Abstract: A method of generating syngas as a primary product from renewable feedstock, fossil fuels, or hazardous waste with the use of a cupola. The cupola operates selectably on inductive heat alone, chemically assisted heat, or plasma assisted heat. Additionally, the operation of the cupola is augmented by the use of direct acting carbon or graphite rods that carry electrical current for additional heat generation into the metal bath that is influenced by the inductive element. The method includes the steps of providing a cupola for containing a metal bath; and operating an inductive element to react with the metal bath. Feedstock in the form of a combination of fossil fuel, a hazardous waste, and a hazardous material is supplied to the cupola. A plasma torch operates on the metal bath selectably directly and indirectly. Steam, air, oxygen enriched air, and oxygen are supplied in selectable combinations.

Abstract: An induction furnace comprising a upper furnace vessel; an induction coil positioned below the upper furnace vessel; and a melt-containing vessel positioned inside the induction coil and communicably connected to the upper furnace vessel, wherein the positioning of the melt-containing vessel inside the induction coil defines a gap between an outside surface of the melt-containing vessel and an inside surface of the induction coil. A system for direct-chill casting comprising at least one an induction furnace; at least one in-line filter operable to remove impurities in molten metal; at least one gas source coupled to a feed port associated with the gas; and at least one device for solidifying metal by casting. A method of cooling an induction furnace comprising introducing a gas into a gap between an induction coil and a melt-containing vessel positioned inside the induction coil; and circulating the gas through the gap.

Abstract: A melting furnace including a sealed container containing an inert gas atmosphere, a crucible that is located inside the sealed container and melts a raw material by induction heating, and a crucible cooling mechanism. The crucible cooling mechanism includes a pipe portion that includes an intake that communicates with the sealed container and enables the inert gas to be discharged from the sealed container, and an outlet that enables the inert gas to be introduced into the sealed container, a heat exchange portion that is located partway along the pipe portion, and a gas transporting portion that is located partway along the pipe portion.

Abstract: An electromagnetic induction heat device to heat a first metal mineral stone and a second mineral stone to form a melting mixture liquid without stifling. The device keeps a temperature of the melting mixture liquid between solidus and liquidus of binary alloy phase diagram of the first and second metal mineral stone, then an alloy with solid state precipitates from said melting mixture liquid.

Abstract: The present invention is apparatus for, and method of, heating, melting and purifying a material by electric induction heating in a susceptor furnace. Non-electrically conductive solid charge may initially be placed in the furnace. Output frequency from a power source supplying current to one or more induction coils surrounding the furnace is selected to maximize magnetic coupling with the susceptor material in the susceptor furnace to induce eddy current heating in the material. Heat transfers by conduction from the susceptor material to the non-electrically conductive charge placed in the susceptor furnace to melt the charge. Output frequency is reduced as the charge melts and becomes electrically conductive to enhance magnetic coupling with the melt in the furnace. Degassing of impurities from the melt can be achieved by bubbling a gas through the melt while the surface level of the melt is maintained at vacuum.

Abstract: A vacuum chamber for induction heating and/or melting of a metal permits a significant portion of the magnetic field produced in the vacuum induction heating and/or melting process to make contact with the wall of the chamber without causing the chamber wall to overheat from induction heating.

Abstract: A high-frequency induction-heating device preferably comprises an introduction part which introduces a gas to be treated; a pyrolysis part which pyrolyzes the gas to be treated; an induction heating coil provided around the outer circumference of the pyrolysis part so as to surround and heat the pyrolysis part, and an exhaust part which exhausts the gas having been decomposed in the pyrolysis part; wherein the pyrolysis part comprises a cylindrical body both ends of which are sealed, slits which communicate the interior with the exterior of the cylindrical body provided on the outer surface of the cylindrical body, and a communication pores to be communicated with an introduction tube which introduces the gas to be treated into the interior of the cylindrical body.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for manufacturing a preform, wherein a carrier tube is collapsed to a preform, which device comprises a heating element forming a cylindrical envelope, which envelope defines an annular inlet opening and an annular outlet opening at opposite ends of the envelope, a carrier tube being present within the cylindrical envelope, between said openings, the heating element being movable in axial direction with respect to the carrier tube, and means for supplying a non-oxidizing gas to the space between the carrier tube and the envelope.

Abstract: A melting apparatus having a compact structure, of economical equipment cost, enabling to vacuum melting and refining at high productivity. A metal melting apparatus has a structure in which a refractory furnace wall 12 is furnished on an outer circumference thereof with a seal jacket 16 of air tight and non-electrical conductivity, and disposed with vertical water cooling copper pipes 47 along the inner circumference of the seal jacket 16 at predetermined space, and the furnace casing 10 is arranged at the outer part to encircle the furnace casing with an induction heating coil 38, and the furnace casing 10 is secured to a frame 42 by means of the seal jacket 16 for reinforcing the structure. The seal jacket 16 of the furnace casing 10 is fixed to the frame via an upper flange 44 and a lower flange 28.

Abstract: A device for induction-heat melting treatment of metal-oxide-powders includes a closed hopper, a heat-resistant piping, for supplying a powder to an induction heating pipe which is made of dielectric material and comes in contact with the lower end part of the heat-resistant pipe in a vertically sliding manner, a raising/lowering drive mechanism for the induction heating pipe, a receiving container, which receives the melt of the powder that has been melted in the induction heating pipe, a cylindrical upper vacuum chamber, which encloses the abovementioned components, an induction heating coil, which externally surrounds the lower part of the cylindrical upper vacuum chamber, an electric precipitation mechanism, disposed at the upper part of the interior of the cylindrical upper vacuum chamber, a tilting pan, which relays the melt that overflows and flows down from receiving container, a tilting mechanism for the tilting pan, a melt storage tank, which receives and stores the melt that flows down from the til

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for the continuous degassing of molten metals and subsequent casting of the degassed metal, according to which the molten metal is guided into a vacuum for the purpose of degasification and after degasification is transferred into a casting chamber. To make it possible to carry out these operations continuously and to prevent the degassed metal from coming into contact with untreated metal, the invention provides for the molten metal to be transferred from a first chamber via an ascension pipe having an inlet opening located below the level of the metal bath into a vacuum chamber serving as degasification chamber by utilizing only the lift force resulting from the pressure differential between the vacuum chamber and the first chamber and no other means of transport. From the vacuum chamber the molten meal by gravity flows into the downpipe whose outlet opening is below the level of the molten metal bath in the casting chamber and enters the casting chamber.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for manufacturing a preform, wherein a carrier tube is collapsed to a preform, which device comprises a heating element forming a cylindrical envelope, which envelope defines an annular inlet opening and an annular outlet opening at opposite ends of the envelope, a carrier tube being present within the cylindrical envelope, between said openings, the heating element being movable in axial direction with respect to the carrier tube, and means for supplying a non-oxidizing gas to the space between the carrier tube and the envelope.

Abstract: For the evaporation of given components from initial multiple-substance mixtures and systems at subatmospheric pressure, individual portions (P1, P2, P3, P4, P5) of the multiple-substance mixture and systems are placed in ring crucibles (17) stacked at several levels. Vapors of the lower-boiling component are drawn off through a vapor exhaust opening in each crucible, while the top ring crucible (17) is closed except for its vapor exhaust opening.

Abstract: An environmentally controlled heating system for heating metal alloy billets wherein a trolley system carries the billets through the chambers of the induction heating system in crucibles that are pushed or pulled by actuators. The billets enter the system through a load-chamber and travel through a main chamber to a heating area where the loaded crucibles pass through a series of induction heating coils. The heated billets leave the heating area through a dump-chamber where they are delivered to a forming system. The empty crucibles reenter the main chamber and travel back to the loading area to receive another billet. The heating system is controlled through a computing device for monitoring and controlling the system, preferably a programmable logic controller. A vacuum system evacuates air from the chambers, and an inert gas system back-fills the chambers with an inert gas. A gettering system continually cleans the inert gas.

Abstract: A method of refining metal to be processed to a high degree of purity by heat-melting the metal in a melting furnace in the form of a metal crucible placed in a vacuum vessel. The method includes evacuating prior to melting, preheating the inside of the entire vacuum atmosphere including the inner wall surface of the vacuum vessel, component parts inside the vessel and the like in order to keep the total pressure within the vessel at 1.times.10.sup.-8 Torr or lower, and effecting high frequency induction heating while controlling the partial pressure of each of O.sub.2, H.sub.2, CO in the atmosphere inside the vessel. Further, the vacuum vessel, the metal crucible and an induction heating coil attached to the crucible, each of which has double jacket structure, are heated or cooled by supplying circulating heating or cooling water in a water-passage space of each of the vacuum vessel, the metal crucible and the induction heating coil, so that the inside of the melting furnace is baked.

Abstract: Device for injecting non-oxidizing gas into a furnace with a graphite concentrator (12) as the heating element used to heat a primary preform in the enclosure of the furnace (14) and moving relative to the furnace in its axial direction, and comprising at the inlet orifice (24) and at the outlet orifice (26) of the enclosure a respective annular injector (40, 42) for injecting two conical curtains of non-oxidizing gas, the gas for each of the curtains being directed towards the apex of the cone and in the direction away from the enclosure (14) so as to prevent any entry into the enclosure of air that could cause combustion of the graphite.

Abstract: A heating module for use in steel processing is provided. The module includes one or more gas heating zones and one or more induction heating coils intermixed among the gas heating zones. The modules are used to heat steel slabs to a consistent temperature throughout. Generally, the induction coils are used to increase the temperature of the slab, while the gas heating zones function to hold the slab at the increases temperature and to allow the heat to soak into the interior of the slab. The gas heating zones are generally lined with refractory material and include sufficient rollers to carry the steel slabs through the heating modules. The rollers are positioned in such a manner that the majority of the surface area of the roller is not within the interior of the gas heating zone at any one time. At least a segment of the floor of the gas heating zone is pivotable such that debris can be easily removed from the heating zone and such that the interior of the heating zone is easily accessed.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for the semi-continuous melting of ceramic material by means of inductive melting in high-frequency and medium-frequency induction melting furnaces whose melting coil surrounds a sintering crust crucible and contains a run-out channel. In the method, melt is periodically run out and material to be melted is supplied to the crucible so as to replace the material removed preferably so as to maintain a constant level. An intensively cooled channel is used as a run-out device. For the melt broaching, the melt nose is grasped from below by way of an automatically controllable broaching lance of a broaching device and raised. The broaching lance is then advanced between the bottom of the channel and the solidified melt until the sintering crust is pierced. The method permits a reliable and economic management of the process and the maintenance of the quality of the melted products.

Abstract: The invention relates to an induction melting furnace 1 for metals which are difficult to melt including an induction coil 2 surrounding the crucible 3 and a mold receptacle 4 surrounded by an annular chamber 5 to hold the cooling agent. The crucible 3 is disposed in a housing 7 provided with a vacuum connection 6. In order to improve the microporous nature, the melt contained in the mold receptacle 4 is compressed by means of a pressure which is build up in the mold receptacle 4 prior to the cooling.

Abstract: Process for melting down and degassing lumpy material by means of inductive heating and under subatmospheric pressure in a melting crucible. For the purpose of shortening the duration of the process, scavenging gas and/or reaction gas is introduced into the bottom region of the melting crucible during at least 50% of the duration of the process until the material is melted down completely.

Abstract: A furnace having an easily disassembled vacuum chamber to facilitate muffle replacement. The muffle is located over pins on the vacuum chamber base and is held against the base by a leaf spring between the muffle and the vacuum chamber top. The cylindrical wall of the vacuum chamber is correctly located with respect to the muffle by upright spacer bars upstanding from the vacuum chamber base about the periphery of the cylindrical wall. The spacer bars further serve to tie the top and base of the vacuum chamber together and against the cylindrical wall. The furnace is bottom loaded and has a door seal carried by the base so that the seal is not exposed to the direct heat from the muffle when the door is opened.