A rotary tube kiln, with a rotatably mounted rotary tube, which has a motorized drive, a mounting, a material inlet and a material outlet, wherein the interior space of the rotary tube has a process space, the inside atmosphere of which is separate from the outside atmosphere. The process space is sealed off from a pressure space by means of a first seal and the pressure space is sealed off from the outside atmosphere by means of a second seal and, by means of a pressing device, a first pressing force can be applied to the first seal and a second pressing force can be applied to the second seal, the first pressing force can be set independently of the second pressing force and, during operation, the internal pressure of the pressure space is higher than the internal pressure of the process space.

A rotary tube kiln, with a rotatably mounted rotary tube, which has a motorized drive, a mounting, a material inlet and a material outlet, wherein the interior space of the rotary tube has a process space, the inside atmosphere of which is separate from the outside atmosphere. The process space is sealed off from a pressure space by means of a first seal and the pressure space is sealed off from the outside atmosphere by means of a second seal and, by means of a pressing device, a first pressing force can be applied to the first seal and a second pressing force can be applied to the second seal, the first pressing force can be set independently of the second pressing force and, during operation, the internal pressure of the pressure space is higher than the internal pressure of the process space.

A method of melting an aluminum charge having no more that 4% salt by mass, including during a melting phase, introducing fuel and oxidant via a burner operating at a first firing rate, the fuel and oxidant reacting to form a combustion zone above the aluminum charge, terminating the melting phase and commencing a transition phase when the aluminum charge is nearly completely molten, during the transition phase, reducing the firing rate of the burner to a second firing rate lower than the first firing rate, introducing a non-oxidizing gas at a first velocity to form a non-oxidizing zone between the combustion zone and the aluminum charge, and allowing the aluminum charge to become completely molten, and terminating the transition phase and commencing a tapping phase after the aluminum charge has become completely molten, and during the tapping phase, pouring the molten aluminum charge out of the furnace.

A microwave heating apparatus according to the present disclosure includes a housing, a drum unit disposed rotatably on the housing and into which heating target substance and gas are introduced, and at least one heating unit heating the drum unit by applying microwaves to the drum unit. With a microwave heating apparatus and a method for manufacturing an aluminum nitride using the same of the present disclosure, an aluminum nitride may be manufactured at a lower temperature than that of conventional methods, thereby reducing manufacturing time. Additionally, a microwave heating apparatus according to the present disclosure may significantly reduce power consumption compared to an electric heating apparatus.

A device for producing semi-solid slurry, including a height adjustment mechanism, a position adjustment mechanism, a melt protection mechanism, a support mechanism, a revolving pipe, guide mechanisms, thermally-adapted elastic supports, a driving mechanism of the revolving pipe, and a cooling module. The height adjustment mechanism is a box structure including an upper casing and a lower casing. The position adjustment mechanism includes a stationary rail and a moving rail support, and the stationary rail is fixed on the upper casing of the height adjustment mechanism. The melt protection mechanism includes a seal box including a base plate fixed on the moving rail support. The support mechanism includes a main support frame and an angle adjustment bracket, the main support frame is fixed on the base plate of the seal box, and the angle adjustment bracket is mounted on the main support frame.

A device for producing semi-solid slurry, including a height adjustment mechanism, a position adjustment mechanism, a melt protection mechanism, a support mechanism, a revolving pipe, guide mechanisms, thermally-adapted elastic supports, a driving mechanism of the revolving pipe, and a cooling module. The height adjustment mechanism is a box structure including an upper casing and a lower casing. The position adjustment mechanism includes a stationary rail and a moving rail support, and the stationary rail is fixed on the upper casing of the height adjustment mechanism. The melt protection mechanism includes a seal box including a base plate fixed on the moving rail support. The support mechanism includes a main support frame and an angle adjustment bracket, the main support frame is fixed on the base plate of the seal box, and the angle adjustment bracket is mounted on the main support frame.

A gas inerting system and method is provided. This system includes a rotary melting furnace with a furnace barrel, a burner, and a charge of metal to be melted; and an injection manifold with a plurality of injection orifices. The burner is configured to produce a flame directed into the furnace barrel, and the plurality of injection orifices are configured to disperse inert gas streams into the furnace barrel, into an inerting region between the burner flame and the charge of aluminum. The metal to be melted may be aluminum. The method of inerting includes rotating the rotary furnace and introducing heat into the furnace barrel by generating the flame, thereby beginning a melt cycle, then introducing the inert gas streams into an inlet to the injection manifold, thereby directing the inert gas streams through the injection orifices and into the inerting region, after a predetermined condition has been met.

A gas inerting system and method is provided. This system includes a rotary melting furnace with a furnace barrel, a burner, and a charge of metal to be melted; and an injection manifold with a plurality of injection orifices. The burner is configured to produce a flame directed into the furnace barrel, and the plurality of injection orifices are configured to disperse inert gas streams into the furnace barrel, into an inerting region between the burner flame and the charge of aluminum. The metal to be melted may be aluminum. The method of inerting includes rotating the rotary furnace and introducing heat into the furnace barrel by generating the flame, thereby beginning a melt cycle, then introducing the inert gas streams into an inlet to the injection manifold, thereby directing the inert gas streams through the injection orifices and into the inerting region, after a predetermined condition has been met.

A method for heat treating a superalloy component includes heating a superalloy component to a first temperature, cooling the superalloy from the first temperature to a second temperature at a first cooling rate in a furnace, and cooling the superalloy component from the second temperature to a final temperature at a second cooling rate. The second cooling rate is higher than the first cooling rate.

A process and an apparatus are disclosed for improved recovery of metal from hot and cold dross, wherein a dross-treating furnace is provided with a filling material with good capacity to store heat. This filling material is preheated to a desired temperature by injection of an oxidizing gas to burn non-recoverable metal remaining in the filling material after tapping of the recoverable metal contained in the dross and discharging of the treatment residue. When dross is treated in such furnace, the heat emanating by conduction from the filling material is sufficient to melt and separate the recoverable metal contained in the dross, without addition of an external heat source, such as fuel or gas burners, plasma torches or electric arcs and without use of any salt fluxes. Furthermore, the recovered metal being in the molten state can be fed to the molten metal holding furnace without cooling the melt; in addition, the non-use of fluxing salt for the treatment means that the non-contaminated residue can be used as a cover for the electrolytic cells in the case of aluminum. In the case of zinc dross, the residue is a valuable zinc oxide by-product very low in contaminants.