Continuous smelting and fiber spinning process

A system for the product of inorganic fiber from silicomanganese slag, the system comprising

• a power control device;
• a submerged arc furnace having a chamber, the chamber comprising:
• a collection zone comprising an upper portion and a lower portion;
• a first outlet in fluid communication with the upper portion of the collection zone;
• a second outlet in fluid communication with the lower portion of the collection zone;
• and
• at least two electrodes;
• a fiber spinning apparatus in fluid communication with the first outlet of the collection zone;
• wherein the lower portion of the collection zone comprises a silicomanganese metal and the power control device is configured to apply power to the silicomanganese metal through the at least two electrodes.

A method of forming a smelting byproduct that can be formed into an inorganic fiber, the method comprising:

• a) introducing a slag into a submerged arc furnace comprising a collection zone having an upper portion and a lower portion, whereby the lower portion contains a first molten metal;
• b) applying power to the first molten metal, the first molten metal having a first electrical resistance, to heat the slag by resistance heating;
• c) smelting the slag into a second molten metal and a smelting byproduct, whereby the second molten metal settles to the lower portion of the collection zone and the smelting byproduct gathers in the upper portion of the collection zone due to density differential between the second molten metal and the smelting byproduct;
• d) flowing the smelting byproduct from the collection zone from a first outlet;
• and
• e) flowing the second molten metal from the collection zone from a second outlet.