Process and apparatus for producing metal ingots

A process for producing at least one metal ingot, the process comprising:

• a) filling at least one ingot mould at a filling temperature Trp with at least one metal charge, which is in a solid state and has a melting temperature Tf that is higher than ambient temperature Ta,
• b) melting said at least one metal charge in the solid state by heating said at least one ingot mould filled with said at least one metal charge in the solid state up to a heating temperature Trs that is higher than or equal to the melting temperature Tf until said at least one metal charge melts thereby obtaining at least one molten metal charge,
• c) solidifying said at least one molten metal charge into at least one metal ingot by cooling said at least one ingot mould containing said at least one molten metal charge to a cooling temperature Trf that is lower than said melting temperature Tf and higher than the ambient temperature Ta until said at least one molten metal charge is solidified into said at least one metal ingot,
• d) extracting said at least one metal ingot from said at least one ingot mould at an extraction temperature Te, and
• e) repeating said filling a), said melting b), said solidifying c), and said extracting d),
• wherein, at a steady state, the extraction temperature Te and the filling temperature Trp are lower than or equal to said cooling temperature Trf and higher than said ambient temperature Ta.