The invention relates to a device for heating molten metal by the use of a heater that can be immersed into the molten metal. This immersion heater includes an outer cover formed of one or more materials resistant to the molten metal in which the immersion heater is to be used, and a heating element inside of the outer cover, where the heating element is protected from contacting the molten metal.

A method for producing silicon using microwave and a microwave reduction furnace for use therewith are disclosed, with which it is possible to quickly reduce silica to quickly produce silicon. A material of a mixture of a silica powder and a graphite powder of a mixture of a silica powder, a silicon carbide powder and a graphite powder is set in a refractory chamber. Then, the material set in the chamber is irradiated with microwave. The graphite powder absorbs a microwave energy to increase the temperature, after which silica and graphite react with each other to further increase the temperature while producing silicon carbide, and the heated silica and silicon carbide react with each other. SiO produced through this reaction and silicon carbide are allowed to react with each other, thereby producing high-purity silicon.

Examples of the present disclosure relate to a recycling furnace that may include a heating chamber configured to receive solid metal and an immersion heating unit adjacent to the heating chamber. The solid metal may undergo a thermolysis pre-treatment in the heating chamber, and the heating chamber may include a furnace that is configured to create liquid metal by melting the solid metal after the thermolysis pre-treatment. The immersion heating unit is configured to receive and heat the liquid metal, and each immersion heater is immersed in liquid metal.

A heating element for use in a system for melting materials during the production of a glass or ceramic material may include a first coupling member which may couple to a first side of the interior of a melt tank; a second coupling member which may couple to a second side of the interior of the melt tank; and at least one elongate strip extending between the first coupling member and the second coupling member. The at least one elongate strip is integral with the first coupling member and the second coupling member. During a heating operation, current may flow between the first coupling member and the second coupling member of the heating element, along the at least one elongate strip to thereby radiate heat to materials located within the interior of the melt tank.

An induction heating method includes a step of supplying a ring-shaped member to a predetermined section serving as a heating target section using an induction coil, and a step of moving the ring-shaped member along a reference axis so as to pass through the predetermined section. The moving step includes controlling contact between the ring-shaped member and a different member by a contact control portion.

A furnace system including an outer shell which comprises a top flange, an elongated body portion, and a bottom flange, wherein the outer shell is a pressure vessel, with no penetrations in the elongated body portion; a heater assembly which comprises (i) a single-piece annular shaped insulation layer, and (ii) a plurality of heaters embedded in the insulation layer, wherein the heater assembly is disposed within the elongated body portion of the outer shell; and an innermost layer disposed within the annular-shaped insulation layer, wherein the innermost layer is a baffle tube configured to force a natural convective flow, wherein each of the plurality of heaters is individually controllable and the plurality of heaters are configured to heat different zones within the furnace to different temperatures and/or at different rates. The system may be used to heat treat magnet materials, such as those formed of Bi-2212, therein.

Described herein are photonic furnaces and methods of using the same to produce metal products from a precursor material.

A method of heating direct reduced iron between a direct reduced iron source and processing equipment for the direct reduced iron, comprises providing a conduit heater assembly between the direct reduced iron source and the processing equipment, wherein the conduit heater assembly receives a flow of the direct reduced iron from the direct reduced iron source and heats the direct reduced iron as the direct reduced iron flows through the conduit heater assembly and to the processing equipment.

Systems and methods for fabrication of ceramics from celestial materials using microwave sintering and mechanical compression for space mining applications are disclosed. In one aspect, a chamber for sintering loose mineral material into solid ceramic shapes includes a plurality of zirconia insulating plates configured to clamp the mineral material and forming a cavity in which the mineral loose material is contained, and at least one dipole array configured to generate microwave energy and apply the microwave energy to the mineral material.

The present description concerns a holder (60) for high-intensity lamps (24) comprising a first part (62) made of a first material, intended to support the high-intensity lamps and comprising a surface (70) intended to face the high-intensity lamps, a second part (64) made of a second material different from the first material, covering the first part and attached to the first part, and a sheet (90), made of a third material different from the first material, interposed between the first part and the second part and delimiting with the second part at least one cavity (72) intended to contain a coolant.