Patent ID: 7830947

Claim:
A furnace installation for melting down metallic or metal-containing charge materials, which comprises at least one furnace (A, B) with: a lower shell part ( 14 , 15 ) and an upper shell part ( 17 ), which is placed on the lower shell part, where the upper shell part ( 17 ) comprises a vessel wall ( 18 ) that upwardly extends the vessel wall of the lower shell part ( 14 , 15 ) and additionally comprises a roof ( 7 ); and burners ( 19 , 34 ) for introducing primary energy into the lower shell part ( 14 , 15 ) or the upper shell part ( 17 ) for melting down a charge column formed from charge material to produce a melt; wherein said furnace installation comprises an electrode roof ( 6 ) with an electrode system ( 8 ), which electrode roof is swung into place on the lower shell part ( 14 , 15 ) in place of the upper shell part ( 17 ) after the charge column has melted down so that the upwardly extended upper shell part ( 17 ) is free of charge material, and the upper shell part has been swung away, to complete melting mainly with secondary energy.