Furnace for the continuous melting of oxide mixtures by direct induction with high frequency, a very short refining time and a low energy consumption

A furnace for the continuous melting of an oxide mixture, comprising:

• means for directly inducing high frequency heating currents in the oxide mixture;
• an intake for continuously supplying the oxide mixture to be melted;
• a nozzle for continuously discharging the melted mixture;
• a circular metal crucible having cold walls;
• and
• a hearth formed from a refractory material having a plurality of independent metal inserts embedded in said refractory material, each of said metal inserts being constituted by a tube portion having an inlet and an outlet for a flow of cooling liquid, said hearth being transparent to the means for inducing high frequency heating currents in the oxide mixture and sufficiently cooled by said flow of cooling liquid to ensure the formation and maintenance of a protective solid crust of said oxide mixture at said hearth.