19MEE202

MANUFACTURING PROCESS - I
AMRITA SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
COIMBATORE CAMPUS
Dr.A.Shanmugasundaram (Section-B) ------------
TOPIC : MELTING FURNACES
 Melting Furnaces
Furnaces in casting:
Melting furnaces used in the foundry industry are
of many diverse configuration The selection of the
melting unit is one of the most important decisions
foundries must make with due consideration to
several important factors including:
 The temperature required to melt the alloy
 The melting rate and quantity of molten metal
required
 The economy of installation and operation
 Environmental and waste disposal requirements
 Melting Process Overview
The melting of any industrial metal used in manufacturing
involves the following steps:
1.Preparing the Metal and Loading – removing dirt and
moisture and sometimes, preheating the charge material,
such as scrap metal or ingot; and introducing solid charge
into the furnace system
2.Melting the Metal – supplying energy from combustion
of fuels, electricity or other sources to raise the metal
temperature above its melting point to a pouring temperature
3.Refining and Treating Molten Metals –introducing
elements or materials to purify, adjust molten bath
composition to provide a specific alloy chemistry and/or
affect nucleation and growth during solidification
 Melting Process Overview
The melting of any industrial metal used in
manufacturing involves the following steps:
4.Holding Molten Metal – maintaining the
molten metal in molten state until it is ready for
tapping
5.Tapping Molten Metal – transferring the
molten metal from the furnace to transport ladle
6.Transporting Molten Metal – moving the
molten metal to the point of use and keeping the
metal in molten state until it is completely poured
 Melting & Pouring Temperatures
Pouring Temperature
Melting
S. No Metal/Alloy (0C)
Temperature (0C)

1 Gray Cast iron 1370 1510-1590

2 Cast steel 1480 1600-1720
3 Copper 1083 1130-1200
4. Titanium 1667 1723-1846
5. Nickel 1453 1500-1590
6. Aluminum 660 700-760
7. Zinc 420 450-480
8. Lead 327 350-380
9. Tin 232 280-290
10. Cu-Ni alloy 1175 1220-1280
11.
10/10/2021
Gun metal 1040 1100-1180 6
 Types of Melting Furnaces
Several types of furnaces are most commonly used in
foundries:
· Cupolas
· Direct fuel-fired furnaces
· Crucible furnaces
· Electric-arc furnaces
· Induction furnaces

Selection of the most appropriate furnace type depends on

factors such as the casting alloy; its melting and pouring
temperatures; capacity requirements of the furnace; costs
of investment, operation and maintenance and
environmental pollution considerations.
 CUPOLA
Cupolas
A cupola is a vertical
cylindrical furnace
equipped with a tapping
spout neat its base.
Cupolas are used only
for melting cast irons,
and although other
furnaces are also used
the largest tonnage of
cast iron is melted in
cupolas.
Cupola furnace
 CONSTRUCTION OF CUPOLA
 It consists of a large shell of steel plate lined with refractory.
 The charge, consisting or iron, Coke, flux and possible alloying
elements, is loaded through a charging door located less than
halfway up the height of the cupola.
 The iron is usually a mixture of pig iron and scrap (including
risers, runners, and sprues left over from previous castings).
 Coke is the fuel used to heat the furnace. Forced air is introduced
through openings near the bottom of the shell for combustion of
the coke.
 The flux is a basic compound such as limestone that reacts with
coke ash and other impurities to form slag.
 The slag serves to cover the melt, protecting it from reaction with
the environment inside the cupola and reducing heat loss.
 As the mixture is heated and melting of the iron occurs, the
furnace is periodically tapped to provide liquid metal for the pour.
The lining is generally thicker in the lower portion of the cupola as
the temperature are higher than in upper portion
There is a charging door through which coke, pig iron, steel scrap
and flux is charged
 The blast is blown through the tuyeres
These tuyeres are arranged in one or more row around the periphery
of cupola
Hot gases which ascends from the bottom (combustion zone)
preheats the iron in the preheating zone
Cupolas are provided with a drop bottom door through which
debris, consisting of coke, slag etc. can be discharged at the end of the
melt
A slag hole is provided to remove the slag from the melt
Through the tap hole molten metal is poured into the ladle
At the top conical cap called the spark arrest is provided to prevent
the spark emerging to outside
 CUPOLA ZONES
Combustion or Oxidizing zone
It is the zone where combustion takes place. It extends from
the top of the tuyeres to a surface boundary below which all
the Oxygen of air is consumed by combustion, chemical
reaction that takes place in the zone is
C(coke) + 02 (from air) -> C02 + Heat
The temperature in this zone is about 1800°C.

Reducing zone
It extends from the top of the combustion zone to the top of
the initial coke bed. The CO2 produced in the combustion
zone moves up and is reduced to CO. The temperature also
drops to 1650°C.
C02 + C2 -» CO – Heat
 CUPOLA ZONES
Melting zone
It includes the first layer of pig iron above the initial coke
bed. In this zone, the pig iron is melted. The following
reaction takes place.
3 Fe + 2 CO -» Fe3C + C02
Preheating zone
It includes all the layers of cupola charges placed above the
melting zone to the top of the last charge. The layers of
charges are heated by the out-going gases. The temperature
in the zone may be up to 1050°C.
Stack:
It is the zone beyond the pre-heating zone, through which
the hot gases go to the atmosphere.
 Operation of CUPOLA Furnace
The cupola is charged with wood at the bottom.
On the top of the wood a bed of coke is built.
Alternating layers of metal and ferrous alloys, coke,
and limestone are fed into the furnace from the top.
The purpose of adding flux is to eliminate the
impurities and to protect the metal from oxidation.
Air blast is opened for the complete combustion
of coke.
When sufficient metal has been melted that slag
hole is first opened to remove the slag.
Tap hole is then opened to collect the metal in the
ladle.
 Melting Furnaces - CRUCIBLE
Crucible furnaces are small capacity typically used for
small melting applications. Crucible furnace is suitable
for the batch type foundries where the metal requirement
is intermittent. The metal is placed in a crucible which is
made of clay and graphite. The energy is applied
indirectly to the metal by heating the crucible by coke, oil
or gas.The heating of crucible is done by coke, oil or gas.
These furnaces melt the metal without direct contact with
a burning fuel mixture.
Crucible furnaces are mostly used for melting non ferrous
metals and alloys. The metal is melted in a crucible which
is a refractory vessel made of silicon carbide, Graphite or
some other refractory material.
 Melting Furnaces - CRUCIBLE
Three types of crucible furnace are:
1. lift out type
2. Stationary
3. Tilting
They all utilize a container (the crucible) made out of a suitable
refractory material (for example, a clay-graphite mixture) or high-
temperature steel alloy to hold the charge. In the lift-out crucible
furnace, the crucible is placed in a furnace and heated sufficiently to
melt the metal charge.
Typical Fuels are:
· Oil, · Gas and · Powered coal.
When the metal is melted, the crucible is lifted out of the furnace and
used as a pouring ladle. The other two types, sometimes referred to as
pot furnaces, have the heating furnace and containers as one integral
unit.
 Crucible Furnace
Three types of crucible furnaces:
(a) Lift-out crucible,
(b) Stationary pot, from which molten metal must be ladled, and
(c) Tilting-pot furnace.

Useful for melting non-ferrous metals / alloys

Crucible Furnace
 Crucible Furnace
In the stationary pot furnace, the furnace is stationary and the
molten metal is ladled out of the container. In the tilting pot
furnace, the entire assembly can be tilted for pouring.
Crucible furnaces are used for nonferrous metals such as
bronze, brass and alloys of zinc and aluminium. Furnace
capabilities are generally limited to several hundred pounds.

The metal in the crucible is ordinarily exposed to the furnace

atmospheres. It must be mentioned that most non ferrous
metals and alloys absorb gases, oxidize and form dross
readily when melted. Steps should be taken to reduce the
contamination by fluxing, degassing and reducing the time in
melting. The thermal efficiency of crucible furnaces is less
compared to other furnaces.
Crucible Furnace
 Crucible Furnace
Coke-Fired Furnace.

 Primarily used for non-ferrous metals

 Furnace is of a cylindrical shape
 Also known as pit furnace
 Preparation involves: first to make a deep bed of coke in
the furnace
Burn the coke till it attains the state of maximum
combustion
Insert the crucible in the coke bed
Remove the crucible when the melt reaches to desired
temperature
 Crucible Furnace
Oil-Fired Furnace.

Primarily used for non-ferrous metals

Furnace is of a cylindrical shape
Advantages include: no wastage of fuel
Less contamination of the metal
Absorption of water vapor is least as the
metal melts inside the closed metallic
furnace
 Oxy-fuel Furnace
• Uses a fuel gas such as propane, natural gas or
acetylene
• Oxygen or atmosphere is blown in and combined
with fuel
• Heat from combustion melts the charge
 Electric-Arc Furnaces

Electric arc furnaces are used for melting of

steel. Direct arc electric furnaces are very
popular for the melting of alloy steels and range
in size from a few kilograms, for laboratory
units, to in excess of 100 tonnes per batch.
Typically units found in foundries are in the
range of 1 to 10 tonnes. The furnace generally
consists of a cylindrical steel shell (Spherical
bottom) which is lined with acid or basic
refractoriness.
 Electric Arc Furnace
• A current is passed from separate electrodes creating
arcs of ionized gas
• Heat is transferred from the arc into the charge material
• Can be either DC or AC
 Electric Arc Furnace
Charge is melted by heat generated from an electric
arc
• High power consumption, but electric-arc furnaces
can be designed for high melting capacity
• Used primarily for melting steel
 Electric-Arc Furnaces

• The roof which can normally swing away to facilitate

charging, generally contains three carbon electrodes (or
water cooled graphite electrodes) operating on a high
tension three-phase power supply. These electrodes
protrude vertically through the roof and an electric current
passes directly through them and into the metal bath.
• The distance between the electrodes and the metal bath is
automatically controlled and determines the power input
into the bath. So that it produces a stable arc. Temperature
of the melt can be easily controlled and regulated.
 Electric-Arc Furnaces
• Expensive alloying elements such as Chromium, Nickel,
and Tungsten etc. can be easily added without any loss by
oxidation.
• There is complete absence of fumes and gases which are
present in fuel fired gases. This ensures excellent control on
the quality of the melt and leads to production of very high
quality castings.
• These furnaces generally have a door at the back for
alloying, oxygen lancing and slag removal purposes, and
a pouring spout at the front. The entire unit is capable of
being tilted for discharge of the melt through the pouring
spout. Some of the advantages of direct arc furnaces
include high melt rates, high pouring temperatures and
excellent control of melt chemistry.
Electric Arc Furnace
 Electric Arc Furnace
Disadvantages:
1. High cost of electricity and cost of equipment.
Indirect arc furnaces
Generally consist of a horizontal barrel shape steel shell lined
with refractories. Melting is effected by the arcing between
two horizontally opposed carbon electrodes or graphite
electrodes. Heating is via radiation from the arc to the charge.
The barrel shaped shell is designed to rotate and reverse
through approximately 180°C in order to avoid excessive
heating of the refractories above the melt level and to
increase the melting efficiency of the unit. The furnace is
mounted on the rollers and the rollers can be driven to rock
the furnace.
 Electric Arc Furnace
Indirect arc furnaces
The metal melts because of
the heat radiated from the
arc and heat from the hot
refractory lining. Indirect
arc furnaces are suitable for
melting a wide range of
alloys but are particularly
popular for the production
of copper base alloys.
The units operate on a
single-phase power supply
and hence the size is
usually limited to relatively
small units.
 Resistance Furnace
• A current passed through a material resulting in heating
• Radiation heats charge material
• Some convection and conduction occurs
 Resistance furnace

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 Induction Furnace
Induction Furnace
• The principle of induction melting is that a high voltage
electrical source from a primary coil induces a low
voltage, high current in the metal or secondary coil.
Induction heating is simply a method of transferring
heat energy.
• A current is passed through a water cooled coil near or
around the charge
• Eddy currents are produced in the charge material in
response to the coil current
• Heat is generated through the material
 Induction Furnace
Principles are:
• High frequency current is passed through primary coil. The
inductor is usually made of copper in order to limit the
electric losses. The furnace consists of a crucible made of a
suitable refractory material surrounded by a water cooled
copper coil.
Nevertheless, the inductor is in almost all cases internally
water-cooled. Secondary current is induced in the metal
charge by electromagnetic induction. Metal charge offers
resistance to the passage of secondary current and
developed heat.
• The coil carries the high frequency current of 500 to 2000
Hz.
Induction Furnace
Induction Furnace
 Induction Furnaces
• Induced current causes rapid heating and melting

• Electromagnetic force field also causes mixing action in liquid metal ,

excellent uniformity of the melt composition

 Low frequency Induction Furnaces- used to melt Non-ferrous alloys

High frequency Induction Furnaces- used to melt steel and alloy steel
10/10/2021 42
 Ladles
• Moving molten metal from melting furnace to mold is
sometimes done using crucibles
• More often, transfer is accomplished by ladles

Two common types of ladles: (a) crane ladle, and (b) two-man ladle.