Abstract: A process as disclosed for constructing a furnace for open chambers for baking carbonaceous blocks, comprising arranging a plurality of chambers in a series or in two parallel series, each chamber being defined by lateral partitions and transverse partitions, disposing the plurality of chambers within an independent concrete casing formed by a floor and lateral wall portions having disposed thereof a plurality of vertical buttresses and compressively prestressing the vertical buttresses in the vertical direction. A horizontal force may also be applied to the upper part of the transverse partitions.

Abstract: The invention concerns a process and an apparatus for optimizing combustion in a furnace which has open chambers, referred to as a ring furnace, for the baking of carbonaceous blocks, the furnace comprising a plurality of preheating, baking and cooling chambers which are aligned in series, each chamber being formed by the alternating juxtaposition of hollow heating partitions in which the combustion gases circulate and compartments in which the carbonaceous blocks to be baked are stacked, the combustion gases being extracted by a suction pipe connected by delivery tubes to each of the heating partitions of the first natural preheating chamber.

Abstract: The heating apparatus according to the invention concerns open circulatory-firing baking furnaces comprising an assembly of chambers which are heated by gases which circulate in hollow partitions (7, 19, 25) which divide the chambers into compartments. The hot gases are produced by fuel injection means (13, 17) which are placed in the upper part of the partitions.In accordance with the invention, instead of the fuel injectors (13, 17) being placed in the same direction as the flow of combustion-supporting gas, the injectors (26, 29) are placed countercurrent, which permits the temperature distribution and the accuracy of the control action to be substantially enhanced.The apparatus is applied in particular to baking carbon anodes which are used in aluminum electrolysis cells.

Abstract: Artificial habitats for rearing aquatic fauna and the like. The habitats comprise a plurality of structures deposited on the bed of a body of water. Each structure comprises longitudinal members of thermoplastic material characterized by a helicoidal shape and a density from 1.2 to 2.0 g/cm.sup.3.