Agence Nationale De Valorisation De La Recherche (anvar)

Compagnie Europeenne Du Zirconium Cezus

Tecphy

Jean Driole

Pascal Colpo

Alain Wicker

Marcel Garnier

Patrick Paillere

Edouard Alheritiere

Colette Allibert

Annie Gagnoud

Sylvian Witzke

Etienne Bonnier

A process for melting an electroconductive material (1) in a melting furnace (10) by induction in a cold crucible includes electromagnetically confining a mass of the electroconductive material (1) up to its melting temperature. Then, at least one vortex is created in the liquid material to inclusion particles contained in the liquid electroconductive material. The vortex or vortices are created by electromagnetic stirring. A part of the mass of the liquid electroconductive material (1) is poured in a pouring tube (15) disposed under the melting furnace (10), subjecting the jet of the pouring of the liquid electroconductive material (1) to a radial electromagnetic confinement, and ensuring a vertical coaxial alignment of the electromagnetic fields acting on the mass of liquid electroconductive material (1) and on the pouring jet of the mass. An induction melting furnace employing a cold crucible for carrying out this is also disclosed.

Process for melting an electroconductive material in a cold crucible

Apparatus for melting and continuously casting metals, comprising a vertical, conductive cold crucible (1) with at least part of the height of its wall in the form of longitudinal sectors (2) which are electrically insulated from one another and have a cooling fluid running through them; an inductor (6) with coils helically surrounding the crucible (1) over part of its height and supplied with alternating current both for heating and confining the metal; a system for drawing down the ingot; and possibly a chamber with a controlled external atmosphere, separating at least the contents of the crucible (1) from the external atmosphere, characterized in that the crucible (1) has an upper zone (4) divided into sectors, with parallel vertical generating lines, and a lower zone (5) divided into sectors and joined to the upper zone (4), the generating lines of the lower zone spreading apart in a downward direction from the join (45) between the two zones (4 and (5), and that the lowest coil (60) of the inductor (6) is at the level of that join (45). The apparatus of the invention is advantageously used for melting and casting refractory metals and other materials.

Apparatus for melting and continuous casting of metals, the process

Process of production of a separate phase, especially a solid phase of modified composition, from a matrix in liquid phase. Starting at a temperature at which the matrix is entirely molten, it is subjected to the action of an electromagnetic field, with such a frequency that the induced currents can be developed in the entire mass, and then the matrix is cooled, while maintaining the electromagnetic field, to a temperature range which causes the separation of a separate phase, especially a solid phase, and this phase is collected, under the effect of the electromagnetic field, in a certain zone of the matrix in the form of a compact mass.

Process of separation, particularly of a solid phase, from a matrix in

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Grenoble, France

Jean Driole