Electric induction melting and holding furnaces for reactive metals and alloys

An electric induction reactive metal or alloy melting and holding furnace comprising:

• an upper furnace vessel comprising a thermally insulated reactive alloy containment vessel;
• and
• a melt-containing chamber inductor furnace disposed below the upper furnace vessel, the melt-containing chamber inductor furnace separable from the upper furnace vessel, the melt-containing chamber inductor furnace comprising:
• an upper inductor furnace module separable from the upper furnace vessel, the upper inductor furnace module comprising:
• an upper cooling duct;
• and
• a melt-containing vessel communicably connectable to the upper furnace vessel, the melt-containing vessel having an outer shell formed from a plurality of vertically oriented bars of non-magnetic material, the plurality of vertically oriented bars electrically and mechanically joined together at a top end of each of the plurality of vertically oriented bars and at a bottom end of each of the plurality of vertically oriented bars;
• an induction coil module separable from the upper inductor furnace module, the upper inductor furnace module insertable into the induction coil module, the induction coil module comprising:
• an induction coil;
• and
• an induction enclosure surrounding the induction coil, the melt-containing vessel positioned inside the induction coil and communicably connectable to the upper furnace vessel, to form a gap between the outside surface of the melt-containing vessel and an inside surface of the induction coil when the upper inductor furnace module is inserted into the induction coil module with at least one feed port and at least one discharge port associated with the gap, the upper cooling duct in fluid communication with the at least one discharge port or the at least one feed port and respectively a fluid return or a fluid supply to a fluid source;
• and
• a lower inductor furnace module separable from the induction coil module, the induction coil module insertable into the lower inductor furnace module, the lower inductor furnace module comprising:
• a lower cooling duct in fluid communication with the at least one feed port or discharge port associated with the gap and respectively the fluid supply or the fluid return to the fluid source when the induction coil module is inserted into the lower inductor furnace module.

An electric induction reactive metal or alloy melting and holding furnace and a furnace module servicing system comprising:

• an upper furnace vessel comprising a thermally insulated reactive alloy containment vessel;
• and
• a melt-containing chamber inductor furnace disposed below the upper furnace vessel, the melt-containing chamber inductor furnace separable from the upper furnace vessel, the melt-containing chamber inductor furnace comprising:
• an upper inductor furnace module separable from the upper furnace vessel, the upper inductor furnace module comprising:
• an upper cooling duct;
• and
• a melt-containing vessel communicably connectable to the upper furnace vessel;
• an induction coil module separable from the upper inductor furnace module, the upper inductor furnace module insertable into the induction coil module, the induction coil module comprising:
• an induction coil;
• and
• an induction coil enclosure surrounding the induction coil, the melt-containing vessel positioned inside the induction coil and communicably connectable to the upper furnace vessel, to form a gap between an outside surface of the melt-containing vessel and an inside surface of the induction coil when the upper inductor furnace module is inserted into the induction coil module with at least one feed port and at least one discharge port associated with the gap, the upper cooling duct in fluid communication with the at least one discharge port or the at least one feed port and respectively a fluid return or a fluid supply to a fluid source;
• a lower inductor furnace module separable from the induction coil module, the induction coil module insertable into the lower inductor furnace module, the lower inductor furnace module comprising:
• a lower cooling duct in fluid communication with the at least one feed port or discharge port associated with the gap and respectively the fluid supply or the fluid return to the fluid source when the induction coil module is inserted into the lower inductor furnace module;
• and
• a moveable inductor furnace service cart disposed below the melt-containing chamber inductor furnace, the moveable inductor furnace service cart having a lower inductor furnace module fittings, an induction coil module fittings, and an upper inductor furnace module fittings for sequentially lowering the lower inductor furnace module, the induction coil module, and the upper induction furnace module respectively onto to the lower inductor furnace module fittings, the induction coil module fittings and the upper inductor furnace module fittings.