Abstract: A process and a device serve for decreasing the oxygen content of a copper melt. One or more flushing plugs, from which a scavenging gas emerges, are arranged in the perpendicular direction in the lower region of the copper melt. The scavenging gas ascends into the copper melt, and the copper melt itself is electrically stirred. The copper is initially melted in a shaft furnace, and then it is led to a treatment furnace via a transportation channel. As a result of flowing out of the flushing plugs, the scavenging gas ascends into the copper melt both in the region of the transportation channel and also in the region of the treatment furnace. The scavenging gas flows out of at least one of the flushing plugs with a composition corresponding to 30% to 70% reducing gas and 70% to 30% inert gas.

Abstract: The process and the device serve for decreasing the oxygen content of a copper melt. One or more [porous] flushing plugs, from which a scavenging gas emerges, are arranged in the perpendicular direction in the lower region of the copper melt. The scavenging gas ascends into the copper melt, and the copper melt itself is electrically stirred. The copper is initially melted in a shaft furnace, and then it is led to a treatment furnace via a transportation channel. As a result of flowing out of the [porous] flushing plugs, the scavenging gas ascends into the copper melt both in the region of the transportation channel and also in the region of the treatment furnace. The scavenging gas flows out of at least one of the [porous] flushing plugs with a composition corresponding to 30% to 70% reducing gas and 70% to 30% inert gas.

Abstract: The impedance of a zone above bulk material in a bin is measured as a probe is reciprocated toward and away from the material in this zone. The direction-change location of the probe which corresponds to the measured impedance reaching a set point value, is detected and utilized to provide the control signal for automatically replenishing the material in the bin.

Abstract: A method of independently adjusting the fuel mixture composition and heating rate for a multiburner shaft furnace for the melting of metal, particularly copper and its alloys, fed in lump form to the shaft furnace, in which the burners are supplied with air and fuel gas and the heating rate is adjusted by controlling the pressure of one of the components of the fuel mixture (air or gas) in the manifold for supplying this component to a group of burners. The other fuel mixture component has its pressure controlled in its manifold by a single controller constituted by a pressure ratio controller.