Abstract: A dross processing assembly includes a stirring station at which dross in a first dross recovery vessel is stirred and a pressing station at which previously stirred dross in a second dross recovery vessel is pressed simultaneously with the stirring of the dross in the first dross recovery vessel. The stirring station and the pressing station may be commonly housed in an enclosure. A conveyor system may advance dross recovery vessels through the dross processing assembly for continuous dross processing.

Abstract: 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.