Abstract: Apparatus to float and melt particularly small pieces of high-melting point metal continuously while making the amount of meltable liquid metal greater than the capacity of a crucible. A conductive crucible having segments includes an upper cylindrical crucible portion and a lower closed-end crucible portion. An induction coil is arranged outside the upper crucible portion, whereas an induction coil is arranged below the induction coil. The lower crucible portion is in contact with the upper crucible portion and located on the inside of the induction coil at the initial melting stage. The lower crucible portion is lowered as a columnar metal grows and solidifies between molten metal and the lower crucible portion. A continuous feeder continuously feeds cold material. A molten metal surface thermometer and a molten metal surface level gauge are arranged above the crucible. The operation of the continuous feeder is regulated within a desired range of values of the molten metal surface thermometer.

Abstract: A plurality of segments 12 respectively formed of an electrically insulated conductive material such as copper or the like are disposed inside an induction coil 1 in the peripheral direction of the induction coil 1 to thereby construct a crucible 3. There is formed a small cylindrical hole 4 in the center of the bottom portion of the crucible 3. A magnetic flux is allowed to enter the crucible 3 from slits 15 respectively formed between the hole 4 and segments 12 and is then interlinked with an object to be heated. The slits 15 respectively defined by mutually adjoining segments 12 are arranged such that the width of the bottom portion thereof is greater than that of the cylindrical portion thereof. When the width of the slit in the bottom portion is increased, then a leakage flux to the crucible is increased which in turn increases a levitation force F.

Abstract: In a continuous melting, refining and casting process which comprises, substantially in series, a step of melting and carburizing steel scrap, iron scrap and/or reduced iron as a raw material in a combustion-type melting furnace, a refining step by blowing of oxygen, a refining and holding step and a continuous casting step, the improvement wherein an intermediate holding step in a holding furnace is provided between the melting and carburizing step and the refining step so that the molten metal tapped from the melting furnace is held in the intermediate holding furnace for a certain period of time and continuously fed to the refining step at a predetermined flow rate, and wherein the refining conditions in the refining step are controlled according to one or more characteristics of the molten metal in the intermediate holding step.

Abstract: A method for oxidizing and removing remaining sodium sulfide as well as generated sulfur compounds by introducing oxygen into cooking liquor at high temperature and high pressure in the end stage of kraft cooking.

Abstract: A direct-heat arc furnace for the production of molten iron by continuously melting and reducing directly reduced iron or directly reduced iron ore, which comprises electrodes fixed in position and a furnace body to be driven so that the relative position of arc spots at the tips of the electrodes and the surface of the molten material in the furnace move continuously, and in which the shape and moving path of the furnace body are such that the range of tapping port movement is minimized and the melting of the feed stock and the tapping of the molten iron are performed continuously.

Abstract: A process for regenerating steel scrap by melting and refining it, the improvement wherein carbon is added to molten scrap steel melt in an amount sufficient to adjust the carbon content of the melt to 0.6 to 3.0%, and the scrap steel is refined by blowing oxygen therein. This method can also be applied to the production of steel from reduced iron.

Abstract: An induction melting furnace for melting metals or alloys including an auxiliary induction heating coil in a material charging part. The material charging part is additionally heated to promote dissolving of the material in molten metal.