Abstract: This disclosure relates generally to SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINATION OF AIR ENTRAPMENT IN LADLES performing various refining operations at a secondary steel making stage of a ladle is challenging as it requires huge time and resources. The present subject matter discloses a technique for determination of air entrapment in a ladle. In an embodiment, method uses transient computational fluid dynamics modeling for simulating tapping process of liquid steel and tracking the interface with respect to time. By carrying out the parametric study for different geometrical and operational parameters, training and validation data is generated which is then used for training an artificial neural network model. The new ladle geometrical and operational input parameters for which output parameters are required are then used to predict the air entrapment.

Abstract: A method of forming a microelectronic device comprises forming a source material around substantially an entire periphery of a base material, and removing the source material from lateral sides of the base material while maintaining the source material over an upper surface and a lower surface of the base material. Related methods and base structures for microelectronic devices are also described.

Abstract: Provided is a smelting method capable of effectively promoting a reduction reaction on pellets formed using nickel oxide ore as starting material to obtain a ferronickel alloy with a high nickel grade of at least 4%. The present invention is a method for smelting nickel oxide ore wherein ferronickel alloy with a nickel grade of at least 4%, the method comprising a pellet-producing step S1 for producing pellets from nickel oxide ore, and a reducing step S2 for reduction-heating of the obtained pellets in a smelting furnace. In the pellet-producing step S1, the pellets are produced by mixing nickel oxide ore with a specified amount of a carbonaceous reducing agent as starting materials. In the reducing step S2, the produced pellets are charged in a smelting furnace in which a carbonaceous reducing agent (furnace bottom carbonaceous reducing agent) has been spread over the entire furnace bottom and reduction-heating is performed.

Abstract: A method of controlling a melting process in an electric arc furnace for melting a metallic material. By means of the present disclosure it is possible to minimize desired process properties such as the melting time or the total power consumption of the melting process. The method includes the steps of receiving or collecting measured data of at least one process variable, determining the current state of the process, performing an optimization of the melting process, determining a process input based on the result of the optimization, and controlling the melting process by means of the process input. A control system is also presented herein.

Abstract: Combined microwave heating and plasma/electric arc heating is utilized in several processes and apparatus which involve co-production of pig iron and high quality syngas, biomass to liquid fuel production, coal to liquid fuel production, co-gasification of biomass and coal, municipal solid waste treatment, waste-to-energy (agriculture waste, ASR and PEF), EAF dust and BOF sludge treatment to recover zinc and iron, hazardous bottom ash vitrification, and bromine, chlorine and sulfur removal/recycling.

Abstract: In a method for processing and/or reducing solid or molten materials and/or pyrophoric materials, in particular shredder light fractions, the solid or molten materials are charged onto an at least partially inductively heated graphite body, wherein a reducing agent different from the carbon of the graphite is introduced, and the flowing-off reduced and/or degassed melt is collected, wherein the reducing agent is introduced together with the solid or molten charging materials, and, as the reducing agent, natural gas, hydrocarbons, hydrogen, carbon monoxide and/or ammonia are introduced along with water vapor, oxygen, carbon dioxide and/or halogens or hydrogen halides.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for accessing a furnace melt are provided. Preferably, the method and apparatus provide for the safe and efficient access to the melt. According to one aspect of the invention used in a steel-making process in an electric arc furnace, a furnace aperture burner/lance provides a flame for heating the melt, a lance device for injecting oxygen into the furnace, or both. To access the melt, the furnace aperture burner/lance is disengaged, access is provided to the melt through the furnace aperture, and the furnace aperture burner/lance is reengaged when the access is concluded.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for the continuous or discontinuous extraction of a metal or several metals from a slag that contains the metal or a compound of the metal, in which the liquefied metal-containing slag is heated in a primary or secondary smelting unit (1). To provide an improved method for extracting metals, especially copper, from slags, the invention provides that the metal-containing slag is heated in a primary or secondary smelting unit (1) designed as an alternating-current electric furnace, and the molten material is then fed from the primary or secondary smelting unit (1) into a furnace (2) designed as a direct-current electric furnace, in which the metal to be extracted is subjected to an electrolytic separation, where a reducing agent in the form of calcium silicide (CaSi), calcium carbide (CaC2), ferrosilicon (FeO), aluminum (Al), and/or reducing gases is added and/or injected into the primary or secondary smelting unit (1).

Abstract: A method for smelting steel scrap in a furnace, including: blowing a working gas into the furnace via a flow channel to supply melting energy; guiding the working gas through at least one electrodeless plasma torch; producing a plasma by at least one inductive heating coil, which encloses the flow channel coaxially and forms a heating zone; and guiding a cooling gas through a radially outside region of the flow channel.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for accessing a furnace melt are provided. Preferably, the method and apparatus provide for the safe and efficient access to the molten metal melt in a furnace. According to one aspect of the invention used in a steel making process in an electric arc furnace, a furnace aperture plug is reciprocated through a furnace aperture, the furnace aperture plug is retracted from the furnace aperture, access is provided to the molten metal melt in the furnace, and the furnace aperture plug is reinserted into the furnace aperture when the access is concluded.

Abstract: The invention describes a method for recovering molybdenum, nickel, cobalt or their mixtures from used or regenerated catalysts in an electric arc furnace containing a heel of liquid cast iron, surmounted with a fluid slag, comprising the following steps: a) adding used or regenerated catalysts into the heel contained in the electric arc furnace, b) adding dosed lime in order to obtain a slag with a CaO to Al2O3 ratio comprised between 0.7 and 1.3, c) mixing the heel by injecting gas so as to avoid formation of crusts, d) melting the used or regenerated catalysts in the electric arc furnace in order to obtain a liquid ferro-alloy.

Abstract: Methods for functionalizing the surface of nanomaterials to improve processing and product manufacturing. These methods are useful for oxides, nitrides, carbides, borides, metals, alloys, chalcogenides, and other compositions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to new compositions of matter, particularly metals and alloys, and methods of making such compositions. The new compositions of matter exhibit long-range ordering and unique electronic character.

Abstract: The invention describes a method for recovering molybdenum, nickel, cobalt or their mixtures from used or regenerated catalysts in an electric arc furnace containing a heel of liquid cast iron, surmounted with a fluid slag, comprising the following steps: a) adding used or regenerated catalysts into the heel contained in the electric arc furnace, b) adding dosed lime in order to obtain a slag with a CaO to Al2O3ratio comprised between 0.7 and 1.3, c) mixing the heel by injecting gas so as to avoid formation of crusts, d) melting the used or regenerated catalysts in the electric arc furnace in order to obtain a liquid ferro-alloy.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for accessing a furnace melt are provided. Preferably, the method and apparatus provide for the safe and efficient access to the molten metal melt in a furnace. According to one aspect of the invention used in a steel making process in an electric arc furnace, a furnace aperture plug is reciprocated through a furnace aperture, the furnace aperture plug is retracted from the furnace aperture, access is provided to the molten metal melt in the furnace, and the furnace aperture plug is reinserted into the furnace aperture when the access is concluded.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for testing characteristics of a furnace melt are provided. Preferably, the method and apparatus provide for the safe and efficient testing of metal temperature and composition of molten metal during the melt cycle of the metal. According to one aspect of the invention used in a steel making process in an electric arc furnace, a furnace probe is reciprocated through a furnace probe plug aperture, the furnace probe is retracted from the furnace probe plug aperture, a furnace probe is inserted through the furnace probe plug aperture, the furnace probe is retracted from the aperture, and the furnace probe aperture plug is inserted into the furnace probe plug aperture.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for advantageously introducing a flame and a high velocity oxidizing gas into a furnace for metal melting, refining and processing, particularly steel making in an electric arc furnace. The steel making process of an electric arc furnace is made more efficient by shortening the time of the scrap melting phase and introducing an effective high velocity oxidizing gas stream into the process sooner to decarburize the melted metal. In one implementation of an apparatus, improved efficiency is obtained by mounting a fixed burner/lance closer to the hot face of the furnace refractory at an effective injection angle. This mounting technique shortens the distance that the flame of the burner has to melt through the scrap to clear a path to the molten metal and shortens the distance the high velocity oxygen from the lance travels to the slag-metal interface thereby increasing its penetrating power.