Plasma arc furnace for melting pure metals and alloys - where plasma gas is fed down bore of consumable tubular electrode

摘要

Plasma arc furnace for melting metals and alloys uses a chamber located above a water-cooled mould. The chamber is fitted with a drive unit employed to lower a water-cooled rod fitted on its bottom end with a tubular consumable electrode; and the chamber contains a flexible pipe used to supply plasma gas to the axial bore of the electrode. The chamber wall is provided with a connector so the plasma gas can be fed from a source to the flexible pipe in the chamber; and the rod and the mould are connected to an electric power supply. The bottom of the rod is pref. fitted with a connector flange employed to hold the electrode and fitted with a channel via which the plasma gas flows to the electrode bore. Used for mfr. of metals and alloys with very high purity for use e.g. in aerospace, nuclear energy, the chemical industries, electronics and cryogenics. Simple furnace design lowers the mfg. cost.