A multi-chamber melting furnace for melting scrap of non-ferrous metals, in particular aluminum scrap, including a first shaft furnace with a shaft for charge material, in which impurities of the charge material can be removed, and at least one furnace chamber which is connected to the shaft of the first shaft furnace and has a first heat supply device, wherein at least one second shaft furnace with a shaft for charge material, in which shaft impurities of the charge material can be removed, the furnace chamber being connected to the shaft of the second shaft furnace and being arranged between the shafts in such a manner that the furnace chamber forms a main melting chamber in which the molten bath is located during operation.

A launder for use in moving molten metal includes at least one relatively narrow channel through which molten metal flows. Using a narrow, rather than broad, channel permits better control of the flow and helps prevent overflowing the launder or a structure adjacent the launder. A molten metal pumping or transfer system may utilize a launder as disclosed herein.

A system according to aspects of the invention includes a pump and a refractory casing that houses the pump or is in fluid communication with the pump. As the pump operates it moves molten metal upward through an uptake section of the casing until it reaches a rectangular outlet wherein it exits the vessel. The rectangular outlet is configured to be connected to, or may be attached to, a launder. Another system uses a wall to divide a cavity of the chamber into two portions. The wall has an opening and a pump pumps molten metal from a first portion into a second portion until the level in the second portion reaches an outlet and exits the vessel.

A system and method for filling a mold with molten aluminum includes a molten metal pump, a vessel configured to contain molten metal, a mold for receiving molten metal, and a conduit between the vessel and the mold. Molten metal is pumped in the vessel until it reaches a level at which it flows through the conduit and into the mold. The flow of molten metal into the mold is stabilized to maintain a level of molten metal in the mold. A skin of solid metal forms between the mold and the conduit, at which time the pumping of molten metal can cease. The mold with solid metal in it can be moved.

The present invention provides an electric furnace including: a furnace body that includes an electrode; and a slag holding furnace that is configured to hold molten slag in a molten state and is capable of pouring the molten slag into the furnace body when tilted, in which the furnace body includes a cylindrical furnace wall, a furnace cover that is provided at an upper end of the furnace wall, a furnace bottom that is provided at a lower end of the furnace wall and includes a deep bottom portion and a shallow bottom portion as a region having a height of 150 mm to 500 mm from a deepest point of the deep bottom portion, and a slag pouring port that is provided at the furnace cover and through which the molten slag is poured from the slag holding furnace, the slag pouring port overlaps the shallow bottom portion in a plan view, and the area ratio of the shallow bottom portion to the furnace bottom in a plan view is 5% to 40%.

The present invention provides an electric furnace including: a furnace body that includes an electrode; and a slag holding furnace that is configured to hold molten slag in a molten state and is capable of pouring the molten slag into the furnace body when tilted, in which the furnace body includes a cylindrical furnace wall, a furnace cover that is provided at an upper end of the furnace wall, a furnace bottom that is provided at a lower end of the furnace wall and includes a deep bottom portion and a shallow bottom portion as a region having a height of 150 mm to 500 mm from a deepest point of the deep bottom portion, and a slag pouring port that is provided at the furnace cover and through which the molten slag is poured from the slag holding furnace, the slag pouring port overlaps the shallow bottom portion in a plan view, and the area ratio of the shallow bottom portion to the furnace bottom in a plan view is 5% to 40%.

A smart molten metal pump system and method automatically controls the operating speed of the pump rather than requiring an operator to control the speed. The system includes a pump, a controller for controlling the speed of the pump and one or more vibration sensors (such as an accelerometer) to measure vibration. The controller receives input about the vibration of the pump or one or more pump components, and possibly other data, such as the temperature of the molten metal, and/or the depth of the molten metal, ad/or parameters related to the operation of the pump. The controller analyzes the one or more inputs to vary the speed of the pump, turn the pump off, and/or send a communication to an operator.

The disclosure relates to a melting furnace, for example a two-chamber furnace, for the recovery of aluminum from aluminum scrap. This has a scrap chamber (2), with a dry hearth (6), the surface of which provided for receiving aluminum scrap is arranged above the surface of an aluminum melt (7) located in the scrap chamber (2) during operation of the melting furnace (1), and a heating chamber (3), which has at least one burner (9) for fuel firing, the heating chamber (3) and the scrap chamber (2) being separated from one another by a partition wall (11), the partition wall (11) having at least one opening (12) for recirculation of the aluminum melt (7) between the heating chamber (3) and the scrap chamber (2). Further, a refractory lining of the surface of the dry hearth (6) and/or a refractory lining of the inner wall of the scrap chamber (2) in the region of the dry hearth (6) have channels (18) which can be acted upon by hot gas and are designed to absorb heat from the hot gas and to release it to the aluminum scrap located on the surface of the dry hearth (6) for its thermal pretreatment.

A launder for use in moving molten metal includes at least one relatively narrow channel through which molten metal flows. Using a narrow, rather than broad, channel permits better control of the flow and helps prevent overflowing the launder or a structure adjacent the launder. A molten metal pumping or transfer system may utilize a launder as disclosed herein.

A push gate for a scrap metal furnace with a volatizing chamber and a doorway into that chamber. The push gate includes a door plate to seal against the doorway, a scoop sized to fit in the volatizing chamber, and a plunger attached to the scoop that extends through the door plate. The push gate is movable. When the push gate is positioned such that the door plate seals against the doorway, the plunger can controllably move the scoop in and out of the chamber to push scrap metal to predetermined positions in the chamber for predetermined periods of time.