A method for identifying, classifying, and sending notification of an electric arc furnace's (EAF) anomalies to improve the EAF efficiency. The method includes the steps of establishing baseline state measurements of the EAF, receiving new state measurements of the EAF and statistically testing the new state measurements against the baseline state measurements. The method further includes the steps of identifying as an anomaly a failed statistical test, classifying the identified anomaly and sending notification of the classified anomaly to a configurable list of recipients.

This invention concerns power supplies suitable for electric arc gas heaters such a plasma torches. It more particularly relates to the dimensioning of the inductor in the switched-mode DC to DC converter used for feeding the torch. The invention concerns in particular a DC power supply for driving a non-transferred electric arc gas heater, comprising: an AC to DC rectifier providing a potential U.sub.0; a DC to DC switching converter having a switching frequency f.sub.S; a current control loop having a latency Formula (I); and, a ballast inductor having an inductance L; characterized in that inductance L is such that Formula (II) and Formula (III). Such a design ensures the stability of the current control loop, while also ensuring a sufficient amount of current ripple to spread out the erosion zone on the electrodes of the torch. $\begin{array}{cc};& \left(I\right)\\ L>\left(\frac{U_0}{1500}\right),& \left(\mathrm{II}\right)\\ L<\frac{1}{f_s}\left(\frac{U_0}{200}\right).& \left(\mathrm{III}\right)\end{array}$

This invention concerns power supplies suitable for electric arc gas heaters such a plasma torches. It more particularly relates to the dimensioning of the inductor in the switched-mode DC to DC converter used for feeding the torch. The invention concerns in particular a DC power supply for driving a non-transferred electric arc gas heater, comprising: an AC to DC rectifier providing a potential U.sub.0; a DC to DC switching converter having a switching frequency f.sub.S; a current control loop having a latency Formula (I); and, a ballast inductor having an inductance L; characterized in that inductance L is such that Formula (II) and Formula (III). Such a design ensures the stability of the current control loop, while also ensuring a sufficient amount of current ripple to spread out the erosion zone on the electrodes of the torch. $\begin{array}{cc};& \left(I\right)\\ L>\left(\frac{U_0}{1500}\right),& \left(\mathrm{II}\right)\\ L<\frac{1}{f_s}\left(\frac{U_0}{200}\right).& \left(\mathrm{III}\right)\end{array}$

A control device for an arc furnace includes an arc furnace control module for controlling the arc furnace and a flicker module for determining a flicker value in a grid supplying the arc furnace, wherein the arc furnace control module is adapted for controlling the arc furnace based on the flicker value and wherein the arc furnace control module and the flicker module are integrated into one structural component.

A metallurgical furnace including a vessel, in turn having a lower shell for containing the metal bath, the metal bath being composed of molten metal and an overlying layer of slag, wherein the lower shell is tiltingly supported and is provided with a deslagging opening for evacuating the slag and with a tapping opening for tapping the molten metal, and an upper shell removably positioned on the lower shell and provided with at least one inlet opening for feeding, through the same, charge material in the solid state or in the molten state, a closing roof for the upper closing of the vessel, wherein the closing roof is removably positioned on the upper shell and is provided with a passage opening for the passage, through the same, of at least one electrode and at least one charge opening for feeding, through the same, charge material in the solid state, wherein at least one of the inlet openings, the passage opening, the charge opening is closed or can be associated with a closing element of the removable type, and wherein the lower shell has a diameter D and the vessel has an overall height H ranging from 0.70 D to 1.25 D, preferably ranging from 0.70 D to 0.80 D if the furnace is used as an electric arc furnace and from 0.80 D to 1.25 D if the furnace is used as a converter.

A metallurgical furnace including a vessel, in turn having a lower shell for containing the metal bath, the metal bath being composed of molten metal and an overlying layer of slag, wherein the lower shell is tiltingly supported and is provided with a deslagging opening for evacuating the slag and with a tapping opening for tapping the molten metal, and an upper shell removably positioned on the lower shell and provided with at least one inlet opening for feeding, through the same, charge material in the solid state or in the molten state, a closing roof for the upper closing of the vessel, wherein the closing roof is removably positioned on the upper shell and is provided with a passage opening for the passage, through the same, of at least one electrode and at least one charge opening for feeding, through the same, charge material in the solid state, wherein at least one of the inlet openings, the passage opening, the charge opening is closed or can be associated with a closing element of the removable type, and wherein the lower shell has a diameter D and the vessel has an overall height H ranging from 0.70 D to 1.25 D, preferably ranging from 0.70 D to 0.80 D if the furnace is used as an electric arc furnace and from 0.80 D to 1.25 D if the furnace is used as a converter.

An electronic cigarette for smoldering tobacco materials housed in a cigarette cartridge has a heater, and first and second heat conductors. The heater generates heat by using a resistance wire, or via ionizing air, e.g., an electric arc generator. The first heat conductor, which receives heat from the heater, directly contacts an outer surface of the cigarette cartridge for heating the tobacco materials through the cigarette cartridge's outer surface. The second heat conductor penetrates into a center of the cigarette cartridge, and has a heating element for heating the tobacco materials via the cigarette cartridge's center. Hence, the tobacco materials are heated from both inside and outside of the cigarette cartridge simultaneously, thereby smoldering the tobacco materials more completely and resulting in a better taste. During ionizing the air, the heater may further generate a gaseous air-purifying agent for air purification, e.g., negative ions generated by the electric arc generator.

An electronic cigarette for smoldering tobacco materials housed in a cigarette cartridge has a heater, and first and second heat conductors. The heater generates heat by using a resistance wire, or via ionizing air, e.g., an electric arc generator. The first heat conductor, which receives heat from the heater, directly contacts an outer surface of the cigarette cartridge for heating the tobacco materials through the cigarette cartridge's outer surface. The second heat conductor penetrates into a center of the cigarette cartridge, and has a heating element for heating the tobacco materials via the cigarette cartridge's center. Hence, the tobacco materials are heated from both inside and outside of the cigarette cartridge simultaneously, thereby smoldering the tobacco materials more completely and resulting in a better taste. During ionizing the air, the heater may further generate a gaseous air-purifying agent for air purification, e.g., negative ions generated by the electric arc generator.

A power supply is provided for an electric arc furnace in which heat is generated by passage of current through one or more electrodes that causes an electric arc between the one or more electrodes and a metal in the electric arc furnace. The power supply is coupleable to and between the electric arc furnace and a utility configured to provide three-phase alternating current (AC) power. The power supply includes power circuitry with a cycloconverter (CCV) for each electrode of the one or more electrodes. The CCV is configured to receive three-phase power voltage and produce a single-phase voltage with reduced frequency that is delivered to the electrode to cause the electrode to create the electric arc that produces the heat to melt the metal. Control circuitry is operably coupled to the CCV, and configured to control a frequency of the single-phase voltage.

A power supply is provided for an electric arc furnace in which heat is generated by passage of current through one or more electrodes that causes an electric arc between the one or more electrodes and a metal in the electric arc furnace. The power supply is coupleable to and between the electric arc furnace and a utility configured to provide three-phase alternating current (AC) power. The power supply includes power circuitry with a cycloconverter (CCV) for each electrode of the one or more electrodes. The CCV is configured to receive three-phase power voltage and produce a single-phase voltage with reduced frequency that is delivered to the electrode to cause the electrode to create the electric arc that produces the heat to melt the metal. Control circuitry is operably coupled to the CCV, and configured to control a frequency of the single-phase voltage.