Method for melting a charge of bulk solid metal
US4484947A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 22, 1983 |
| Grant date | Nov 27, 1984 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 22, 2003 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF27M2001/012
- WIPO fieldThermal processes and apparatus
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A method and system of melting a charge of metal in a closed hearth wherein the metal has a first high thermal conductivity when solid, a second low thermal conductivity when liquid and a given melting temperature below about 1600.degree. F., such as aluminum. The method and system involves the use of a plurality of heaters having a total high heat capacity sufficient to melt the metal in a given time and sufficient to drastically increase the temperature of the metal when the metal is in the liquid state. This method and system comprises operating the burners at the high heat capacity until a control temperature associated with the hearth and separate from the metal reaches a given value, modulating the burners to maintain the control temperature generally at this given value, turning said burners to a minimum capacity drastically below the high heat capacity after only part of the metal has melted, then allowing the furnace to stabilize whereby thermal energy absorbed by the hearth is combined with the low heat capacity of the burners to finalize melting of the metal and modulating the burners to maintain the control temperature to another value between the first high value and t…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.