High alumina cement is produced in a submerged combustion melter, cooled and ground.

An industrial furnace for melting materials is provided. The industrial furnace includes metal components, a refractory shell, and a fill. The refractory shell is positioned to cover an inner surface of the metal components such that one or more pockets are defined between the metal components and the refractory shell. The refractory shell has an inner surface that substantially defines a melting bath in which the materials are deposited for melting. The fill is disposed in each of the pockets. 90% to 99.5% of the fill is composed of one or more magnesia materials selected from the group consisting of dead-burned magnesia and fused magnesia.

The present invention relates to an arrangement for low-pressure casting of refractory metals, with a furnace chamber with one or a plurality of gas supply openings (6) and gas outlet openings (7), and a riser pipe (8) through a cover (5) of the furnace chamber, a melting container (3, 12) for the refractory metals arranged in the furnace chamber, and a heating device for heating the refractory metals in the melting container (3, 12). In the proposed arrangement, the melting container (3, 12) is formed as an exchangeable insert for a receiving mould (2) supporting the melting container (3, 12), which is arranged in the furnace chamber, wherein a thermally insulating layer (4, 17) is formed between the receiving mould (2) and the melting container (3, 12), or is integrated into the melting container (3, 12). With the proposed arrangement, a quick and easy exchange of the melting container for different alloys can also be carried out in the low-pressure casting of refractory metals.

High alumina cement is produced in a submerged combustion melter, cooled and ground.

A direct current plasma arc furnace includes a tank having a crucible delimiting a chamber to receive material to be melted and/or treated; refractory walls surrounding the crucible outer surface; a metallic frame covering the refractory walls; and a heating system for heating the received material. The heating system includes two electrodes acting as cathode and anode, respectively, wherein the first electrode is a movable electrode to project vertically into the chamber. The crucible is part of an anode system also having the second electrode and at least one part connecting the crucible and second electrode. The crucible receives and holds material to be melted and/or treated and provides electric conduction for the flow of current to heat the material, such that the voltage potential difference between the cathode and any point of the crucible surface defined to be in contact with the material is the same.

A method of containing molten aluminum using non-wetting materials comprising depositing MgAl.sub.2O.sub.4, or one selected from an oxide, Al.sub.2O.sub.3, nitride, AlN, BN, carbide, and SiC, onto a crucible. An apparatus for containment of molten aluminum using non-wetting materials comprising a layer of MgAl.sub.2O.sub.4, or one selected from an oxide, Al.sub.2O.sub.3, nitride, AlN, BN, carbide, and SiC, deposited onto a crucible.

Crucible compositions and methods of using the crucible compositions to melt titanium and titanium alloys. More specifically, crucible compositions having extrinsic facecoats comprising a rare earth oxide that are effective for melting titanium and titanium alloys for use in casting titanium-containing articles. Further embodiments are titanium-containing articles made from the titanium and titanium alloys melted in the crucible compositions. Another embodiment is a crucible curing device and methods of use thereof.

A smelting vessel includes a plurality of heat pipes (21) positioned in a refractory lining of at least a part of the hearth (9) for cooling at least a part of the refractory lining. At least one of the heat pipes includes (a) a liquid phase of a heat transfer fluid, typically water, in a lower section of the heat pipe and (b) a vapor phase of the heat transfer fluid, typically steam, in an upper section of the heat pipe. The heat pipe also includes a vent to allow vapour phase to escape from the heat pipe to reduce the pressure or the temperature within the heat pipe when the vapour pressure or the temperature in the heat pipe exceeds a predetermined threshold pressure or temperature.

The present invention relates to an arrangement for low-pressure casting of refractory metals, with a furnace chamber with one or a plurality of gas supply openings (6) and gas outlet openings (7), and a riser pipe (8) through a cover (5) of the furnace chamber, a melting container (3, 12) for the refractory metals arranged in the furnace chamber, and a heating device for heating the refractory metals in the melting container (3, 12). In the proposed arrangement, the melting container (3, 12) is formed as an exchangeable insert for a receiving mould (2) supporting the melting container (3, 12), which is arranged in the furnace chamber, wherein a thermally insulating layer (4, 17) is formed between the receiving mould (2) and the melting container (3, 12), or is integrated into the melting container (3, 12). With the proposed arrangement, a quick and easy exchange of the melting container for different alloys can also be carried out in the low-pressure casting of refractory metals.

The present invention provides a crucible for melting and casting a metal fuel, which includes a reaction preventing layer including: LaYO.sub.3; or ZrO.sub.2 containing a Y.sub.2O.sub.3 stabilizer at 5 to 10 wt %, and a method of melting and casting a metal fuel using the same.