A melting kettle for processing of thermoplastic material. The kettle disclosed herein obtains heat transfer by use of an oil jacketed tank with an adjoining main tank for storage of hot oil and a hose tank for recovery of the hot oil. Oil expelled from the oil jacket is directed to the main tank through an opening. Spillage of oil from the hose tank is directed to the main tank through an aperture. The melting kettle reduces the space needed for oil storage, and increases operator safety by eliminating additional transfer lines. Dual kettles benefit by having the adjoining main tank placed therebetween.

A crucible device includes a heating chamber, at least a first crucible in which a first crystal is growable, and at least a second crucible in which a second crystal is growable. The first crucible and the second crucible are arranged within the heating chamber spaced apart from each other along a horizontal and vertical and any orientational direction. The crucible device further comprises a heating system arranged within the heating chamber, wherein the heating system is configured for adjusting a temperature along the horizontal and vertical and any orientational directions.

A crucible device includes a heating chamber, at least a first crucible in which a first crystal is growable, and at least a second crucible in which a second crystal is growable. The first crucible and the second crucible are arranged within the heating chamber spaced apart from each other along a horizontal and vertical and any orientational direction. The crucible device further comprises a heating system arranged within the heating chamber, wherein the heating system is configured for adjusting a temperature along the horizontal and vertical and any orientational directions.

A galvanizing furnace (1) with a galvanizing vat (6) and a furnace housing (2) surrounding the galvanizing vat (6), which furnace housing has a rectangular cross-section. The furnace housing (2) has two opposite longitudinal sidewalls (4) and two opposite end walls (5) and further comprises burners for heating molten zinc in the galvanizing vat (6). In the areas of two diagonally opposite corners of the furnace housing (2), at least one first receptacle (15) is provided for a burner. In the areas of the other two diagonally opposite corners of the furnace housing (2), a second receptacle (16) is provided for a burner. The burners are arranged optionally either in the first receptacles (15) or in the second receptacles (16). Flames produced by the burners are conducted in the area between a longitudinal sidewall (4) of the furnace housing (2) and the opposite wall of the galvanizing vat (6).

In production of a reactive metal using a melting furnace for producing metal having a hearth, ingots can be efficiently produced by efficiently cooling the ingots extracted from the mold provided in the melting furnace. In addition, an apparatus structure in which multiple ingots can be produced with high efficiency and high quality from one hearth, is provided. A melting furnace for producing metal is provided, the furnace has a hearth for having molten metal formed by melting raw material, a mold in which the molten metal is poured, an extracting jig which is provided below the mold for extracting ingot cooled and solidified downwardly, a cooling member for cooling the ingot extracted downwardly of the mold, and an outer case for keeping the hearth, the mold, the extracting jig, and the cooling member separated from the air, wherein at least one mold and extracting jig are provided in the outer case, and the cooling member is provided between the outer case and the ingot, or between the multiple ingots.

A crucible apparatus includes a crucible and one or more induction coils arranged around the crucible. Upon application of electric power to the one or more induction coils, a first thermal zone is generated in at least a first portion of the crucible and a second thermal zone is generated in at least a second portion of the crucible, wherein a first thermal characteristic of the first thermal zone is different from a second thermal characteristic of the second thermal zone.

A crucible apparatus includes a crucible and one or more induction coils arranged around the crucible. Upon application of electric power to the one or more induction coils, a first thermal zone is generated in at least a first portion of the crucible and a second thermal zone is generated in at least a second portion of the crucible, wherein a first thermal characteristic of the first thermal zone is different from a second thermal characteristic of the second thermal zone.

The present invention addresses the problem of providing a heating furnace that sufficiently exhibits the microwave effect produced by microwave heating and allows economical heating taking advantage of the characteristics of each heating method. The provided microwave composite heating furnace (1) is equipped with: a housing (10); a heating container (11) for accommodating and heating an object to be heated; a heating means (12) for heating the heating container (11) from the outside; a microwave irradiation device (13); a to-be-heated object supplying device (14) that supplies the object to be heated to the inside of the heating container (11); a gas introducing means (15) for introducing gas into the heating container (11); and a gas recovery means (16) for recovering the gas generated when heating the object to be heated. The heating container (11) comprises a material that has high electrical conductivity so as to reflect microwaves and confine the microwaves inside and that has high heat resistance so as not to react with the heated object, thereby confining microwaves irradiated into the heating container (11) not through the outer wall of the heating container, and allowing an improvement in electromagnetic field density.

The present invention addresses the problem of providing a heating furnace that sufficiently exhibits the microwave effect produced by microwave heating and allows economical heating taking advantage of the characteristics of each heating method. The provided microwave composite heating furnace (1) is equipped with: a housing (10); a heating container (11) for accommodating and heating an object to be heated; a heating means (12) for heating the heating container (11) from the outside; a microwave irradiation device (13); a to-be-heated object supplying device (14) that supplies the object to be heated to the inside of the heating container (11); a gas introducing means (15) for introducing gas into the heating container (11); and a gas recovery means (16) for recovering the gas generated when heating the object to be heated. The heating container (11) comprises a material that has high electrical conductivity so as to reflect microwaves and confine the microwaves inside and that has high heat resistance so as not to react with the heated object, thereby confining microwaves irradiated into the heating container (11) not through the outer wall of the heating container, and allowing an improvement in electromagnetic field density.

An integral melter and pump assembly or system, and a method of making the same, is disclosed wherein the pump assembly comprises a melter housing having a melter container defined within the melter housing. A pump mounting plate is integrally mounted within a side wall portion of the melter container and an output dispensing supply pump is mounted directly upon an external surface portion of the pump mounting plate in a surface-to-surface manner such that heat generated internally within the melter container is effectively transferred by conduction from the melter container and through the pump mounting plate such that the temperature level of the output pump is elevated to, and maintained at, a predeterminedly desired level even when the pump, is not disposed in its output dispensing mode. In addition, since the output dispensing or material supply pump is disposed externally of the melter container and the melter housing, the output dispensing or material supply pump is easily and readily accessible in case maintenance becomes necessary. Optionally, an oil jacket or chamber can surround the melter container so as to more evenly or consistently provide heating of the melter container.