A launder for use in moving molten metal includes at least one relatively narrow channel through which molten metal flows. Using a narrow, rather than broad, channel permits better control of the flow and helps prevent overflowing the launder or a structure adjacent the launder. A molten metal pumping or transfer system may utilize a launder as disclosed herein.

A metallurgical apparatus comprises a vessel for holding a body of liquid metal and a circulating apparatus for circulating the body of liquid metal within the vessel. The vessel has a peripheral wall and a base, and the circulating apparatus comprises a launder that provides an open-topped flow channel and a pumping device for pumping liquid metal through the launder. The launder has an inlet end connected to a first opening in the peripheral wall and an outlet end connected to a second opening in the peripheral wall. The pumping device is configured to pump liquid metal through the launder so that liquid metal flows out of the vessel through the first opening and into the vessel through the second opening, thereby causing the body of liquid metal within the vessel to circulate.

A method for electromagnetic stirring of liquid metal in a continuous charge electric arc furnace, in which there are positioned a first electromagnetic field along a first axis of electromagnetic stirring and a second electromagnetic field along a second axis of electromagnetic stirring.

To provide a technique that reliably and quickly melts conductive metal, there is provided a conductive metal melting method including: rotating a magnetic field device formed of a permanent magnet, which includes a permanent magnet, about a vertical axis near a driving flow channel of a flow channel that includes an inlet through which conductive molten metal flows into the flow channel from the outside and an outlet through which the molten metal is discharged to the outside and includes a vortex chamber provided between the driving flow channel provided on an upstream side and an outflow channel provided on a downstream side, and moving lines of magnetic force of the permanent magnet while the lines of magnetic force of the permanent magnet pass through the molten metal present in the driving flow channel; allowing the molten metal to flow into the vortex chamber by an electromagnetic force generated with the movement to generate the vortex of the molten metal in the vortex chamber into which the raw material is to be put; and discharging the molten metal to the outside from the outlet. The conductive metal melting method further includes driving the molten metal present in the outflow channel toward the outlet by an electromagnetic force generated with the movement of the lines of magnetic force as necessary.

A furnace includes a tank having outer and inner walls defining a closed canal configured to be filled with molten metal continuously circulating along the closed canal. The closed canal includes at least one heating area having a heating component configured to transfer energy to the molten metal thus overheating it; at least one loading area configured for material to be melted or treated, dragged by the overheated molten metal on its surface; a melting/treatment area configured to receive the overheated molten metal and material dragged on its surface. The overheated molten metal transfers its exceeding energy to the material, causing its melting/treatment. The furnace has a central hollow delimited by the inner wall. The furnace includes a driving component within the hollow, having a rotor with at least one magnet body. The rotor is coupled to a motor and configured to rotate upon activation of the motor, generating a magnetic field capable of causing circulation of the molten metal in a continuous and cyclical manner.

Embodiments of the invention are directed to a rotor for a molten metal pump and a molten metal pump including the rotor. The rotor has a main body and a top comprised of a material that is at least twice as hard as the main body. The top, among other things, may form a first portion of each rotor blade wherein the first portion directs molten metal into a pump chamber or other structure in which the rotor is mounted.

Methods and apparatus for moving a molten metal are provided in which the electromagnetic inductor includes at least two pairs of electromagnetic pole pairs and in which a first magnetic field component is generated between one pole in a first electromagnetic pole pair and a second pole in a different electromagnetic pole pair, and in which a second magnetic field component is generated between the two poles in one or more electromagnetic pole pairs, the second magnetic field component thereby generating one or more eddy currents in the molten metal. Those eddy currents are generally parallel to the surface of the molten metal and so have greater magnitude and extent that eddy currents perpendicular to the surface. Such eddy currents provide useful additional movement to the molten metal, for instance for stirring purposes, particularly when the depth of molten metal is small.

Embodiments of the invention are directed to a rotor for a molten metal pump and a molten metal pump including the rotor. The rotor has a main body and a top comprised of a material that is at least twice as hard as the main body. The top, among other things, may form a first portion of each rotor blade wherein the first portion directs molten metal into a pump chamber or other structure in which the rotor is mounted.

There is provided a metal molded body manufacturing apparatus for electromagnetically stirring metallic molten metal and molding a metal molded body. The metal molded body manufacturing apparatus includes: a die having an inclined side wall; and a moving magnetic field generation section that stirs the molten metal in the die, wherein the moving magnetic field generation section includes a magnetic body, and a coil wound around the magnetic body as a center, and an end surface of the magnetic body is disposed in parallel to an inner surface of the side wall.

The invention relates to a station for transferring a metal melt from a melting furnace into a transport crucible. The station includes a docking chamber, which has a docking opening and is designed to be docked to a filling opening of the transport crucible a suctioning device, which is designed to suction a gas from the docking chamber or from the transport crucible docked to the docking chamber, and a suction pipe, which has a suction channel extending between an inlet opening and an outlet opening. The inlet opening is arranged outside the docking chamber and the outlet opening is arranged in such a way that a metal melt flowing through the suction channel and exiting from the outlet opening passes through the docking opening.