The invention relates to a sliding closure (10) for a metallurgical vessel comprising a tapping hole (1) for draining metal melt or slag, said sliding closure being provided with a slider housing (3) that can be secured to the vessel (2) and a closure plate (6) that can move therein for opening and closing the tapping hole (1). The sliding closure (10) also has only this moveable closure plate (6), without a stationary closure plate, which is can be moved directly on a sliding surface (7), extending around the tapping hole, preferably of a casing block (9) in the vessel (2) and can be pressed by pretensioning elements. In this way, this sliding closure (10) provides a constructionally simpler structure and user-friendly handling.

A system and a method for determining/predicting a tapping time for a metal melt in an electric arc furnace (EAF), at least one electrode is provided for melting the metal melt until it reach a target tapping temperature, the EAF further includes a slag and smoke layer on the surface of the metal melt, wherein an electromagnetic stirrer is provided for stirring the metal melt.

A device for maintaining efficient a tapping channel of a furnace for the production of metal, includes a bearing structure and a mobile support means associated with the bearing structure. An operating arm is associated with the support means and terminally provided with a rod. A linear positioner is configured to move the support means along an elongation axis. A corresponding method for maintaining efficient a tapping channel of a furnace for the production of metal is also provided.

A sealed tilt pour electric induction furnace and furnace system is provided for supplying a reactive molten material from the furnace to a reactive molten material processing apparatus without exposing the reactive molten material to the ambient environment. The rotating component of a rotary union is connected to the furnace's enclosed furnace pour spout and rotates simultaneously with the tilt pour furnace about a common horizontally oriented rotational axis to supply the reactive molten material to the reactive molten material processing apparatus connected to the stationary component of the rotary union.

A melting furnace for metallurgical plant comprising a vessel provided with a bottom; a tapping duct passing through the bottom; rotation means to rotate the vessel so that the tapping duct passes from a first reference position to a second position inclined with respect to said first reference position, and vice versa; wherein said tapping duct has a first stretch arranged in the thickness of the bottom and completely passing through the bottom, and a second stretch, adjacent to the first stretch, protruding inside the vessel; wherein there is provided a cover of the second stretch shaped as a tube closed at an upper end thereof and open at a lower end thereof; said tube being coaxial and spaced from said second stretch, and being spaced from a zone of the bottom which includes the first stretch of the tapping duct, whereby the cover, in cooperation with the second stretch of the tapping duct, acts as a tapping hood.

A tap hole cleaning apparatus (20) for an electric arc furnace and a corresponding electric arc furnace (1) enable the cleaning of a tap hole (12) of an electric arc furnace (1) comprising a furnace vessel (2) having an eccentric or offset bottom tap hole (12). A lance head (24) is movable in a first step from a lower end position to an upper end position into and through the tap hole (12), and in a second step, the lance head (24) is movable back through the tap hole (12) from the upper end position to the lower end position while ejecting oxygen through one or more lateral oxygen ejection nozzles to clean the inner periphery of the tap hole (12).

A melting furnace for metallurgical plant comprising a vessel provided with a bottom; a tapping duct passing through the bottom; rotation means to rotate the vessel so that the tapping duct passes from a first reference position to a second position inclined with respect to said first reference position, and vice versa; wherein said tapping duct has a first stretch arranged in the thickness of the bottom and completely passing through the bottom, and a second stretch, adjacent to the first stretch, protruding inside the vessel; wherein there is provided a cover of the second stretch shaped as a tube closed at an upper end thereof and open at a lower end thereof; said tube being coaxial and spaced from said second stretch, and being spaced from a zone of the bottom which includes the first stretch of the tapping duct, whereby the cover, in cooperation with the second stretch of the tapping duct, acts as a tapping hood.

Method for determining the state of a fire-resistant lining of a vessel containing molten metal in particular in which maintenance data, production data, and wall thicknesses at least at locations with the highest degree of wear are measured or ascertained together with additional process parameters of at least one identical/similar vessel after the vessel has been used. The data is collected and stored in a data structure. A calculating model is generated from at least some of the measured or ascertained data or parameters, and the data or parameters are evaluated using the calculating model using calculations and subsequent analyses. Thus, related or integral ascertaining processes and subsequent analyses can be carried out, on the basis of which optimizations relating to both the vessel lining as well as the complete process of the molten metal in the vessel are achieved.

A tap hole cleaning apparatus (20) for an electric arc furnace and a corresponding electric arc furnace (1) enable the cleaning of a tap hole (12) of an electric arc furnace (1) comprising a furnace vessel (2) having an eccentric or offset bottom tap hole (12). A lance head (24) is movable in a first step from a lower end position to an upper end position into and through the tap hole (12), and in a second step, the lance head (24) is movable back through the tap hole (12) from the upper end position to the lower end position while ejecting oxygen through one or more lateral oxygen ejection nozzles to clean the inner periphery of the tap hole (12).

A hood for a taphole and a tapping spout in a submerged arc furnace in the production of silicon. The hood has at least two suction ducts which are placed asymmetrically on either side of the hood, and is useful in a process for the production of silicon in a submerged arc furnace, wherein liquid silicon and refining gas escape from a taphole of a crucible, wherein the liquid silicon flows on a tapping spout into a ladle, wherein the refining gas is sucked in a hood which has at least two suction ducts which are placed on either side of the hood.