Abstract: A melting furnace for melting a metallic material includes a receiving region for receiving the metallic material, a gas-burning device where the gas-burning device is disposed in the receiving region and where metallic material disposed in the receiving region is heatable and meltable by burning a gas by the gas-burning device, a heat-retention region, and an electrically operable heating device where a melt in the heat-retention region is able to be kept warm by the electrically operable heating device.

Abstract: A method for heating a catalytic converter includes a) switching on a compressor; b) at least partially opening an injection valve; c) setting a combustion-air/fuel ratio of ?<1 in combustion chambers; d) detecting an actual value of the oxygen content in the exhaust gas; and e) comparing the actual value with a target value, where the target value corresponds to an exhaust-gas oxygen content that would be set in a region of the catalytic converter if the combustion-air/fuel ratio in the combustion chambers is approximately ?=1, where a manipulated variable output by a controller on a basis of a deviation of the actual value from the target value is kept constant when the actual value reaches one of two limit values of a value range within which the target value is ranged, and where the two limit values deviate from the target value by approximately 3%.

Abstract: A method for heating a catalytic converter includes a) switching on a compressor; b) at least partially opening an injection valve; c) setting a combustion-air/fuel ratio of ?<1 in combustion chambers; d) detecting an actual value of the oxygen content in the exhaust gas; and e) comparing the actual value with a target value, where the target value corresponds to an exhaust-gas oxygen content that would be set in a region of the catalytic converter if the combustion-air/fuel ratio in the combustion chambers is approximately ?=1, where a manipulated variable output by a controller on a basis of a deviation of the actual value from the target value is kept constant when the actual value reaches one of two limit values of a value range within which the target value is ranged, and where the two limit values deviate from the target value by approximately 3%.

Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine having a cylinder, an intake valve, an air pipe, and a valve element disposed in the air pipe, includes detecting a signal for causing a fuel supply of the cylinder to switch off. The valve element is moved out of a first position into a second position triggering a lower flow cross-section while the fuel supply is still activated, where a first cam for actuating the intake valve is allocated to the intake valve. While the fuel supply is still activated, switching from the first cam to a second cam and via the second cam the intake valve is actuated such that the intake valve causes a reduced air intake. An exhaust cam shaft for actuating an exhaust valve is set in an advance direction such that a valve intersection of the intake valve and of the exhaust valve ceases.

Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine having a cylinder, an intake valve, an air pipe, and a valve element disposed in the air pipe, includes detecting a signal for causing a fuel supply of the cylinder to switch off. The valve element is moved out of a first position into a second position triggering a lower flow cross-section while the fuel supply is still activated, where a first cam for actuating the intake valve is allocated to the intake valve. While the fuel supply is still activated, switching from the first cam to a second cam and via the second cam the intake valve is actuated such that the intake valve causes a reduced air intake. An exhaust cam shaft for actuating an exhaust valve is set in an advance direction such that a valve intersection of the intake valve and of the exhaust valve ceases.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of automatic dishwashing, comprising supplying an automatic dishwasher detergent composition to an automatic dishwasher and washing glassware in the dishwasher, wherein the detergent composition comprises a compound comprising an anion of Formula 1: wherein R is selected from the group consisting of: —H; —CH3—CnH2nCH3; —CH2OH; —CnH2nCOOH; —CnH2nCOO; —CnH2nSO3H; —CnH2nSO3; —CnH2nNH2; —CnH2nNHR?; —CnH2nNR?2; —NHC(?O)—R?; and —CH2PO(OR?)2; wherein n>1; and R? is H, alkyl or aryl. The invention also provides the use of this composition to reduce glassware corrosion during an automatic dishwasher wash cycle.

Abstract: In a method for operating a supercharged internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, at the same time an internal exhaust gas recirculation and an external exhaust gas recirculation are carried out in an engine operating range with lean burn operation modes, wherein the exhaust gas recirculation rate of the internal and the external exhaust gas recirculation is increased with increasing load and/or speed of the internal combustion engine in the lean engine operating range and, at high engine speeds and loads, a homogenous mixture operation is carried out. The invention also reside in an internal combustion engine for performing the method.