Claims
- 1. In an induction furnace having a furnace bottom, an induction coil located above said bottom, a liner in said induction coil for receiving metal, and means for tilting said liner for discharging said metal, the improvement wherein said liner is inductively transparent to electromagnetic energy for heating and stirring said metal, including frequencies above about 200 Hz and comprises an inductively transparent composite material of inductively transparent, substantially continuous fibers and inductively transparent inorganic cement binding said fibers together.
- 2. An induction furnace according to claim 1 wherein said liner has an outer surface that is adjacent said induction coil and spaced therefrom by an air gap.
- 3. An induction furnace according to claim 2 further comprising means for forcing air to flow in said gap.
- 4. An induction furnace according to claim 1 wherein said liner has an outer surface that is in contact with said induction coil.
- 5. Apparatus for containing metal in an induction furnace comprising an inductively transparent liner having side walls and a bottom wall for resting on a bottom of said furnace and for being received within an induction coil of said furnace, wherein the physical strength of said side walls and said bottom wall is such that said liner is capable of containing molten metal only when said liner is in said furnace.
- 6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said side and bottom walls are made of inductively transparent fibers and inductively transparent inorganic cement.
- 7. Apparatus according to claim 5 or 6 wherein said liner is capable of containing solid or frozen metal and being removed from said furnace.
- 8. Apparatus according to claim 5 or 6 wherein said liner is capable of being rotated with respect to said induction coil.
- 9. Apparatus according to claim 5 or 6 wherein said liner is capable of being removed intact from said furnace after use and reused.
- 10. Apparatus according to claim 5 or 6 further comprising a refractory lining covering an interior surface of said liner.
- 11. A process for refining metal in an induction furnace of the type comprising an induction coil, a furnace bottom, and means for removing metal from said furnace, said process comprising the steps of placing an inductively-transparent liner in said induction coil, placing said metal in said liner, applying electric current to said coil to heat said metal, removing said metal, and removing said liner from said furnace intact.
- 12. A process according to claim 11 further comprising the step of refurbishing said liner to provide a refurbished liner and installing said refurbished liner in an induction furnace.
- 13. A process according to claim 11 wherein said liner is made of inductively transparent fibers in a matrix of inductively transparent inorganic cement.
- 14. A process according to claim 11 wherein each of said liner includes a refractory lining.
- 15. A process according to claim 12 wherein said step of refurbishing comprises replacing said refractory lining.
- 16. A process according to claim 11 further comprising the step of replacing said liner in said coil in a rotational orientation distinct from an initial rotational orientation.
- 17. A process for refining metal in an induction furnace of the type comprising an induction coil, a liner, a furnace bottom, and means for removing metal from said furnace by tilting said furnace to pour said metal from said furnace at a pouring location on said liner, said process comprising the steps of placing an inductively-transparent liner in said induction coil, placing said metal in said liner, applying electric current to said coil to heat said metal, removing said metal by pouring said metal out of said liner at said pouring location, and rotating said liner with respect to said means for removing to provide a new pouring location on said liner.
- 18. A process according to claim 17 wherein said liner is made of inductively transparent fibers in a matrix of inductively transparent inorganic cement.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application corresponds to provisional application Ser. No. 60/006,553, filed Nov. 13, 1995.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60006553 |
Nov 1995 |
US |