Alloy melting and holding furnace

An induction furnace assembly for melting of an alloy, the induction furnace assembly comprising:

• an induction coil;
• a melt-containing vessel positioned inside the induction coil, wherein the positioning of the melt-containing vessel inside the induction coil defines a gap between an outside surface of the melt-containing vessel and an inside surface of the induction coil;
• at least one feed port and at least one discharge port each in fluid connection with the gap;
• at least a temperature sensor to measure a temperature of an exterior surface of the melt-containing vessel;
• a gas source coupled to the at least one feed port, the gas source comprising at least one gas, wherein the at least one gas from the gas source is operable to be transmitted between the feed port and the discharge port at a flow rate to control the temperature of the exterior surface of the melt-containing vessel to maintain a freeze plane of a melt in the melt-containing vessel that is inside a lining of the melt-containing vessel.