Abstract: A tilting melting hearth system (10) includes a tilting melting hearth (12) for melting a metal (14) into a molten metal (16) and a central processing unit (CPU) (18) for controlling the tilting melting hearth (12) having an automated hearth tilting program (20) configured to select a hearth tilt profile based on a weight (66A) of the molten metal (16) in the tilting melting hearth (12). The tilting melting hearth system (10) can also include an atomization die (38) in flow communication with the tilting melting hearth (12) for receiving a stream of molten metal (40) and generating a metal powder (42), or a casting die (46) for generating a casting (48) of the metal (14). The tilting melting hearth system (10) can be used to perform a method for recycling scrap metal by automatically determining the weight of the molten metal (16) in the tilting melting hearth (12).

Abstract: A method for preparing high-purity nickel-based superalloy includes the steps of: performing electron beam smelting on small cylinders in a first water-cooled copper crucible after preheating an electron gun, and converging the beam to the edge of one side of the ingot; turning on the electron gun again after completely solidifying the ingot, the electron beam spot uniformly and slowly scanning a surface of the ingot from a side opposite to a final beam converging area of the ingot to the final beam converging area of the ingot to ensure that the alloy at a position scanned by the electron beam spot is completely melted, and stopping scanning once scanning to the final converging area of the ingot; casting the molten alloy in the first water-cooled copper crucible to the second water-cooled copper crucible; taking out the refined nickel-base superalloy after cooling down the electron beam melting furnace.

Abstract: This slag-supplying container of an electric furnace for reduction processing of steel-making slag includes: a container body that causes hot steel-making slag to flow to the electric furnace; a slag discharging portion connected with an electric-furnace-side slag-supplying port; a slag receiving portion that receives the hot steel-making slag supplied; a lid that opens and closes the slag receiving portion; an exhausting portion that discharges exhaust gas from the electric furnace; and, a tilting unit that tilts the container body to adjust the amount of inflow of the hot steel-making slag to the electric-furnace-side slag-supplying port.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for limiting interaction of electron beams produced by adjacent electron bean guns mounted within a vacuum chamber of a furnace. The apparatus may include one or more barriers that are suspended within the vacuum chamber between adjacent electron beam guns. The methods may include suspending one or more vertically extending barriers with the vacuum chamber between adjacent electron beam guns.

Abstract: Method for recognition of noble metals otherwise not recognizable in base material clusters includes using an electron beam furnace in which base material clusters are vaporized by means of an electron beam gun, and the vaporized materials are condensed as free atoms or are alloyed with other components of the base materials, and are able to be recovered by conventional recovery techniques once they are recognized. The base material includes the products of smelting processes, pellets of compacted raw material, like anode-mud or waste material, and the base materials are remelted utilizing the heat from electron beam guns for the remelting.

Abstract: Apparatus for recognition of metals in base materials includes an electron beam furnace in which base materials are vaporized by means of an electron beam gun and the vaporized materials are condensed as free atoms or are alloyed with other components of the base materials, and are able to be recovered by conventional recovery techniques once they are recognized. The base material includes the products of smelting processes, pellets of compacted raw material like anode-mud or waste material, and the base materials are remelted utilizing the heat from electron beam guns for the remelting.

Abstract: An electron gun arrangement is for use in the electron beam evaporation process, including the permanent magnet circuit for deflecting the electron beam from its supply source toward its crucible, wherein it further includes electromagnetic coil winding means for sweeping the electron beam to one point to the particular point on the substance to be evaporated. The electromagnetic coil winding means is disposed to surround the permanent magnet circuit.

Abstract: The present invention provides a water cooled crucible adapted to be received in a crucible support element of an electron beam evaporation system. The crucible comprises a base wall and a sidewall upstanding from the base wall to form a rim and pocket located between the rim and the base wall for containing molten material to be evaporated. The support element has an inner surface surrounding the sidewall of the crucible to define an annular passage for circulating cooling water in a direction taken from the rim to the base wall of the crucible. The sidewall includes a thickened region positioned to conduct heat generated at the top surface of the molten material and having a thickness such that the outer surface contacts the inner surface of the support element. The thickened region has a plurality of circumferentially spaced, preferably spiral grooves defined at the outer surface of the thickened region.

Abstract: A device and a method for the control and monitoring of a deflectable electron beam is provided for the working of metal wherein the electron beam is not permitted to go beyond an allowed working area. With this device with the aid of a Teach-In method the limits are entered into a computer. The computer generates an image of the areas allowed for the electron beam in a particular area of a special memory. This memory is so organized that the addresses of the point of the particular areas correspond to the digitized coordinates of the point of impingement of the electron beam. The characterization of the allowed and forbidden target points of the electron beam takes place through placing or deleting respectively the assigned bits in the special memories.

Abstract: A plurality of electron gun assemblies having transverse magnetic fields to focus an electron beam into a crucible to vaporize a material may be closely placed in parallel by inserting between the assemblies a thin magnetic fence magnetized across its surfaces. The polarity of a fence surface is the same as the polarity of the adjacent sidewall magnet forming the transverse field so that the opposition will prevent magnetic flux from passing between adjacent assemblies and a resulting distortion and defocusing of the electron beam.

Abstract: In the particular embodiment of an electron beam furnace arrangement described in the specification, an electron beam gun unit is supported on rails for motion between two hearth and casting units, each having a lid to seal the unit when the electron beam gun unit is not in place. Sealing covers are also provided for the molds associated with the casting units. A common pump, preheating and hearth cooling unit communicates with each of the hearth and casting units so that, when one of the hearth and casting units is in use, the other unit can be cleaned and maintained and then outgassed and preheated in preparation for transfer of the electron beam gun unit from the other hearth and casting unit.