Patent ID: 7336692
Filing Date: 2008-02-26
Classification: F27B,H05B

Abstract:
1. A method comprising the steps of: melting solid material within a melting crucible in a bottom-up fashion to form molten material; melting less than all of the solid material to form an upwardly movable bridge comprising an upper layer formed of solid particulate material which is disposed above the molten material and is free of molten material; insulating against heat loss from the molten material with the bridge; moving the bridge upwardly from adjacent a lower end of the melting crucible by adding solid material into the crucible and melting solid material which forms part of the bridge; inductively heating the molten material by coupling the molten material and an inductive member to produce in the molten material a meniscus having a top; melting solid material of the bridge with the molten material at the top of the meniscus; and allowing molten material to move upwardly into spaces within the upper layer to form a wicking portion which comprises molten material at the top of the meniscus while maintaining a circumscribing portion of the upper layer which is free of molten material and circumscribes the wicking portion so that the wicking portion is one of optically and thermally discernible from a position above the upper layer.