A furnace as described in this invention comprises a temperature regulating portion to assist in melting a non-ferrous material, such as an aluminium, and to reserve said material for the subsequent casting or injection molding procedure. The furnace provides a mean to eliminate an oxide, such as iron oxide, which generally floats on the top layer of a molten material inside a melting portion and a heating portion by preventing the flow of said oxide into the temperature regulating portion. A sensor or any detector that can detect the level of the molten material is utilized to measure the surface level of said molten material. A temperature regulating burner, which is a flat flame type, is utilized on the ceiling of the temperature regulating portion in order to prevent any oxidation reaction to occur as well as to reduce the concentration of oxygen inside the portion.

A furnace as described in this invention comprises a temperature regulating portion to assist in melting a non-ferrous material, such as an aluminium, and to reserve said material for the subsequent casting or injection molding procedure. The furnace provides a mean to eliminate an oxide, such as iron oxide, which generally floats on the top layer of a molten material inside a melting portion and a heating portion by preventing the flow of said oxide into the temperature regulating portion. A sensor or any detector that can detect the level of the molten material is utilized to measure the surface level of said molten material. A temperature regulating burner, which is a flat flame type, is utilized on the ceiling of the temperature regulating portion in order to prevent any oxidation reaction to occur as well as to reduce the concentration of oxygen inside the portion.

A fluid cooled housing system for use in metal making furnaces. In particular, the present invention related to a novel and inventive housing and guard member configured to receive and protect an implement, such as a burner or a lance, used in connection with metal making furnaces. A preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a housing comprising an outer shell and an inner shell that define a fluid chamber, an end cap, a bushing insert, a face plate, a fluid inlet, and a fluid outlet. Both the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet are preferably in fluid communication with both the fluid chamber defined by the shells and a fluid chamber defined by the bushing insert. In alternative preferred embodiments, the housing system further comprises a guard member that preferably envelopes and further protects the fluid cooled housing.

The present document describes a smelting apparatus for smelting metallic ore. The smelting apparatus comprises a furnace having a continuous curved wall and end walls defining a longitudinal volume having a longitudinal axis in a horizontal direction. The continuous curved wall has a lowermost area. The longitudinal volume is divided in at least three longitudinal layers comprising a top layer within which gasified fuel is combusted for creating a hot gas composition at a temperature sufficient to release, from the metallic ore, at least molten metal and slag, a lowermost layer at the lowermost area for holding molten metal, and a mid-layer above the lowermost layer in which the slag accumulates. The present document also describes processes using the smelting apparatus for producing ferrous and non-ferrous minerals from a metallic ore.

Continuous basalt fibers are produced by melting basalt rock in a submerged combustion melter, and by forming said melt into continuous basalt fibers.

Continuous basalt fibers are produced by melting basalt rock in a submerged combustion melter, and by forming said melt into continuous basalt fibers.

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 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.

[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.

Continuous basalt fibers are produced by melting basalt rock in a submerged combustion melter, and by forming said melt into continuos basalt fibers.