Sensors measure magnetic field components, and the measured fields are used to calculate and estimated transverse position of a longitudinal electric current flowing as an electric discharge across a discharge gap. Based on the estimated position, and according to a selected transverse trajectory or distribution of the estimated discharge position, magnetic fields are applied transversely across the discharge gap so as to control or alter the estimated discharge position. Inventive apparatus and methods can be employed, inter alia, during operation of a vacuum arc furnace.

Novel tools and techniques for heat and pressure treatment are provided. A system for heat and pressure treatment includes a vacuum pump, an enclosure, and an oven. The enclosure may include a body defining an inner volume, wherein the enclosure is configured to enclose at least part of a component within the inner volume, and sustain a vacuum pressure that is less than an ambient atmospheric pressure within the inner volume. The oven may be configured to receive and heat the enclosure. The vacuum pump may evacuate gases from within the inner volume and create the vacuum pressure. Under the vacuum pressure, the body may be configured to make surface contact with a surface of the at least part of the component, and to apply a mechanical pressure against the surface of the at least part of the component.

A hydrogen, lithium, and lithium hydride processing apparatus includes a hot zone to heat solid-phase lithium hydride to form liquid-phase lithium hydride; a vacuum source to extract hydrogen and gaseous-phase lithium metal from the liquid-phase lithium hydride; a cold zone to condense the gaseous-phase lithium metal as purified solid-phase lithium metal; and a heater to melt the purified solid-phase lithium metal in the cold zone and form refined liquid-phase lithium metal in the hot zone.

A method for preparing a high-purity metal lithium by a vacuum thermal reduction method includes the following steps: obtaining Li.sub.2O.(2-x)CaO by carrying a vacuum thermal decomposition process on a lithium-containing raw material in the presence of a refractory agent and a catalyst; mixing the obtained oxide with the fluxing agent, the catalyst and a reducing agent according to a certain ratio, and then briquetting; carrying out vacuum thermal reduction in a vacuum reduction furnace, and performing centrifugal sedimentation and micron ceramic dust removal on lithium vapor obtained by the thermal reduction to obtain a high-purity metal gas; and removing metal impurities from the gas by controlling a condensation temperature and a condensation speed of the gas so as to purify the lithium vapor, and obtaining a high-purity metal lithium with a rapid cooling technology.

Sensors measure magnetic field components, and the measured fields are used to calculate and estimated transverse position of a longitudinal electric current flowing as an electric discharge across a discharge gap. Based on the estimated position, and according to a selected transverse trajectory or distribution of the estimated discharge position, magnetic fields are applied transversely across the discharge gap so as to control or alter the estimated discharge position. Inventive apparatus and methods can be employed, inter alia, during operation of a vacuum arc furnace.

A system (5) and method (800) for unit cell casting of titanium or titanium-alloys is disclosed herein. The system (5) comprises an external chamber (45), a crucible (10) positioned within the external chamber (45), an induction coil (15) positioned around the crucible, an internal chamber (40) positioned within the external chamber (45), and a mold (30) positioned within the internal chamber (40). The external chamber (45) is evacuated and a pressurized gas is injected into the evacuated external chamber (45) to create a pressurized external chamber (45). An ingot (20) is melted within the crucible utilizing induction heating generated by the induction coil (15). The internal chamber (40) is evacuated to create an evacuated internal chamber (40). The titanium alloy material of the ingot (20) is completely transferred into the mold (30) from the crucible (10) using a pressure differential created between the external chamber (45) and the internal chamber (40).

A pot furnace for calcining petroleum coke at low temperature may include a pot, and a cooling water jacket and a flame path below the pot. The flame path may include eight layers. An inlet of a first flame path layer may be in communication with a volatile channel in the front wall, and is provided with a first flame path layer flashboard. An eighth flame path layer may be in communication with a communication flue. Flue gas may be discharged out of the furnace body through a main flue. A furnace bottom cooling channel may be provided below the eighth flame path layer.

A thermal treatment device includes a heating chamber which heats an object to be treated; and a moisture removal chamber which is provided adjacent to the heating chamber to put in and out of the object to be treated toward the heating chamber, and in which a vacuum atmosphere is created in the periphery of the object to be treated.

A consumable electrode vacuum arc furnace and, more particularly, a direct current consumable electrode vacuum arc furnace is provided, wherein no water cooling is needed to cool down typically neither the electrodes, nor any other parts of the furnace, and this includes the shell, the flanges ports and the electrical connections of the furnace. The present furnace uses non-metallic electrodes, such as graphite electrode, which are suitable for melting metals, smelting of metal ores, and metal oxide to elemental metal where the use of graphite electrodes is a common practice. The present furnace and electrode assemblies render possible to perform a true continuous process of melting and smelting under controlled pressure.

The present disclosure relates to a plastic pyrolysis/emulsification system for pyrolyzing waste plastic in a high-temperature/high-vacuum environment, the plastic pyrolysis/emulsification system being characterized by comprising: an introduction portion having a hopper for introducing plastic; a heating furnace having a burner mounted thereon so as to establish a high-temperature environment therein and having a combustion gas outlet; a melting furnace penetrating the heating furnace such that one end of the melting furnace is connected to the introduction portion, and both ends thereof are exposed to the outside, a transferring/compressing means being mounted in the melting furnace along the longitudinal direction so as to transfer and compress the plastic in one direction, thereby transferring, compressing, and melting the plastic, and the melting furnace having a vapor outlet for discharging water vapor resulting from compression and melting of the plastic; a first transfer portion connected to the other end of the melting furnace so as to transfer the melt of the plastic; a vacuum pyrolysis furnace penetrating the heating furnace such that one end of the vacuum pyrolysis furnace is connected to the first transfer portion, and both ends thereof are exposed to the outside, a transfer means being mounted in the vacuum pyrolysis furnace along the longitudinal direction so as to transfer the melt in one direction, thereby transferring and pyrolyzing the melt, and the vacuum pyrolysis furnace having an oil vapor outlet for discharging oil vapor resulting from transfer and pyrolysis of the melt; a second transfer portion connected to the other end of the vacuum pyrolysis furnace so as to transfer the pyrolysis remnant of the melt; a discharge portion connected to the second transfer portion so as to discharge the pyrolysis remnant; a first condenser connected to the vapor outlet so as to condense the water vapor; a second condenser connected to the other end of the vacuum pyrolysis furnace so as to transfer the pyrolysis remnant of the melt; a discharge portion connected to the second transfer portion so as to discharge the pyrolysis remnant; a first condenser connected to the vapor outlet so as to condense is the water vapor; a second condenser connected to the oil vapor outlet so as to condense the oil vapor; multiple third condensers connected to the second condenser via first, second, and third valves, respectively; a vacuum pump connected to the multiple third condensers via fourth, fifth, and sixth valves, respectively; and a fourth condenser connected to the vacuum pump.