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 scrap melting system and method includes a vessel that is configured to retain molten metal and a raised surface about the level of molten metal in the vessel. Solid metal is placed on the raised surface and molten metal from the vessel is moved upward from the vessel and across the raised surface to melt at least some of the solid metal. The molten metal is preferably raised from the vessel to the raised surface by a molten metal pumping device or system. The molten metal moves from the raised surface and into a vessel or launder.

A scrap melting system and method includes a vessel that is configured to retain molten metal and a raised surface about the level of molten metal in the vessel. Solid metal is placed on the raised surface and molten metal from the vessel is moved upward from the vessel and across the raised surface to melt at least some of the solid metal. The molten metal is preferably raised from the vessel to the raised surface by a molten metal pumping device or system. The molten metal moves from the raised surface and into a vessel or launder.

Scrap vehicles, mixtures of iron and aluminum, plastics are often pressed into bales or cubes to reduce the cost of transportation and storage to a smelter. Considering the dwindling number of large smelters in the United States due to the high pollution associated with coke fired cupolas, a new invention is developed to use natural gas, diesel fuels and clean fuels and hydrocarbons from scrap plastics in the bale. The process consists of three steps. In the first step the scrap bale is heated in a chamber up to temperatures of 1000 C. to promote the vaporization of zinc from galvanized steel, the pyrolysis of any plastics or scrap tires in the bale, and the separation of aluminum and magnesium by melting. The heat for this first stage is transferred through flue gases rising from the second and third stages after passing through a recuperator. The remaining scrap once separated from zinc, aluminum, magnesium and plastics is transferred to a second stage and melted and allowed to flow into a third stage where alloying and final removal of sulfur, phosphorus and other contaminants is completed in the hearth under a reverberating flame. Flue gases rising from the first stage are passed through condensers to precipitate vaporized zinc, and to convert hydrocarbons into fuel that is burned in the third stage burner above the hearth.

Aluminum scrap having organic adhesions is processed to recover aluminum. A hearth of scrap chamber of a multi-chamber melting furnace is batchwise loaded with aluminum scrap where it is heated in low oxygen to convert the organic adhesions on the aluminum scrap into a pyrolysis gas. In a second pretreatment phase, the scrap chamber is heated to the auto-ignition temperature of the pyrolysis gas, wherein at least one air flow is provided in the scrap chamber to produce an ignitable substoichiometric pyrolysis gas/combustion air mixture which is reacted in the scrap chamber in a combustion process. The atmosphere from the scrap chamber is transferred to a post-combustion. A corresponding multi-chamber melting furnace is also provided.

A vortex metal insertion system for a metal recycling furnace, the system

having a molten metal flow cycling through the furnace and through a vortex bowl in the system. The system includes one or more process sensors in the furnace, an automated molten metal flow adjustment device, and a computer controller. The computer controller reads the sensor(s) and adjusts the adjustment device to control the flow of molten metal through the vortex bowl based on the reading(s). The system has an insertion port through which scrap metal and other materials may be controllably inserted into the molten metal flow.

A method for producing a metal ingot by using an electron-beam melting furnace including an electron gun capable of controlling a radiation position of an electron beam, and a hearth that accumulates a molten metal of a metal raw material, in which, in a downstream region between an upstream region in which the metal raw material is supplied onto the surface of the molten metal and a first side wall, an irradiation line is disposed so as to block a lip portion and so that two end portions are positioned in the vicinity of the side wall of the hearth. A first electron beam is radiated onto the surface of the molten metal along the irradiation line, and the first electron beam is radiated along the irradiation line. By this means, the surface temperature (T2) of the molten metal along the irradiation line is made higher than the average surface temperature (T0) of the entire surface of the molten metal in the hearth, and a molten metal flow from the irradiation line toward upstream that is a direction toward the opposite side to the first side wall is formed in an outer layer of the molten metal.

A molten metal pumping apparatus. The apparatus has each of a circulation function and a transfer function. The apparatus includes a molten metal pump having an outlet. The outlet is moveable while submerged in molten metal between a first position engaged with a circulation passage in a furnace assembly and a second position engaged with a transfer passage in the furnace assembly.

[Problem]

To provide a method for producing a metal ingot, which makes it possible to inhibit impurities contained in molten metal in a hearth from being mixed into the ingot.

[Solution]

A method for producing a metal ingot by using an electron-beam melting furnace having an electron gun and a hearth that accumulates a molten metal of a metal raw material, wherein the metal raw material is supplied to the position on a supply line disposed along a second side wall of the hearth that accumulates the molten metal of the metal raw material. A first electron beam is radiated along a first irradiation line that is disposed along the supply line and is closer to a central part of the hearth relative to the supply line on the surface of the molten metal. By this means, a surface temperature (T2) of the molten metal at the first irradiation line is made higher than an average surface temperature (T0) of the entire surface of the molten metal in the hearth, and in an outer layer of the molten metal, a first molten metal flow is formed from the first irradiation line toward the supply line.