and ease of demolishing the vessel, there is little to no need for sorting, such that the used Magnesia-Carbon brick are easily converted into low impurity Magnesia-Carbon reclaimed aggregate. A refractory composed of low-impurity Magnesia aggregate reclaimed from the method is also contemplated.

A heat treatment system may include a heat treatment furnace configured to heat treat a material in a saggar, the saggar including a saggar body and a lid; a lid removing device configured to remove the lid from the saggar; a body conveyor configured to convey the saggar body; a lid conveyor configured to convey the lid; a recovery device configured to recover the material from the saggar body; a supply device configured to supply a non-heat-treated material to the saggar body; and a lid attaching device configured to attach the lid to the saggar body. A conveying time for the lid to be conveyed from an entrance to an exit of a conveying path of the lid conveyor may be shorter than a conveying time for the saggar body to be conveyed from an entrance to an exit of a conveying path of the body conveyor.

A heat treatment system may include a heat treatment furnace configured to heat treat a material in a saggar, the saggar including a saggar body and a lid; a lid removing device configured to remove the lid from the saggar; a body conveyor configured to convey the saggar body; a lid conveyor configured to convey the lid; a recovery device configured to recover the material from the saggar body; a supply device configured to supply a non-heat-treated material to the saggar body; and a lid attaching device configured to attach the lid to the saggar body. A conveying time for the lid to be conveyed from an entrance to an exit of a conveying path of the lid conveyor may be shorter than a conveying time for the saggar body to be conveyed from an entrance to an exit of a conveying path of the body conveyor.

A method of separating a mixture of used refractory components of different chemistry types obtained from a demolished refractory includes hydrating the mixture of refractory components to destructively hydrate at least some components of the mixture of refractory components, and separating, based on size, the at least some components from other components of the mixture of refractory components.