The present disclosure relates to a system for storing and time-shifting at least one of electrical power, excess electrical power, or renewable electrical power, to create low-carbon heat for future use in assisting with a production of asphalt paving material. The system makes use of a first thermally insulated storage subsystem containing a quantity of an asphalt paving material manufacturing component, and a first furnace configured to heat the asphalt paving material manufacturing component using an available supplemental energy source. A second thermally insulated storage subsystem is used to store a quantity of asphalt binder, and a second furnace is used to heat the quantity of asphalt binder. An air blower is used to supply a quantity of air to the first furnace to assist in a heating during a heat-charge phase of operation of the system in which both the quantity of asphalt paving material manufacturing component and the quantity of asphalt binder are pre-heated.

A molten metal rotor receives and retains an end of a molten metal rotor shaft. The rotor shaft has one or more projections at the end received in the rotor. The rotor has an inner cavity, a top surface with an opening leading to the inner cavity, and at least one abutment. The opening includes one or more portions for allowing each projection to pass through the opening and into the inner cavity. The rotor and/or shaft are then rotated so at least one of the outwardly-extending projections is under the top surface of the rotor and is against an abutment. A molten metal pump, rotary degasser scrap melter or other device used in molten metal may utilize a rotor/shaft combination as disclosed herein.

A furnace door sealing device for a low-pressure diffusion furnace is provided. The furnace door sealing device includes a furnace door, a fixed shaft and a fixed base which are coaxially arranged in sequence from front to back. A bearing pedestal is fixed at the center of the rear end surface of the furnace door. A centripetal knuckle bearing is arranged in the bearing pedestal. An outer ring of the centripetal knuckle bearing is fixed in the bearing pedestal. An inner ring of the centripetal knuckle bearing fixedly sleeves the front end of the fixed shaft. The rear end of the fixed shaft is fixed in the fixed base. A supporting plate is also fixed on the front end surface of the fixed base. Multiple spring adjusting assemblies are arranged on the supporting plate at an interval.

A coupling has an opening and a protrusion extending downward from the opening. The protrusion has threads that are preferably positioned outside of the opening. A rotor shaft that connects to the coupling has an internal bore with threads that receives and retains the protrusion, such as by a threaded connection between the two, so the protrusion applies driving force to the shaft.

A coupling has an opening and a protrusion extending downward from the opening. The protrusion has threads that are preferably positioned outside of the opening. A rotor shaft that connects to the coupling has an internal bore with threads that receives and retains the protrusion, such as by a threaded connection between the two, so the protrusion applies driving force to the shaft.

Disclosed herein is a furnace for producing single crystal boules, the furnace comprising a furnace wall; a plurality of crucibles, where each crucible is operative to contain a melt that is contacted by a different pull rod; where each pull rod is attached to seed crystal; a first drive system that is located above the furnace and is configured to drive a first main shaft that is either in a geared or belted communication with a plurality of first planetary shafts; where each pull rod is in rotary communication at least one planetary shaft; where each pull rod is operative to contact the melt while undergoing rotary and translational motion with respect to a melt in one of the plurality of crucibles; where each crucible is surrounded by an induction coil and a refractory lining; and wherein each induction coil and refractory lining lie within the furnace wall.