Patent ID: 6521017
Filing Date: 2003-02-18
Classification: F25J,F27B,F27D

Abstract:
A method for melting a metallic material using a metal melting furnace having a melting section provided with an oxygen fuel burner, a preheating section for preheating a metallic material located above the melting section, and a reduced section located between the melting section and the preheating section; the reduced section having an inside diameter smaller than those of the melting section and the preheating section; the preheating section having a cross-sectional area of 1.5 to 4 times that of the reduced section; the preheating section having a substantial capacity of 0.5 to 2 times that of the melting section;the method comprising burning a liquid fuel or a gaseous fuel in the oxygen fuel burner with the aid of a low-purity oxygen gas having an oxygen content of 65 to 94% supplied without heating from a pressure swing adsorption separator employing an adsorbent which adsorbs atmospheric nitrogen preferentially to atmospheric oxygen to melt the metallic material with flames injected from the oxygen fuel burner.