Patent ID: 8506291

Claim:
A method comprising: loading a payload comprising a carbon anode or a carbon cathode in a mobile furnace; placing the mobile furnace containing the payload into a fire line, wherein the fire line comprises a plurality of mobile furnaces configured in a plurality of zones, wherein the mobile furnace comprises: a plurality of wheels configured to move the mobile furnace along the fire line in a direction of travel; one or more flues, wherein each flue is configured to permit a flow of first gasses to or from another mobile furnace; one or more fuel inputs arranged within each of the one or more flues: one or more pits, wherein each of the pits: comprises one or more removable pit end walls, comprises one or more fixed pit walls, wherein the one or more fixed pit walls correspond to one or more of the flues, and are configured to: carry the payload within the one or more fixed pit walls and the one or more removable pit end walls, permit a transfer of one or more volatile gasses released by the payload during heating to the one or more of the flues which correspond to the pit; wherein each of the one or more flues is configured to allow a first gas composition within the one or more the flues to maintain a negative pressure relative to a second gas composition within the one or more pits, such that the one or more volatile gasses present in the second gas composition are drawn into the one or more flues; and periodically moving the mobile furnace containing the payload along the fire line in the direction of travel through the plurality of zones, wherein each of the zones in the fire line corresponds to a different production profile.