Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method according to which a rare earth element can be efficiently recovered from a workpiece containing at least a rare earth element and an iron group element, and also wear and damage to the treatment container can be suppressed, allowing the container to be used repeatedly for a long period of time. The method of the present invention as a means for resolution is characterized in that in the heat treatment of an oxidation-treated workpiece in the presence of carbon, when the oxidation-treated workpiece is placed in a treatment container, a carbon substance is interposed between the oxidation-treated workpiece and the bottom surface of the container, and the heat treatment is performed in an inert gas atmosphere or in vacuum at a temperature of 1300° C. or more.

Abstract: Provided is a straight barrel type vacuum refining device comprising a vacuum chamber and a snorkel; during the vacuum refining the snorkel is inserted into the molten steel of the steel ladle, it is characterized in that, disposing a circulating tube being on the circumference of said snorkel, and blowing argon gas into the snorkel through the nozzles on an inner wall of a circulating tube; said circulating tubes are disposed in layers, the nozzles on the circulating tubes in the same layer are individually controlled as 2-6 in one group; disposing an eccentric gas permeable brick at the bottom of said steel ladle, and blowing argon gas into the steel ladle through the eccentric gas permeable brick, driving a circulating flow molten steel between the steel ladle and the vacuum chamber by using different blowing flow rate combinations of a steel ladle bottom blowing and each individually controlled unit of the circulating tube blowing system.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing coating material includes a crucible having a cylindrical receptacle for receiving coating material, a drive member having a drive shaft, and a cover coupled to the drive shaft. The cover has a flat surface. The drive shaft is configured to drive the cover to rotate thereabout between a closed position where the cover covers the receptacle and the flat surface presses against the coating material to flatten the coating material, and an open position where the cover is moved away from the receptacle.

Abstract: A combined arc furnace, ladle metallurgical furnace and vacuum degassing system having the flexibility to produce at least non-vacuum arc remelt, vacuum arc remelt, vacuum oxygen decarburized non-vacuum arc remelt, and vacuum oxygen decarburized vacuum arc remelt steels from one off to continuous casting end uses in steady state or randomized order which utilizes only a minimum of energy attributable to preheating hot metal contacting components of the system followed by heat loss reduction of the components and use of a carryover heel in the arc furnace, in which the throughput of the system is limited solely by the melting capacity of the arc furnace.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for manufacturing stoichiometric Mg2Ni compound applicable to industry and capable of manufacturing continuously. The apparatus mainly comprises: a vacuum chamber, comprising a material feeding tube; a first crucible, set in the vacuum chamber; a heating device, set on the first crucible; a stirring device, set in the vacuum chamber, and above the first crucible; and a second crucible, set in the vacuum chamber, and on one side of the first crucible. The present invention also discloses a method to manufacture stoichiometric ?-phase Mg2Ni hydrogen storage compound. Through this apparatus and method, the residual waste magnesium-rich liquid in the crucible is poured to another independent crucible, and switch with the position of the crucible originally containing the ?-phase Mg2Ni hydrogen storage compound. Then, new raw materials of magnesium and nickel are added and heated.

Abstract: For the metallurgical treatment of steel melts, a lance (7) is guided through a guide tube (8) with gland (14) into a reaction chamber, on which a water-cooled connection (1) with a connector flange (4) and a vacuum-sealed housing (5) with a housing flange (3) are located, as well as a compensator (12) installed between the housing and the gland guide tube (8) for compensating lateral, axial or angular relative motions of the guide tube (8) and housing (5) during the course of movement.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for manufacturing high-purity hydrogen storage alloy Mg2Ni applicable to industry and capable of manufacturing continuously. First, raw materials of magnesium-nickel with weight percentage of nickel between 23.5 and 50.2 are heated, melt, and mixed uniformly. Cool the magnesium-nickel liquid and control the temperature to be above the solidification temperature and below the liquification temperature in the phase diagram of magnesium-nickel. By making advantage of segregation principle in phase diagrams, solid-state high-purity ?-phase Mg2Ni hydrogen storage alloy is given. The residual waste magnesium-rich liquid in the crucible is poured to another independent crucible, and switch with the position of the crucible originally containing the ?-phase Mg2Ni hydrogen storage alloy. Then, new raw materials of magnesium and nickel are added and heated. Repeat the smelt steps described above continuously, and a continuous manufacturing method is introduced.

Abstract: The vacuum induction melting system is designed to be operated in a continuous or semi-continuous manner for extended periods of time for increased efficiency, and makes it possible to easily and quickly remove the induction furnace from the melt chamber when it becomes necessary to replace and rebuild the furnace. The melting system includes a melt chamber which forms an airtight enclosure, with an induction furnace located within the melt chamber. A charging chamber is communicatively connected to the melt chamber adjacent its upper end. The charging chamber includes a door providing access to the interior of the charging chamber so that a charge of raw materials can be placed therein. An isolation valve is located between the melt chamber and the charging chamber and is movable between open and closed positions.

Abstract: In a straight barrel type vacuum refining apparatus, use is made of a combination of: a decarburization method wherein the flow rate of oxygen fed into a vacuum tank and the flow rate of an inert gas fed into the vacuum tank are regulated and, at the same time, the flow rate of oxygen gas blown is reduced at a rate of 0.5 to 12.5 Nm3/h/t/min in a low carbon concentration region having a carbon concentration of not more than the critical carbon concentration; and a vacuum refining apparatus provided with dust accumulation preventing means.

Abstract: A vacuum induction melting system includes a melt chamber which forms an airtight enclosure, with an induction furnace located within the melt chamber. A mold tunnel is connected to the melt chamber adjacent its lower end, with the mold tunnel including a pour opening which communicates with the melt chamber and through which molten metal poured from the furnace can enter the mold tunnel. A mold carriage is positioned within the mold tunnel for receiving and carrying one or more molds adapted for receiving molten metal. An isolation valve is located between the melt chamber and the mold tunnel for isolating the mold tunnel from the melt chamber to allow for removing the mold carriage from the mold tunnel for loading or unloading of molds thereon. A mold transport assembly is provided for moving the mold carriage from a pouring position within the mold tunnel to a loading position located outside of the mold tunnel.

Abstract: Melt delivery system and method including a first melting chamber and a laterally adjacent second melt pour chamber arranged side-by-side to one another with a suitable isolation valve therebetween. A melting/melt delivery system is includes a transport mechanism having a horizontally translatable carriage disposed on a carriage support frame. A shaft mechanism is disposed on the carriage for rotation relative thereto and for carrying a melting vessel in a manner that the melt-filled vessel can be horizontally translated from the melting chamber where a charge is melted in the vessel to the adjacent mold pour chamber where the melt is poured into a casting mold or vessel by rotation of the shaft mechanism. The carriage is translated by an actuator on the carriage support frame, and the shaft mechanism is independently rotated by an actuator on the carriage.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for degassing molten metal in a vacuum treatment chamber defined by a open topped ladle containing the molten metal and a generally cylindrical refractory lined cover having a closed top and an open bottom positioned on the ladle, with a temporary joint formed therebetween, and a vacuum seal sealing the vacuum treatment chamber from the atmosphere. A vacuum offtake is connected to the cover chamber to apply vacuum to the vacuum treatment chamber, and the molten metal is stirred to produce sufficient turbulence and splashing to produce an increased surface area of molten metal exposed to vacuum to accelerate the degassing rate. The offtake outlet is located at a height above the cover chamber open bottom to substantially prevent splashed metal and slag from being carried into the offtake while permitting aggressive stirring to increase treatment rate.

Abstract: A vacuum tight reaction vessel for steel processing has a vessel bottom and a cover that can be placed vacuum-tightly on the vessel bottom. The cover has a packing gland as a vacuum-tight passage. The packing gland includes a packing gland housing fixedly connected to the cover, a packing gland seal, and a packing gland passage for guiding a blast pipe that is vertically movable relative to the cover. A lateral compensator connects the packing gland passage to the packing gland housing and allows lateral movements of the packing gland passage relative to the packing gland housing.

Abstract: A method of refining molten metal includes the steps of reduced-pressure-refining molten metal in a heated vessel, adding slag-forming agents into the refined molten metal while keeping the molten metal in the vessel, or after pouring the molten metal into another vessel, re-refining the molten metal by heating the molten metal with inert-gas plasma and while stirring the molten metal as occasion demands. Preferably, the refining apparatus includes two adjacent chambers, each chamber isolated from the surrounding atmosphere. The chambers can be connected with, or separated from, each other and each chamber is provided with an exhaust device. One of the chambers is provided with an induction heating refining furnace, and the other chamber is provided with inert gas plasma heater. The apparatus also includes a re-refining vessel which is transferable between the two chambers, and a material feeder for feeding slag-forming agents into the re-refining vessel.

Abstract: An apparatus for vacuum treating molten steel includes a ladle having a sidewall, a substantially circular closed bottom, and an open top. A first gas injector is operably associated with the bottom for introducing a supply of a selected first gas into the ladle. A barrel degasser is operably associated with the ladle for being introduced into the ladle through the open top. The degasser includes a generally cylindrical shell having a single substantially continuous diameter opening them through defining a treatment space. A second gas injector is radially directed and operably associated with the shell for communicating with the treatment space. A source of the first gas is in flow communication with the first and second injectors. A vacuum source is operably associated with the barrel degasser for applying a vacuum to the treatment space.

Abstract: The subject matter of the invention is constituted by a method and an apptus for the protection of a liquid in a container against the effects of atmospheric oxygen by the use of a fluid, which is placed as a barrier layer between the liquid to be protected and the atmosphere. The protective fluid is a liquid whose specific gravity is less than the specific gravity of the liquid to be protected and has a volume which is kept constant for the desired period of operation. The liquid which is protected is taken from the container under the protective liquid.

Abstract: Molten metals having a low vapor pressure, such as aluminum, are vacuum refined to remove metallic impurities employing a lifting gas to form a metal fall above a liquid metal surface; a vacuum above the metal surface is effective in conjunction with the lifting gas, to develop a bulk flow of rising gases between the liquid metal surface and a condenser; the pressure is higher, i.e. lower effective vacuum, than that which would cause such bulk flow in the absence of the lifting gas; a molten metal such as copper may be vacuum refined by creating a vacuum effective to cause emission from the liquid copper surface of the metallic impurities as a bulk flow of rising gases, in particular lifting the liquid copper from a lower level to at least the metal surface creates a circulation within the mass of copper effective to promote transfer of metallic impurities to the metal surface.

Abstract: In a molten steel droplet scatter regulation cylinder for use in a vacuum steel casting system, for the object of prevention of growth of molten steel droplets into a solid steel block at the lower end portion of the cylinder to subsequently drop into the molten steel, deteriorating its internal properties, the cylinder has at least its lower end portion made of a material which has a small wetting property against the molten steel, e.g. carbides such as graphite, silicon carbide, etc. or refractory materials containing carbon, carbides, etc.

Abstract: The porosity of bulk alloys produced by deposition of the components of the alloy from the vapor phase can be reduced if the surface of the alloy is mechanically worked, preferably by a peening action, during the course of the deposition.Suitable apparatus for mechanically working the surface of the alloy are sets of hammers or flails driven by a suitable means that they strike the surface of the alloy with sufficient force to flatten asperities produced during the course of the deposition and preferably sufficient to remove porosity adjacent to the surface, yet do not at the same time grossly distort the surface of the alloy.

Abstract: A method for producing steels within a very close analysis tolerance in which the raw materials are melted down in a first vessel, the melt is then tapped into a second vessel in which deslagging is accomplished, and thereafter the melt is subjected to treatment under a vacuum. An apparatus for carrying out the method is also described.