Patent ID: 7727302

Claim:
A method of continuously processing at least one of a molten metal product, a vapor phase metal product and a slag product from at least one waste material which comprises: providing a furnace having a headspace, opposite ends and containing a molten metal bath; operating the furnace so that the surface of the molten metal bath is not under turbulent conditions; forming and maintaining a slag layer on the molten bath; feeding at least one waste material into a furnace at one of the opposite ends and into a slag layer that floats on the molten metal bath so that the waste material is engulfed by the slag layer; allowing the at least one waste material to react in the channel induction furnace to replenish the slag layer that floats on the molten metal bath and produce at least one of a molten metal product that passes into the molten metal bath, a vapor phase metal product that passes into the headspace of the furnace; removing a portion of the slag layer as a slag product from another one of the opposite ends so as to cause the slag layer and the at least one waste material fed into the slag layer to move across the surface of the molten metal bath; and continuously maintaining the thickness of the slag layer at a level so that the thickness is sufficient to support the at least one waste material in the slag layer while minimizing heat transfer through the slag layer.