Abstract: A method of heating a non-ferrous and/or ferrous metal-containing stock in a furnace with a heating chamber, a charging door, an exhaust stream port and an exhaust stream duct, which includes: a) introducing fuel and an oxygen-containing gas into the heating chamber of the furnace through a burner so that a flame is formed, b) monitoring the signal of at least one optical sensor installed within the heating chamber and/or the exhaust stream duct, c) monitoring the change of the temperature T of the exhaust stream with time (dT/dt), and d) adjusting the fuel:oxygen ratio in step a) as a function of the signal of the flame sensor(s) and dT/dt in the exhaust stream, and, an apparatus designed for implementing said method.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of heating a non-ferrous and/or ferrous metal-containing stock in a furnace with a heating chamber, a charging door, an exhaust stream port and an exhaust stream duct, which comprises a) introducing fuel and an oxygen-containing gas into the heating chamber of the furnace through a burner so that a flame is formed, b) monitoring the signal of at least one optical sensor installed within the heating chamber and/or the exhaust stream duct, c) monitoring the change of the temperature T of the exhaust stream with time (dT/dt), and d) adjusting the fuel:oxygen ratio in step a) as a function of the signal of the flame sensor(s) and dT/dt in the exhaust stream, and, to an apparatus designed for implementing said method.