Process for the vitrification of a pulverulent material and apparatus for implementing the process

A process for vitrifying a pulverulent material, comprising the steps of:

• providing a furnace having a fusion zone extending in a horizontal direction, a casting zone provided in the horizontal direction away from where the pulverulent material is introduced into the fusion zone, and a non-transferring arc plasma torch positioned such that a flowing plasma of the non-transferring arc plasma torch depresses a surface of a melt in the fusion zone;
• introducing the pulverulent material laterally into the fusion zone in the furnace;
• melting the pulverulent material by the non-transferring arc plasma torch;
• distorting the surface of the melt with the flowing plasma of the non-transferring are plasma torch such that the surface of the melt is sufficiently depressed and hydrodynamic movements are created in the melt;
• and
• removing the melt from the furnace via the casting zone by overflowing.