Apparatus for the production of metal including a furnace for melting metal provided with a crucible inside which a metal charge is melted. The furnace provides for tapping a liquid metal disposed on the bottom of the crucible and includes a tapping channel for the transfer of the liquid metal from the furnace. The apparatus also includes a delivery unit for delivering inert material (S) having a delivery device for the selective delivery of the inert material (S) into the tapping channel.

A DC plasma arc furnace, a method of co-processing waste and metal, a method of producing energy by processing material using the furnace, and the products produced by the furnace are provided. Metal may be efficiently processed by the furnace via an increased organic content in other feedstock fed into the furnace.

A DC plasma arc furnace, a method of co-processing waste and metal, a method of producing energy by processing material using the furnace, and the products produced by the furnace are provided. Metal may be efficiently processed by the furnace via an increased organic content in other feedstock fed into the furnace.

The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical formulation for vaginal administration, wherein the formulation comprises a pharmaceutical acceptable excipient and glucono δ-lactone, wherein the glucono δ-lactone is present in an amount of 5 to 99 wt % of the formulation. The invention also relates to a pharmaceutical formulation according to the invention for use in the prevention or treatment of a urogenital fungal infection. Furthermore, the invention relates to glucono δ-lactone (formula (III)), for use in the in the prevention or treatment of a fungal infection.

A device to produce a part by molding a bulk metallic glass (BMG) includes a mold, a melting device to melt the BMG and a sectorized piston. The mold includes two rigid sections delimiting a molding cavity. The melting device includes a cold sectorized crucible or melting crucible, an inductor and a current generator to generate a high-frequency current to power the inductor. The melting crucible is arranged vertically having hollow sectors formed from an electrically conductive and non-magnetic material electrically insulated from one another. The inductor is in the form of a coil and surround the melting crucible to heat the content thereof. The sectorized piston has hollow sectors formed from the electrically conductive and non-magnetic material electrically insulated from one another, closing the melting crucible at one of the ends thereof.

A method for cooling furnace electrodes using a cooling liquid containing surfactants. This method can be applied to electrodes used in electric arc furnaces and ladle metallurgy furnaces. The method can involve spraying the cooling liquid onto the electrode, thereby lowering the temperature of the electrode and reducing electrode consumption.

A method for cooling furnace electrodes using a cooling liquid containing surfactants. This method can be applied to electrodes used in electric arc furnaces and ladle metallurgy furnaces. The method can involve spraying the cooling liquid onto the electrode, thereby lowering the temperature of the electrode and reducing electrode consumption.

A cold crucible structure according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a cold crucible structure according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a cold crucible unit including hollow top and bottom caps, a plurality of segments connecting the top cap and the bottom cap, slits disposed between the segments, and a reaction area surrounded by the segments; and an induction coil unit disposed to cover the outer side of the cold crucible unit and disposed across the longitudinal directions of the segments and the slits, in which the diameter of the reaction area is defined as a crucible diameter, the crucible diameter is 100 to 300 mm, and a width of each of the slits is defined by $d_{\mathrm{slit}}\le 0.3\times \frac{\varnothing }{50}$
(mm)(where d.sub.slit is the width of each of the slits and Ø is the crucible diameter).

A cold crucible structure according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a cold crucible structure according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a cold crucible unit including hollow top and bottom caps, a plurality of segments connecting the top cap and the bottom cap, slits disposed between the segments, and a reaction area surrounded by the segments; and an induction coil unit disposed to cover the outer side of the cold crucible unit and disposed across the longitudinal directions of the segments and the slits, in which the diameter of the reaction area is defined as a crucible diameter, the crucible diameter is 100 to 300 mm, and a width of each of the slits is defined by $d_{\mathrm{slit}}\le 0.3\times \frac{\varnothing }{50}$
(mm)(where d.sub.slit is the width of each of the slits and Ø is the crucible diameter).

A system and method of melt infiltrating components is provided. In one example aspect, an inductive heating system includes a heating source that inductively heats a susceptor. The susceptor defines a working chamber in which components can be received. During melt infiltration, the system can heat the susceptor and thus the components and melt infiltrants disposed within the working chamber at a first heating rate. The first heating rate can be faster than 50° C./minute. The system can then heat the components and melt infiltrants at a second heating rate. The first heating rate is faster than the second heating rate. Thereafter, the system can heat the components and infiltrants at a third heating rate. The third heating rate can be a constant rate at or above the melting point of the melt infiltrants. The infiltrants can melt and thus infiltrate into the component to densify the component.