Abstract: A method of forming a graphitic carbon body employs compression and resistance heating of a stock blend of coke and pitch. Preferably, the stock includes raw coke, high melting point pitch, and carbon fibers derived from pitch. Optionally, the stock may also include calcinated coke, graphite, carbon fibers, coal tar or petroleum pitch, or coking catalysts such as sulfur. During molding of the body, resistance heating is accompanied by application of mechanical pressure to increase the density and carbonization of the resulting preform body. The preform is then subjected to a graphitization temperature to form a graphitic carbon body, such as a graphite electrode or pin. Optionally, after hot-pressing, the preform electrode or pin may be subjected to one or more densification steps employing a carbonizable pitch to further increase the density of the preform prior to the graphitization step.

Abstract: A graphite electrode joint and method for forming the graphite electrode joint, wherein the method includes the steps of providing a first graphite electrode having at least one end; providing a second graphite electrode having at least one end; applying a thermally-curing adhesive material, such as cement, on one or more of the graphite electrodes at or near the ends thereof; joining together the first and second graphite electrodes having thermally-curing adhesive material thereon at their respective ends so as to form a joint therebetween; and curing the cement by passing electrical current across the joint.

Abstract: An induction furnace capable of operation at temperatures of over 3100° C. has a cooling assembly (60), which is selectively mounted to an upper end of the furnace wall (76). The cooling assembly includes a dome (62), which is actively cooled by cooling water coils (68). During the cool-down portion of a furnace run, cooling initially proceeds naturally, by conduction of heat away from the hot zone through a furnace insulation layer (58). Once the temperature within the furnace hot zone (20) reaches about 1500° C., a lifting mechanism (80), mounted to the dome, raises a cap (16) of the furnace slightly, allowing hot gases from the hot zone to mix with cooler gas in the dome. This speeds up cooling of the hot zone, reducing cool-down times significantly, without the need for encumbering the furnace itself with valves or other complex cooling mechanisms which have to be replaced periodically.