Intermediate pressure electron beam furnace
AssigneeAxel Johnson Metals, Inc.
InventorHoward R. Harker
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In the representative embodiment described in the specification, an electron beam furnace has an evacuation system which maintains the interior of the furnace at a pressure in the range from about 50 microns Hg to 300 microns Hg. The relatively high pressure reduces degassing time from a cold start, suppresses volatilization of constituents of metal being refined, and causes volatilized metal to condense in powder form on a condensing screen. A vibrator assists in removing the powder from the condensing screen. The electron beam gun has a series of compartments which are individually evacuated to maintain the pressure in the compartment containing the cathode at a level less than about 1 micron Hg.
Claims10
An electron beam furnace comprising housing means, refining hearth means within the housing means for refining molten metallic material, supply means for supplying metallic material to the refining hearth means to be melted and refined, mold means to receive molten metal from the refining hearth means, electron beam gun means within the housing means directing electrons toward the metallic material in the refining hearth means, pressure control means for maintaining a pressure of at least about 50 microns Hg within the housing means during operation of the furnace and means for removing condensed metallic material from a surface within the furnace.
An electron beam furnace comprising housing means, supply means for supplying metallic material to be melted and refined, mold means to receive molten metal, electron beam gun means within the housing means directing electrons toward the metallic material, pressure control means for maintaining a pressure of at least about 50 microns Hg within the housing means during operation of the furnace, and means for removing condensed metallic material from a surface within the furnace.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.