A load lock system for manufacturing a metal alloy using a feed material includes a process chamber having a controlled atmosphere, a feed chamber in flow communication with the process chamber having controlled atmosphere capabilities configured to contain a quantity of the feed material, and a collection chamber in flow communication with the process chamber having controlled atmosphere capabilities configured to collect the metal alloy manufactured in the process chamber. The system also includes a gate valve between the process chamber and the feed chamber configured to either allow passage of the feed material between the chambers, or to seal the process chamber from the feed chamber. The system also includes a discharge valve between the process chamber and the collection chamber configured to either allow passage of the metal alloy between the chambers, or to seal the process chamber from the collection chamber.

A load lock system for manufacturing a metal alloy using a feed material includes a process chamber having a controlled atmosphere, a feed chamber in flow communication with the process chamber having controlled atmosphere capabilities configured to contain a quantity of the feed material, and a collection chamber in flow communication with the process chamber having controlled atmosphere capabilities configured to collect the metal alloy manufactured in the process chamber. The system also includes a gate valve between the process chamber and the feed chamber configured to either allow passage of the feed material between the chambers, or to seal the process chamber from the feed chamber. The system also includes a discharge valve between the process chamber and the collection chamber configured to either allow passage of the metal alloy between the chambers, or to seal the process chamber from the collection chamber.

A slag door for a melting furnace for the production of steel is suitable to be associated with an aperture provided in a lateral wall of the melting furnace and to cooperate with a slag channel provided inside the melting furnace itself.

An exemplary furnace system for melting stock metal includes a main hearth and a side well subsystem, which includes a melting well disposed downstream of the main hearth for receiving flow from the main hearth, an input flow inducer disposed upstream of the melting well and downstream of the main hearth, and an output flow inducer disposed downstream of the melting well and upstream of the main hearth. The input flow inducer drives molten metal into the melting well, thereby forming a differential metal head in the melting well. The output flow inducer evacuates molten metal from an output conduit, thereby reducing counter-pressure at an output port of the melting well communicating with the output conduit. This allows atmospheric pressure to add to the differential metal head in the melting well, resulting in an increase in productivity of the side well subsystem and of the furnace system as a whole.

An exemplary furnace system for melting stock metal includes a main hearth and a side well subsystem, which includes a melting well disposed downstream of the main hearth for receiving flow from the main hearth, an input flow inducer disposed upstream of the melting well and downstream of the main hearth, and an output flow inducer disposed downstream of the melting well and upstream of the main hearth. The input flow inducer drives molten metal into the melting well, thereby forming a differential metal head in the melting well. The output flow inducer evacuates molten metal from an output conduit, thereby reducing counter-pressure at an output port of the melting well communicating with the output conduit. This allows atmospheric pressure to add to the differential metal head in the melting well, resulting in an increase in productivity of the side well subsystem and of the furnace system as a whole.

A metal melting apparatus capable of providing a clear melt with little oxides, even when either one or a mixture of scrap material and fresh material is supplied. Solution is provided by a metal melting apparatus including melting chamber to which a melt raw material is supplied, and gas injection system for injecting gas into melt in the melting chamber to generate a vortex of melt in the melting chamber.

A metal melting apparatus capable of providing a clear melt with little oxides, even when either one or a mixture of scrap material and fresh material is supplied. Solution is provided by a metal melting apparatus including melting chamber to which a melt raw material is supplied, and gas injection system for injecting gas into melt in the melting chamber to generate a vortex of melt in the melting chamber.

A tap on a metallurgical vessel, in particular an electric arc furnace, is provided with a refractory end brick (6) that has an outlet opening (10). There is assigned to the lower face surface (11) of the end brick (6) a slot (15) which is shaped such that with the latter a tear-off edge (16) is generated on the outlet opening (10) when emptying the vessel. This slot (15) is annular in form and is provided here with a radially outwardly inclined inclined surface (18), and this tear-off edge (16) is thus formed immediately following the outlet opening (10). Thus, after each tapping process, the tap can be cleaned without manual assistance by shearing off with the front edge of the plate of the closure device.

A tap on a metallurgical vessel, in particular an electric arc furnace, is provided with a refractory end brick (6) that has an outlet opening (10). There is assigned to the lower face surface (11) of the end brick (6) a slot (15) which is shaped such that with the latter a tear-off edge (16) is generated on the outlet opening (10) when emptying the vessel. This slot (15) is annular in form and is provided here with a radially outwardly inclined inclined surface (18), and this tear-off edge (16) is thus formed immediately following the outlet opening (10). Thus, after each tapping process, the tap can be cleaned without manual assistance by shearing off with the front edge of the plate of the closure device.

A melting apparatus for steel production includes a support structure to support a shell for the production and tapping of steel, and a source or zone for the emission of fumes resulting from the tapping of the steel from the shell. The melting apparatus also includes a tapping hood integrated into the support structure and provided with a suction mouth positioned directly above the zone for the emission of fumes, the shell is provided with a bottom wall in which an E.B.T. is provided for tapping the steel.