A system for melting materials during the production of a glass or ceramic material is disclosed. A method for melting materials during the production of a glass or ceramic material is also disclosed. The system comprises a melt tank having an interior with a width and a length; and an electrode array comprising a plurality of elongate electrodes each extending at least partially across the width of the interior of the melt tank. Each electrode within the electrode array is spaced apart from an adjacent electrode within the electrode array by from about 5 mm to 100 mm. The electrode array is configured such that during a heating operation, current flows between adjacent electrodes within the electrode array, such that heat is radiated from the electrodes to materials located within the interior of the melt tank.

The present disclosure provides an apparatus and method for preparation of negative electrode material using length-wise graphitization of carbon. The apparatus includes one or more graphite boxes, configured to store powdered coke. The one or more graphite boxes are enabled to be accommodated inside a refractory, encapsulated by a cooling jacket configured to regulate surface temperature of the apparatus. The one or more graphite boxes have one or more openings for refilling of powdered coke and collection of prepared material, the one or more openings being covered by one or more first lids and one or more heat insulating second lids. The apparatus includes one or more graphite electrodes coupled to the one or more graphite boxes and the refractory. One or more heating elements detachably coupled to the one or more graphite electrodes are enabled to receive electric power and uniformly heat the powdered coke.

A holding device for a heating element and a heater with at least one such holding device. The holding device is produced from a refractory metal or from an alloy on the basis of refractory metal, has at least two holding elements which are arranged perpendicularly or at least substantially perpendicularly to each other. A first holding element is at least partially arranged in an opening of a second holding element.

A support arrangement (10) for mounting electric heating elements (5, 7) in a furnace (1). The support arrangement (10) comprises a first insulating body (11), a second insulating body (21), a detachably arranged cover body (30) or cover assembly (60), and a support structure (40). A cavity (15) is formed between the first insulating body (11) and a second insulating body (21) into which the heating elements (5, 7) extend to thereby allow electrical connection to a power source. Each of the first insulating body (11) and a second insulating body (21) comprises at least one longitudinal slot (13, 23) arranged in a first surface facing towards the interior of the furnace (1) to thereby allow insertion of a heating element into the support arrangement (10) from the interior of the furnace (1).

A heating apparatus, which can stably fix a heater and be easily produced, includes a heat insulating material and an electric heater embedded in the surface or near the surface of the heat insulating material. At least one hook extends from the electric heater into the heat insulating material. The heat insulating material is formed of ceramic fibers and a binder binding the ceramic fibers, and is integrally molded with the electric heater having the hook.

A sintering furnace can have a housing, one or more heating elements, and a conveying assembly. Each heating element can be disposed within the housing and can subject a heating zone to a thermal shock temperature profile. A substrate with one or more precursors thereon can be moved by the conveying assembly through an inlet of the housing to the heating zone, where it is subjected to a first temperature of at least 500 C. for a first time period. The conveying assembly can then move the substrate with one or more sintered materials thereon from the heating zone and through an outlet of the housing.

The invention relates to a sintering furnace (1) for components (15) made of a sintered material, in particular for dental components, comprising a furnace chamber (2) having a chamber volume (VK) and a chamber inner surface (OK), wherein a heat-up device (5), a receiving space (9) having a gross volume (VB) located in the chamber volume (VK) and delimited by the heat-up device (5), and a useful region (10) having a useful volume (VN) located in the gross volume (VB), are disposed in the furnace chamber (2). The furnace chamber (2) has an outer wall (3) consisting of a plurality of walls having a wall portion (7) to be opened for introduction into the receiving space (9) of a component to be sintered (15) and having an object volume (VO). In the furnace chamber (2) the heat-up device (5) has a thermal radiator (6) having a radiation field (13) which radiator is disposed on at least one side of the receiving space (9). Said thermal radiator (6) has a specific resistance of 0.1 mm.sup.2/m to 1,000,000 mm.sup.2/m and has a total surface, the maximum of which is three times the chamber inner surface (OK). With this sintering furnace (1) a heat-up temperature of at least 1100 C. can be achieved within 5 minutes at a maximum power input of 1.5 kW.

A support arrangement (10) for mounting electric heating elements (5, 7) in a furnace (1). The support arrangement (10) comprises a first insulating body (11), a second insulating body (21), a detachably arranged cover body (30) or cover assembly (60), and a support structure (40). A cavity (15) is formed between the first insulating body (11) and a second insulating body (21) into which the heating elements (5, 7) extend to thereby allow electrical connection to a power source. Each of the first insulating body (11) and a second insulating body (21) comprises at least one longitudinal slot (13, 23) arranged in a first surface facing towards the interior of the furnace (1) to thereby allow insertion of a heating element into the support arrangement (10) from the interior of the furnace (1).

An electrical insulating and heating element support assembly for a high temperature vacuum furnace having a threaded support rod for connecting a heating element to the insulated hot-zone support ring in an electrically non-connected position includes insulator sleeves and washers surrounding the rod in contact with a series of refractory metal washers which may include graphite and/or molybdenum as shielding liners used to protect electrical insulators from having electrical short path means due to deposition of conductive materials onto the non-conducting insulators, and the use of threaded nuts and bushings to anchor the rod and shielding arrangement within the furnace hot zone. The non-conducting insulators and washers are made from materials with high thermal and electrical resistance, such as preferably alumina or mullite, and radially surround the support rod and the heating element. The electrically non-connected shielding washers and nuts, and the rod can be made from graphite or molybdenum, and are designed to be easily disassembled in order to provide relatively easier maintenance service to the vacuum furnace. This design accomplishes the dual objective of supporting both the heating element and the high temperature insulation support ring while remaining electrically non-connected from the heating element. It also allows for variations in thickness of the furnace insulation and heating elements which is common for different furnace designs. This new stand-off assembly is designed to be easily disassembled in order to provide faster maintenance turnaround time and reuse of the stand-off hardware. Another equally important advantage of this design is the absence of holes in the support rod for the placement of pin retainers, and the elimination of the pin retainers, commonly found in prior art vacuum furnace heater element support assembly designs.

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.