摘要 |
<p>A metal melting closed furnace (10) which includes a main chamber (26), a circulation well (28) connected to the main chamber (26) by a communications passageway and a vortex well (84) having an exit outlet for molten metal into the main chamber (26). A cover (138) is emplaced over the vortex well (84). An inert gas bubble activated molten metal pump (48) is provided in which there is an entry port in the circulation well (28) and exit port (64) tangentially arranged with respect to the periphery of the cavity. This exit port (64) will typically be at or near the top of the vortex well (84). In order to reduce oxidation, inert gas bubbles are captured from this molten metal pump (48) and are transported to an inert gas atmosphere or blanket above the molten metal vortex.</p> |