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.

A furnace melt tower includes a burner block having an inner wall defining a burner port for receiving a burner nozzle and a burner tube insert received within the burner port between the inner wall and the burner nozzle to protect the burner port and ease cleaning and repair. The burner tube insert includes a cylindrical body having a first end and a second end and a flange extending radially outward from the first end of the burner tube insert.

In a known composite material with a fused silica matrix there are regions of silicon-containing phase embedded. In order to provide a composite material which is suitable for producing components for use in high-temperature processes for heat treatment even when exacting requirements are imposed on impermeability to gas and on purity, it is proposed in accordance with the invention that the composite material be impervious to gas, have a closed porosity of less than 0.5% and a specific density of at least 2.19 g/cm.sup.3, and at a temperature of 1000 C. have a spectral emissivity of at least 0.7 for wavelengths between 2 and 8 m.

A channel inductor of a channel induction furnace, the channel inductor comprising (a) a channel liner and (b) a back-up liner that supports the channel liner such that the integrity of the channel liner is not compromised during heat-up, dry-out, or operation of the channel induction furnace.

In a known composite material with a fused silica matrix there are regions of silicon-containing phase embedded. In order to provide a composite material which is suitable for producing components for use in high-temperature processes for heat treatment even when exacting requirements are imposed on impermeability to gas and on purity, it is proposed in accordance with the invention that the composite material be impervious to gas, have a closed porosity of less than 0.5% and a specific density of at least 2.19 g/cm.sup.3, and at a temperature of 1000 C. have a spectral emissivity of at least 0.7 for wavelengths between 2 and 8 m.

A furnace has a melting chamber with a periphery defined by a surrounding wall structure. The furnace is provided with a purge system configured to direct inert gas to flow downward in the melting chamber in the configuration of a curtain that adjoins the wall structure and reaches only partially around the periphery of the melting 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.

A furnace has a melting chamber with a periphery defined by a surrounding wall structure. The furnace is provided with a purge system configured to direct inert gas to flow downward in the melting chamber in the configuration of a curtain that adjoins the wall structure and reaches only partially around the periphery of the melting chamber.

The melting induction furnace comprises, together with a casing (7) to which a lower sole plate (11) is added to form the central part of the structure, a removable inner crucible (1) composed of an internal layer (4) resisting heat and aggressiveness of the molten bath (20), an external layer (6) delimiting the crucible and an insulating intermediate layer (5). The crucible (1) is a disposable crucible and can be stored with its charge in an appropriate container. Heat losses are low, even when the casing (7) is cooled. Stresses due to differential thermal expansions are also very much reduced.

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.