Abstract: An electron-beam apparatus for thermal treatment by electron bombardment, comprising a power supply, a vacuum chamber accommodating an object being treated, an electron gun including a cathode which is the source of an electron flow and an accelerating electrode which, together with the cathode, forms the electron flow into an electron beam directed to the object being treated, and a supplementary source of accelerating voltage, one leadout of which is connected to the cathode and the other leadout is coupled to the accelerating electrode, the cathode and the accelerating electrode being electrically insulated from each other and from the object being treated, and the power supply has one of its leadouts connected to the cathode and the other leadout connected to the object being treated.The electron-beam apparatus for thermal treatment by electron bombardment is primarily intended for melting metals, evaporating various materials, treating ingots by fritting, treating material to required dimensions, etc.

Abstract: Method of preparing a furnace charge for smelting refractory hard metals and alloys wherein, pressed-out and uncaked briquettes are fed to the furnace on trays made of a metal readily evaporating at the high alloy melting point. This permits to simplify the technology of preparing charge pieces, improve the quality of the alloys smelted, increase the yield of quality metal and reduce costs.