Electric melting furnace and process of using it

Abstract

Abstract FURNACE HAS CARBON ELECTRODES SUSPENDED IN A REFRACTORY-LINED MELTING POT WITH A TAP HOLE IN THE MIDDLE OF A FRONT WALL PORTION THEREOF. A WATER-COOLED COPPER LANCE SEALABLY AND REMOVABLY ENGAGES THE TAP HOLE FOR INJECTING REACTIVE GAS INTO A MOLTEN CHARGE IN THE POT. THE LANCE HAS A TAPERED PORTION FOR SEALABLY ENGAGING THE WALLS OF THE TAP HOLE AND HAS A STUBBY END AS THE ONLY PART THEREOF PROTRUDING INSIDE OF AND FACING INTO THE POT. THE STUBBY END HAS A PLURALITY OF JET ORIFICES FOR DISCHARGING REACTIVE GAS, WHICH ORIFICES HAVE AXES DISPOSED AT AN ACUTE DOWNWARD ANGLE FROM THE HORIZONTAL AND IN A DIVERGENT FANLIKE PATTERN IN THE DIRECTION OF GAS FLOW IN THE LANCE. FURNACE IS OPERATED TO PRODUCE MOLTEN OXIDIC REFRACTORY MATERIAL BY PROVIDING A SHALLOW POOL OF THAT MOLTEN MATERIAL IN THE POT, ELECTRICALLY MELTING FURTHER OXIDIC REFRACTORY MATERIAL BY MEANS OF THE ELECTRODES TO ENLARGE THE POOL, ENGAGING THE WATER-COOLED LANCE IN THE TAP HOLE AND CAUSING REACTIVE GAS E.G. OXYGEN, TO FLOW FROM THE LANCE INTO THE POT, TILTING THE FURNACE FORWARD TO CAUSE THE POOL SURFACE TO RISE ABOVE THE TAP HOLE AND TO EFFECT INJECTION OF GAS INTO THE POOL WITH STIRRING THEREOF, THEN BACK-TILTING THE FURNACE AFTER A PREDETERMINED TIME OF LANCING, DISCONTINUING FLOW OF THE GAS AND REMOVING THE LANCE FROM THE TAP HOLE IN PREPARATION FOR FUSION-CASTING THE POOL.

Inventors

• 👤 Thomas A Clishem
• 👤 Francis R Duerr
• 👤 Frederick D Olympia

Bibliographic Details