Abstract: A direct current electric furnace for melting ferrous raw material, such a scrap iron, comprising a vessel (1) closed by a detachable cover (13), at least one consumable electrode (5) which passes through at least one opening (16) in the cover (13), at least one stationary electrode (5) positioned in the bottom (2) of the vessel (1), and comprising at least one source of direct current, the vessel being defined by a bottom (2) in the shape of a basin (21) and by a lateral wall (12). The height (H1) and the cross-section (S1) of the basin (21) are determined by the conditions of use, such that the basin (1) (21) can contain a prescribed quantity of molten metal, the height (H2) of the lateral wall (12) of the vessel (1) being such that the vessel (1) can accommodate a sufficient charge of scrap iron (7) to produce, in a single melting operation, the prescribed quantity of a molten metal.

Abstract: An installation for the production of liquid metal by melting a charge of ferrous material, comprising at least one electric melting furnace consisting of a chamber closed by a removable roof and associated with consumable electrodes for melting the charge of ferrous material, at least one chamber for preheating the charge, and a main hot gas and flue gas removal circuit, equipped with a filtration device for removing pollutants. The preheating chamber is associated with one or more burners, and the gases produced in the chamber during preheating are sent to an auxiliary low-throughput treatment circuit equipped with an incineration chamber, and the flue gases produced in the furnace by the melting of the charge are sent directly to the main treatment circuit.

Abstract: Installation for producing steel by melting scrap comprising an electric furnace (2') supplied with individual batches of scrap sequentially charged into the furnace after preheating in a preheating chamber (4) forming a batch container open at both ends and having a releasable bottom. The preheating chamber is mounted on a transporting device for movement between a first, preheating position, in which it is connected to a hot gas circulating circuit, and a second position in which it empties the batch of preheated scrap into the furnace. The lower portion of the side wall of the preheating chamber (4) forms a skirt (43) with a wide downwardly directed opening, and the chamber (4) is combined, in the preheating position, with a movable device (54) for sealably engaging the lower end (42) of the skirt (43) with a matching stationary base plate (3), whereby the skirt is sealed in the preheating position.

Abstract: Closure device for a pouring hole (2) having a vertical axis, arranged in the base (11) of a container (1) containing molten metal. The device comprises a flap (3) fixed to the end of a maneuvering arm (3) which is horizontally displaceable to a level below that of the base (11), between a stand-by position and a closure position, and a device for controlling the vertical displacement at least of the end of the arm (31) in order to apply the closure flap (3) on a seating (22) on the periphery of the discharge orifice of the pouring hole (2). The maneuvering arm (31) has a cleaning member (5) located beside the closure flap (3) and centered on the trajectory of the latter.