Carbon-free induction furnace

Patent · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:865659

Holcombe, Cressie E ^[1]; Masters, David R ^[1]; Pfeiler, William A ^[2]

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1. Knoxville, TN
2. Norris, TN

An induction furnace for melting and casting highly pure metals and alloys such as uranium and uranium alloys in such a manner as to minimize contamination of the melt by carbon derived from the materials and the environment within the furnace. The subject furnace is constructed of carbon free materials and is housed within a conventional vacuum chamber. The furnace comprises a ceramic oxide crucible for holding the charge of metal or alloy. The heating of the crucible is achieved by a plasma-sprayed tungsten susceptor surrounding the crucible which, in turn, is heated by an RF induction coil separated from the susceptor by a cylinder of inorganic insulation. The furnace of the present invention is capable of being rapidly cycled from ambient temperatures to about 1650.degree. C. for effectively melting uranium and uranium alloys without the attendant carbon contamination problems previously encountered when using carbon-bearing furnace materials.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4550412
• OSTI ID: 865659
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/373/219/
1650
achieved
alloy
alloys
ambient
ambient temperature
ambient temperatures
attendant
capable
carbon
carbon contamination
carbon free
carbon-bearing
carbon-free
casting
ceramic
ceramic oxide
chamber
charge
coil
comprises
constructed
contamination
conventional
conventional vacuum
crucible
cycled
cylinder
degree
derived
effectively
encountered
environment
free
furnace
furnace comprises
heated
heating
highly
highly pure
holding
housed
induction
induction coil
induction furnace
inorganic
insulation
manner
materials
melt
melting
metal
metals
minimize
minimize contamination
oxide
plasma-sprayed
previously
pure
pure metal
pure metals
rapidly
rf
separated
subject
surrounding
susceptor
temperatures
tungsten
uranium
uranium alloy
uranium alloys
vacuum
vacuum chamber