A system and method of controlling a metal melting process in a melting furnace, including determining at least one furnace parameter characterizing a melting furnace, adding a charge containing solid metal into the melting furnace, detecting at least one charge parameter characterizing the charge, firing a burner into the melting furnace to provide heat to melt the charge, and exhausting burner combustion products from the furnace, detecting at least one process parameter characterizing progress of melting the charge, calculating a furnace efficiency based on the at least one furnace parameter, calculating a predicted process pour readiness time based on the at least one charge parameter, the at least one process parameter, and the furnace efficiency, and controlling the metal melting process based on the predicted process pour readiness time.

A raw material supply apparatus that supplies a raw material into a flash smelting furnace and supplies a first gas contributing to a reaction of the raw material into the flash smelting furnace, includes: a raw material passage that is provided out of a lance through which the first gas passes, the raw material passing through the raw material passage; and an adjuster that adjusts a distribution of the raw material by blowing a second gas to the raw material passing through the raw material passage.

A raw material supply apparatus that supplies a raw material into a flash smelting furnace and supplies a first gas contributing to a reaction of the raw material into the flash smelting furnace, includes: a raw material passage that is provided out of a lance through which the first gas passes, the raw material passing through the raw material passage; and an adjuster that adjusts a distribution of the raw material by blowing a second gas to the raw material passing through the raw material passage.

A power supply is provided for an electric arc furnace in which heat is generated by passage of current through one or more electrodes that causes an electric arc between the one or more electrodes and a metal in the electric arc furnace. The power supply is coupleable to and between the electric arc furnace and a utility configured to provide three-phase alternating current (AC) power. The power supply includes power circuitry with a cycloconverter (CCV) for each electrode of the one or more electrodes. The CCV is configured to receive three-phase power voltage and produce a single-phase voltage with reduced frequency that is delivered to the electrode to cause the electrode to create the electric arc that produces the heat to melt the metal. Control circuitry is operably coupled to the CCV, and configured to control a frequency of the single-phase voltage.

A power supply is provided for an electric arc furnace in which heat is generated by passage of current through one or more electrodes that causes an electric arc between the one or more electrodes and a metal in the electric arc furnace. The power supply is coupleable to and between the electric arc furnace and a utility configured to provide three-phase alternating current (AC) power. The power supply includes power circuitry with a cycloconverter (CCV) for each electrode of the one or more electrodes. The CCV is configured to receive three-phase power voltage and produce a single-phase voltage with reduced frequency that is delivered to the electrode to cause the electrode to create the electric arc that produces the heat to melt the metal. Control circuitry is operably coupled to the CCV, and configured to control a frequency of the single-phase voltage.

The invention provides for a DC brush-arc furnace comprising a vessel 12 and first and second electrodes 16, 18. A first DC power supply 20 supplies power to the electrodes. A first conductor 26 extends parallel to the first electrode, so that a first current flows in a first direction through the first conductor and in a second opposite direction in the first electrode. A second conductor 28 extends parallel to the second electrode, so that the current flows in the first direction in the second electrode and in the second direction in the second conductor. An arc deflection compensation system 30 comprises a second DC power supply 32 and a compensation circuit 34 comprising a first compensation conductor 36 and a second compensation conductor 38. The second DC power supply causes a second current to flow through the first compensation conductor in the first direction and through the second compensation conductor in the second direction.

To directly and clearly observe the state inside a melting chamber in an electric furnace, a video-device-equipped electric furnace comprises: a melting chamber; a preheating chamber; and a video device to observe an inside of the melting chamber. The video device includes: a relay lens; an inner tube containing the relay lens and having an outer diameter of 100 mm or less; an outer tube containing the inner tube; and an imaging device located at an axial end of the relay lens on a furnace outside. The video device is provided through a hole in a furnace wall or lid so that the relay lens is located 300 mm to 3500 mm away from a highest molten iron interface in a vertically upward direction and the imaging device is located 300 mm or more away from an inner wall of the furnace wall or lid in a furnace outward direction.

A method for operating an electric arc furnace having at least one electrode, the method including the following steps: introducing material that is to be melted in the form of an actual mass flow into the electric arc furnace and feeding electrical energy via at least one electrode into the electric arc furnace in order to melt the introduced material depending on a previously determined, necessary electrical energy input. The necessary electrical energy input into the arc furnace is determined depending on the mass flow input into the furnace.

A method for operating an electric arc furnace having at least one electrode, the method including the following steps: introducing material that is to be melted in the form of an actual mass flow into the electric arc furnace and feeding electrical energy via at least one electrode into the electric arc furnace in order to melt the introduced material depending on a previously determined, necessary electrical energy input. The necessary electrical energy input into the arc furnace is determined depending on the mass flow input into the furnace.

A glass substrate chemical strengthening furnace apparatus includes a bottom portion and a side wall extending from an edge of the bottom portion, where the bottom portion and the side wall define a reaction space; and a plurality of heaters providing heat to the reaction space. The bottom portion includes an inclined portion located at a center and a collection portion disposed between the inclined portion and the side wall, the collection portion is in a groove shape in which an upper surface thereof is further recessed than the inclined portion, and the plurality of heaters includes a bottom heater disposed in the bottom portion or adjacent to the bottom portion.