Method for refining molten metal and apparatus for same

摘要

PCT No. PCT/JP94/02268 Sec. 371 Date Jan. 24, 1996 Sec. 102(e) Date Jan. 24, 1996 PCT Filed Dec. 27, 1994 PCT Pub. No. WO95/32312 PCT Pub. Date Nov. 30, 1995A method of refining molten metal includes the steps of reduced-pressure-refining molten metal in a heated vessel, adding slag-forming agents into the refined molten metal while keeping the molten metal in the vessel, or after pouring the molten metal into another vessel, re-refining the molten metal by heating the molten metal with inert-gas plasma and while stirring the molten metal as occasion demands. Preferably, the refining apparatus includes two adjacent chambers, each chamber isolated from the surrounding atmosphere. The chambers can be connected with, or separated from, each other and each chamber is provided with an exhaust device. One of the chambers is provided with an induction heating refining furnace, and the other chamber is provided with inert gas plasma heater. The apparatus also includes a re-refining vessel which is transferable between the two chambers, and a material feeder for feeding slag-forming agents into the re-refining vessel.