Reduced emissions metal melting furnace

A vertical shaft furnace for melting non-ferrous metals comprising:

• a melting chamber in said furnace;
• a burner means in said melting chamber for melting the metal charged to the melting chamber;
• a charge opening in the shaft of said furnace disposed above said melting chamber for charging metal to be melted to the melting chamber;
• means in the shaft of said furnace in proximity to said opening and above said melting chamber for introducing air into the shaft above the melting chamber, said air introducing means comprising a cylindrical section of said shaft located between the charge opening and the melting chamber, said cylindrical section having disposed therein a plurality of non-ferrous metal blocks forming a generally cylindrical wall, and openings in said wall through which the air is introduced into the shaft.

A vertical shaft furnace for melting non-ferrous metals comprising:

• a melting chamber in said furnace;
• a burner means in said melting chamber for melting the metal charged to the melting chamber;
• a charge opening in the shaft of said furnace disposed above said melting chamber for charging metal to be melted to the melting chamber;
• means in the shaft of said furnace in proximity to said opening and above said melting chamber for introducing air into the shaft above the melting chamber, said air introducing means comprising a first plenum formed about said shaft;
• and
• means for supplying preheated air to said first plenum comprising a second plenum disposed about said shaft adjacent the charge opening and communicating with said first plenum, a first blower means connected to said second plenum for drawing air from the ambient atmosphere and pressurizing said second plenum.