A process for directional solidification of a cast part comprises energizing a primary inductive coil coupled to a chamber having a mold containing a material; generating an electromagnetic field with the primary inductive coil within the chamber, wherein said electromagnetic field is partially attenuated by a susceptor coupled to said chamber between said primary inductive coil and said mold; determining a magnetic flux profile of the electromagnetic field after it passes through the susceptor; sensing a component of the magnetic flux in the interior of the susceptor proximate the mold; positioning a mobile secondary compensation coil within the chamber; generating a control field from a secondary compensation coil, wherein said control field controls said magnetic flux; and casting the material within the mold.

An electric induction furnace for heating and melting electrically conductive materials is provided with a lining wear detection system that can detect replaceable furnace lining wear when the furnace is properly operated and maintained.

An induction coil assembly associated with controlling the flow of molten material used in casting or deposition of precious and/or non-precious metals on a substrate is disclosed. The assembly comprises one or more induction coils associated with induction melting of electrically conductive material by applying a predetermined current value. The assembly further comprises a crucible comprising the electrically conductive material in which an electromagnetic field is generated therein by the predetermined current value applied to the induction coils. The electromagnetic field associated with the electrically conductive material is modulated; and is used to generate smaller units of the electrically conductive material by interrupting velocity of a flow of the material in order to produce grains or apply layers on the substrate. Corresponding methods are also disclosed.

A system for adding molten lithium and inert gas in a molten aluminium or aluminium alloy melt including, a crucible defining a chamber for melting and storing molten metal, in particular molten lithium; the crucible having a sealed lid; an inert gas delivery system for maintaining chamber overpressure using inert gas; a conduit for withdrawing a portion of the molten metal from the crucible. The conduit arranged with respect to the crucible or the sealed lid so the conduit inlet can be moved below and above the molten metal surface level and arranged for feeding molten metal from the crucible to a separate holding furnace with the help of overpressure when the conduit inlet is below the molten metal surface level and arranged for feeding inert gas from the crucible to the separate holding furnace when the conduit inlet is above the molten metal surface level.

A metal oxide barrier and a connecting method for solving the problems in which sectors of an existing cold crucible are connected by means of a mica plate and the mica plate is damaged due to arcing and the like and in which the sectors are strongly connected by means of the mica plate and thus are difficult to replace and maintain. A cold crucible, comprising a metal oxide barrier, according to the present invention can prevent arcing, enables reduction of damage on the edge part of a water cooling sector due to a molten material and thus enhances durability. Moreover, the metal oxide barrier can easily be replaced compared to an existing mica plate and thus enables easy maintenance and repair.

A casting method of an active metal includes, in an induction melting furnace using a water-cooled crucible, tapping a molten metal into a mold from a tapping hole provided at a bottom of the water-cooled copper crucible to cast an ingot of the active metal. In conducting the casting under a casting condition in which the ingot has a diameter (D) of 10 mm or more and a ratio (H/D) of an ingot height H to the ingot diameter D of 1.5 or more and a weight of the molten metal tapped in the casting is 200 kg or less, a temperature of the molten metal in the casting is set to be higher than the melting point of the active metal and a casting velocity V (mm/sec) is controlled to satisfy V0.1H in relation with the ingot height H by adjusting an opening diameter of the tapping hole.

A dry-break electrical disconnect is provided between an induction melting furnace and a component of the electric induction melting assembly in which the furnace is removably installed for melting in a vacuum or otherwise controlled environmental chamber. Electric power connections are made to the induction melting furnace in a sealed interior volume of the assembly component that can be pressurized and of a different environment than that in the controlled environmental chamber. The assembly component may be a tilting cradle installed in the controlled environment chamber.

In an aspect, a method of manufacturing a high purity copper-based alloy comprises providing in a melting furnace a feedstock and melting the feedstock. The method additionally includes bubbling an inert gas into the molten copper-based alloy to form the high purity copper-based alloy. Aspects are also directed to an apparatus and a method of fabricating an apparatus for manufacturing the high purity copper-based alloy.

An induction furnace assembly comprising a chamber having a mold; a primary inductive coil coupled to the chamber; a susceptor surrounding the chamber between the primary inductive coil and the mold; and a shield material contained in a reservoir coupled to or proximate the mold between the susceptor and the mold; the shield material configured to attenuate a portion of an electromagnetic flux generated by the primary induction coil that is not attenuated by the susceptor.

A process for directional solidification of a cast part comprises energizing a primary inductive coil coupled to a chamber having a mold containing a material; generating an electromagnetic field with the primary inductive coil within the chamber, wherein said electromagnetic field is partially attenuated by a susceptor coupled to said chamber between said primary inductive coil and said mold; determining a magnetic flux profile of the electromagnetic field after it passes through the susceptor; sensing a component of the magnetic flux in the interior of the susceptor proximate the mold; positioning a mobile secondary compensation coil within the chamber; generating a control field from a secondary compensation coil, wherein said control field controls said magnetic flux; and casting the material within the mold.