Abstract: A method and a device for closed-loop control of an electrode gap in a vacuum arc furnace subjects an electrode gap of a melting electrode from the surface of a melt material to closed-loop control as a function of a droplet short-circuit rate. For this purpose, a histogram of detected droplet short-circuits is created on the basis of at least one droplet short-circuit criterion. The histogram is subdivided into sub-areas, a characteristic sub-area of the histogram is selected for closed-loop control purposes. The electrode gap is subjected to closed-loop control on the basis of the droplet short-circuits which can be associated with the selected sub-area.

Abstract: A universal joint suspension system for a re-melting furnace is disclosed. The system is used to hold the electrode rod mounting including the consumable electrode cardanically in relation to the furnace body, thus allowing the mounting to be tipped in any direction. The fundamental concept of the system is that weighing cells are arranged in the bearings of one shaft of the universal joint bearing, the weighing cells determining the weight of the mounting and the parts suspended therein, such that the weight of the consumable electrode can be continuously derived from the determination process.

Abstract: A remelting furnace is disclosed. An electrode rod drive with an electrode rod, as well as a retaining ring to retain a high-current cable, are arranged on a platform which is located on a weighing cell. Even though the position of the high-current cable changes during lowering of the electrode rod supporting a consumable electrode, the recorded weight portion of the high-current cable remains the same, which means that ultimately the change in the weight of the consumable electrode can be determined with the weighing cell.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and device (40) for filtering supply network failures (84) out of an electrode signal (82) in a metallurgical electric remelting process, in particular for the electrode gap closed-loop control of a system for closed-loop control of an electrode gap (48) of a melting furnace (10). For this purpose, said device also comprises at least one electrode sensor device (44) for measuring an electrode signal (82), in particular electrode current and/or electrode voltage of the electrode (30), a network sensor device (46) for measuring a network signal, in particular network current and/or network voltage, and a filter device (50) for filtering network failures (84) of the network signal out of the electrode signal (82), such that an electrode signal (80) with no network failures can be emitted.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method as well as a device for closed-loop control of the electrode gap in a vacuum arc furnace (10), wherein an electrode gap of a melting electrode from the surface of a melt material is subjected to closed-loop control as a function of a droplet short-circuit rate. For this purpose, a histogram (70) of detected droplet short-circuits (80) is created on the basis of at least one droplet short-circuit criterion (76), the histogram (70) is subdivided into sub-areas (72), a characteristic sub-area (74) of the histogram (70) is selected for closed-loop control purposes, and an electrode gap is subjected to closed-loop control on the basis of the droplet short-circuits (80) which can be associated with the selected sub-area (74).