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 process for measuring wear of a refractory lining of a receptacle intended to contain molten metal, containing the following steps: scanning a first surface of the refractory lining using a first laser scanner in order to obtain a first initial set of data representative of the first surface, scanning a second surface of the refractory lining using a second laser scanner, distinct from the first laser scanner, in order to obtain a second initial set of data representative of the second surface, wherein the second surface includes a grey zone for the first laser scanner, the receptacle defining an obstacle located between the first laser scanner and the grey zone during scanning by the first laser scanner, and calculating a final set of data using the first initial set of data and the second initial set of data, the final set of data being representative of a surface of the refractory lining including the first surface and the second surface.

A method for continuous estimation an instantaneous weight of a graphite electrode being consumed in an electric arc furnace. The method includes the steps of continuously sensing a hydraulic pressure acting on a mast holding the graphite electrode; converting each one of the sensed hydraulic pressures to a corresponding weight of the graphite electrode; and determining from the corresponding weights of the graphite electrode the instantaneous weight of the graphite electrode.

Apparatus for melting metal material comprising a container for metal material, by way of example, but not limited to, metal scrap, DRI, cast iron, supplied in an electric arc-type melting furnace, and a plurality of electrodes to melt the metal material, which can be inserted in said container.

Apparatuses for interfacing with an electrode provided with a melting furnace including a vessel and an electrode. In some embodiments, a support assembly (50) supports the electrode outside of the vessel, and includes a cart (102) or similar apparatus that permits or facilitates selective vertical movement of the electrode and selective transverse movement of the electrode. In some embodiments, a push assembly (52) interfaces with a rear face of the electrode outside of the vessel, and is operable to apply a pushing force onto the rear face. The push assembly can include one or more tracks (e.g., threaded screw) that supports a body between opposing arms of a fixed frame. The body can translate along the tracks to apply a pushing force onto the electrode.

A sealing system for isolating the environment inside a vitrification container from the outside environment comprises a vitrification container with a lid. The lid comprises two or more electrode seal assemblies through which two or more electrodes may be operatively positioned and extend down through the lid into the vitrification container. The electrodes may move axially up and down through the electrode seal assemblies or lock into place. The electrode seal assemblies each comprise a housing having two halves with recessed ring grooves. Sealing rings with a split may be placed into the grooves. Gas galleries may be machined or cast into the housing such that they are adjacent to the ring grooves. The gas galleries distribute gas onto the external faces of the sealing rings causing a change in pressure resulting in the sealing rings compressing onto the electrodes and forming a seal.

A tap hole cleaning apparatus (20) for an electric arc furnace and a corresponding electric arc furnace (1) enable the cleaning of a tap hole (12) of an electric arc furnace (1) comprising a furnace vessel (2) having an eccentric or offset bottom tap hole (12). A lance head (24) is movable in a first step from a lower end position to an upper end position into and through the tap hole (12), and in a second step, the lance head (24) is movable back through the tap hole (12) from the upper end position to the lower end position while ejecting oxygen through one or more lateral oxygen ejection nozzles to clean the inner periphery of the tap hole (12).

A production apparatus and method for electric arc furnace steelmaking with a fully continuous ultra-short process are provided. A continuous adding, melting, smelting and continuous casting of a metal material are integrated, and a metallurgy process is completed in a flowing of a molten steel, to realize a continuous production of ingot blanks. The production apparatus includes four operation sites of an electric arc furnace for melting and primary refining, a sealed tapping chute for molten steel flowing, a refinement storage bed for molten-steel desulfurization and alloying and a conticaster for continuous casting A material flow, an energy flow and a time stream in the four operation sites are in a dynamic equilibrium. The production apparatus and method realize a molten-steel casting is started within 120 minutes after the metal material is started to be continuously added, and an uninterrupted continuous production is maintained for above 80 hours.

It is proposed herein to employ thyristor firing angles as a fast prediction of flicker in power supply for an electric arc furnace. It is further proposed to actively modify operating variables for the electric arc furnace to maintain the flicker below a predefined threshold. Aspects of the present application use the thyristor firing angles in combination with control ranges of variable reactance devices to predict the flicker severity level generated by the electric arc furnace with thyristor-controlled variable reactance devices. Based on the predicted flicker level, at least one operating variable of the electric arc furnace may be changed, if required, to maintain flicker to acceptable limit.

A method of charging a pre-packaged charge in a metallurgical or refining furnace includes providing a disposable metal container having at least one attachment member and forming a pre-packaged charge by loading scrap material into the metal container. The method also includes releasably coupling the at least one attachment member of the container to a lifting device, and then de-coupling the pre-packaged charge from the lifting device so that the combination of the scrap material and the disposable metal container are charged in the furnace.