A metal melting and retention furnace is provided, wherein a tubular member in a furnace chamber, a table-like melting part is formed directly below the tubular member and a melting burner is arranged in the furnace chamber, a molten metal retention part in which the melting material which has been melted is introduced and which is provided with a retention burner for heating the introduced molten metal is formed around the outer circumference of the table-like melting part, and the molten metal in the molten metal retention part flows to a molten metal ladle part adjacent to the furnace chamber.

A metal melting and retention furnace is provided, wherein a tubular member in a furnace chamber, a table-like melting part is formed directly below the tubular member and a melting burner is arranged in the furnace chamber, a molten metal retention part in which the melting material which has been melted is introduced and which is provided with a retention burner for heating the introduced molten metal is formed around the outer circumference of the table-like melting part, and the molten metal in the molten metal retention part flows to a molten metal ladle part adjacent to the furnace chamber.

A raw material supply process 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 process 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.

The present invention preferably comprises a system and method for measuring and/or continuously monitoring the temperature and/or height of a molten metal bath in a vessel. Specifically, an ultrasonic transmitter and an ultrasonic receiver are disposed about sides of the vessel and are used to send and receive an ultrasonic signal in order to detect the temperature of the bath. More specifically, the ultrasonic transmitter is configured to send an ultrasonic signal through the vessel, and the ultrasonic receiver is configured to receive that ultrasonic signal after it has travelled through the vessel (comprising the molten metal bath). The ultrasonic receiver provides at least one signal to a processing unit (i.e., control center), which processes the at least one signal to determine the temperature and/or level of the molten metal bath. The invention may further comprise chillers to protect the transmitter and receiver from the heat of the bath.

A method and an arrangement measures electrode paste in an electrode column of an electric arc furnace. The electrode column has a steel casing, is provided with a contact shoe ring, and is filled with electrode paste introduced from above and evolving from raw paste in the upper part of the steel casing to melted paste and to baked paste in the lower part of the electrode column. The level of the raw paste is determined with a laser beam transmitted by a first laser device. The level of the molten paste is determined with a laser beam transmitted by a second laser device. The data received from the laser devices is used for calculation of the distances of the levels of the raw paste and molten paste from the contact shoe ring.

A method and an arrangement measures electrode paste in an electrode column of an electric arc furnace. The electrode column has a steel casing, is provided with a contact shoe ring, and is filled with electrode paste introduced from above and evolving from raw paste in the upper part of the steel casing to melted paste and to baked paste in the lower part of the electrode column. The level of the raw paste is determined with a laser beam transmitted by a first laser device. The level of the molten paste is determined with a laser beam transmitted by a second laser device. The data received from the laser devices is used for calculation of the distances of the levels of the raw paste and molten paste from the contact shoe ring.

When supplying oxygen source to molten pig iron inside a converter-type refining furnace and performing desiliconization, dephosphorization, and decarburization refining, one or more of slag removal flow shape, slag removal flow velocity, and slag surface shape while discharging slag through a throat is measured to estimate one or both of a slag removal amount and physical properties of removed slag. When sequentially performing one or both of desiliconization and dephosphorization, an intermediate step of discharging part or all of generated slag through the throat, and the remaining other refining step, in the intermediate step, the method measures one or two of slag removal flow shape, slag removal flow velocity, and slag surface shape, estimates one or both of amount and physical properties of slag removed, estimates remaining slag amount, or remaining slag amount and composition, and determines an auxiliary raw material amount to be fed in the other refining step.

Sensors measure magnetic field components, and the measured fields are used to calculate and estimated transverse position of a longitudinal electric current flowing as an electric discharge across a discharge gap. Based on the estimated position, and according to a selected transverse trajectory or distribution of the estimated discharge position, magnetic fields are applied transversely across the discharge gap so as to control or alter the estimated discharge position. Inventive apparatus and methods can be employed, inter alia, during operation of a vacuum arc furnace.

Sensors measure magnetic field components, and the measured fields are used to calculate and estimated transverse position of a longitudinal electric current flowing as an electric discharge across a discharge gap. Based on the estimated position, and according to a selected transverse trajectory or distribution of the estimated discharge position, magnetic fields are applied transversely across the discharge gap so as to control or alter the estimated discharge position. Inventive apparatus and methods can be employed, inter alia, during operation of a vacuum arc furnace.