Electric Furnaces for Melting of Nonferrous Metals
G. H. Clamer*
Electric furnaces for nonferrous metals may be grouped
under two general classifications, namely:
1. Those in which the heat is transferred to the metal from
an outside source.
2 Those in which the electrical energy is converted directly
into thermal energy in the metal to be heated due to the re-
istance of current flow
Group One
Three types of furnaces have come into commercial use: (a)
overhead arc; (b) overhead resistors (metallic and nonmetal-
lic); and (c) submerged solid resistors (contained within
tubes).
The use of the direct arc, or arc upon a floating slag, was
soon abandoned because of metal volatilization.
9 umns of liquid metal are short-circuited by the metal in the
FIG. 1 FIG. 2
FIG. 1. Pinch effect furnace showing cross section of a single
electrode resistor connected with bath and direction of circu-
lation.
Fro. 2. Ajax-Wyatt submerged resistor induction furnace
with u-shaped secondary (Foley type).
The use of the overhead arc type under the name Detroit
Rocking Furnace has come into extensive use for melting cop-
per base alloys with relatively low zinc content and for nickel
base alloys. The metal in the hearth must be energetically
agitated to prevent overheating. This is accomplished by a
rocking motion. This type of furnace owes its success to the
fact that it is relatively cheap as compared with the high fre-
quency induction furnace and, like that furnace, can be
completely emptied. I t can, therefore, be used like a crucible
furnace for alternate melting of metals and alloys of varying
compositions.
Furnaces using external metallic resistors are successfully
used for melting the relatively low melting point alloys.
Furnaces using nonmetallic resistors such as Globar are
used to a limited extent for melting or holding in the nmlten
state the higher melting point alloys.
Metallic resistors contained within nonmelting tubes sub-
merged in a bath of liquid metal are successfully used for
low melting point metals and alloys.
Group Two
Under this group, two general types of induction furnaces
have come into commercial use: (a) submerged resistor, using
* President, Ajax :Electro Metallurgical Corporation, Phi]a-
deIphia, Pennsylvania.
65C
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normal frequency; and (b) coreless induction, using high
frequency.
Attempts were made to melt brass in an open ring induc-
tion furnace. These attempts were abandoned because of the
disruption of the circuit due primarily to "pinch effect.":~
Much effort and money was spent in an endeavor to develop
a satisfactory furnace using water-cooled metallic electrodes
to supply current directly to a column of liquid metal (Fig. 1).
Because of failure to maintain a leak-proof hearth and exces-
sive heat loss due to required water cooling for the electrodes,
efforts to produce a commercial furnace were abandoned.
A leak-proof hearth and zero heat loss due to water cool-
ing was accomplished by the simple expedient of abandoning
water-cooled electrodes and utilizing "pinch pressure" for
circulation in a submerged resistor induction furnace. In a
single-phase electrode type "pinch effect" furnace, two col-
hearth. To convert such a furnace into an induction furnace
it is merely necessary to join these two columns of liquid metal
and thread a transfommr through the loop which results.
The metal in the hearth, as heretofore, serves to complete the
circuit (Fig. 2). Due to "pinch pressure" developed in the
molten metallic loop the metal therein is actively circulated.
The current conditions in respect to the diameter and length
of the metallic loop are so proportioned that rapid heating
results due to the resistance to current flow. Under correct
conditions current density is of sufficient magnitude to pro-
duce a decided "pinch effect." Due to the "pinch effect" the
liquid metal in the resistor loop is not overheated because the
heat is carried out to the bath by metal ejected from the
channel of restricted dimensions. The bath in the furnace
must be of sufficient depth to prevent actual rupture of the
circuit by "pinch pressure." A superimposed bath transfers
its added heat units to the solid metal charged therein, melt-
ing the same and adding the desired degree of superheat to
bring it to the proper casting temperature.
During the course of the experiments with the electrode
type "pinch effect" furnace, the late James R. W y a t t dis-
covered that if the molten metallic resistor loop (secondary
of the transformer) was to be made angular an additional
electromagnetic pressure was superimposed on "pinch pres-
sure" due to motor effect (Fig. 3). The use of a submerged
return-bend angular resistor so increased the degree of circula-
tion that such furnaces could be successfully used for melting
high zinc content brasses.
This type of furnace was introduced during the first World
War under the name "Ajax-Wyatt Induction Furnace." Prior
to that time practically all brass in the wrought brass indus-
try was melted in crucibles holding only 200 pounds of metal.
The crucibles were made of clay and graphite. No satisfactory
domestic clay or graphite was then available. Both were im-
ported and hence strategic materials. After the imported clay
and graphite were no longer available, crucible manufacturers
diligently attempted to make satisfactory crucibles of domes-
tic clay and graphite. Crucibles made of domestic materials
at that time exhibited very short life as compared with cru-
cibles made of imported materials. In the old crucible prac-
tice zinc losses were high due to volatilization. I t was esti-
mated at that time that the daily zinc loss in the wrought brass
industry was 25 tons.
:~ Term used by Hering to describe the action that takes
place when a certain current density is exceeded, viz., the
molten secondary is contracted.
 66C JOURNAL OF THE ELECTROCHEMICAL SOCIETY
The situation became critical just at the time the Aiax-
W y a t t furnace was developed to a commercial stage. The first
furnace, powered with only 30 kw, was installed at the Bridge-
port Brass Company, Bridgeport, Connecticut. The success
of the original unit was such as to lead to the complete
abandonment of the old crucible practice at that plant and
the substitution of Ajax-Wyatt furnaces. They tore down
their high stacks, so necessary not only for creating the proper
draft for the fuel-fired furnaces used but also for carrying off
into the high atmosphere the voluminous zinc oxide produced.
The Bridgeport Brass Company advertised extensively that
henceforth they would produce only electric furnace brass.
A large illuminated sign on their plant has for many )'ears
been visible to the passengers on the New York, New Haven
& Hartford trains. Shortly thereafter The American Brass
Company installed a furnace powered with 60 kw. The step
up from 30 kw to 60 kw presented new refractory problems.
FIe. 3. Ajax-Wyatt submerged resistor induction furnace
with v-shaped resistor showing direction of metal circulation.
These, fortunately, were overcome without too great a lapse
of time and The American Brass Company also, step by step,
substituted induction furnaces for crucibles. With success of
the induction furnace established by these two large units of
the wrought brass industry, adoption rapidly proceeded until
t o d a y almost 100 per cent of crucible melting has been aban-
doned for Ajax-Wyatt furnaces.
The size of the submerged resistor induction furnace has
been steadily increased over the years: from the original 30
kw furnace to 60 kw, to 150 kw, to 300 kw, and recently to
1,000 kw. The thousand kilowatt furnace is equipped with
three inductor units of 333 kw each and exhibits melting rate
of 10,000 pounds per hour. I t has a hearth holding capacity
of 20,000 pounds. A modified type of A j a x - W y a t t furnace was
developed by the joint efforts of the Scovill Manufacturing
Company, The Scorner Company, and Ajax Engineering Cor-
poration (Fig. 4). The following is a quotation from an article
by L. P. Sperry, President, Scovill Manufacturing Company,
Waterbury, Connecticut, appearing in Iron Age, December
22, 1949:
"Outstanding among the innovations at the new Scovill mill
are the 5-ton per hr induction melting furnaces, shown in the
accompanying illustrations, which feed hot metal to the con-
tinuous casting machine. These Ajax-Scorner furnaces, of which
two are already installed and another under way, are the largest
used for melting brass.
"These furnaces, built by Aiax Engineering Corp., under
Scomet license, are of the drum type, with a rated capacity of
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March 1952
1000 kw each. Power supply is 575 v, 60 cycle three-phase, with
all phases balanced. Each furnace has a melting capacity of
about 10,000 lb per hr, presently being discharged in 5000 lb
lots at staggered 30-rain intervals. Precision control of melting
temperatures is automatic, with permanently inserted thermo-
couples and high-low change of power.
"Construction of the furnace, shown in the accompanying
sketch, consists of an octagonal steel drum (A) provided with
a refractory lining (B) of prefired shapes and standard bricks.
Three detachable inductor units (C, D, E) each rated at 333
kw, are attached to the lower side of the drum, generating heat
in the melting channels (F, G, H, K). The melting channels
form two secondary loops, interlaced with two primary coils
(L, M), acting as secondary winding of a short-circuited trans-
former. The two primary windings surround a closed trans-
former coil (N).
"The inductor units can be readily detached and replaced
without interrupting operation of the furnace. This is accom-
plished by rotating the drum to bring the inductor requiring
changing above the molten metal line, thus discharging the in-
operative inductor while keeping the metal heated with the
two remaining induetors. Each inductor unit has two blowers
(O) for cooling the transformer core and primary windings.
"Ettieieney of the furnaces, according to present experience
at Seovill, is higher than that obtained with any other type,
due to the great amount of power concentrated in a relatively
small space. Metal holding capacity of the furnace has been re-
duced as much as possible to facilitate rapid change of alloys,
a considerable factor in brass mill operation."
The furnaces described by Mr. Sperry have now been oper-
ated 24 horn's a day for a period of about two years. During
that period of operation a tremendous tonnage of brass has
been melted under conditions of absolute precision and with
great economy.
The Ajax-Wyatt furnace has been used principally for
melting copper base alloys used in the wrought brass industry.
Some have been used in foundries engaged in large production
of castings of a single alloy or a few alloys, all of which can
be modified in composition from a base alloy. Some have been
used for melting zinc and recently installations have been
made in the ferrous field.
A modified form of the Ajax-Wyatt is finding very extended
use for aluminum melting. I t is known as the Ajax-Tama-
W y a t t furnace (Fig..5). The use of the submerged resistor
induction furnace for melting aluminum was delayed for
many ?'ears because it was found that the channels of the
secondary circuit became rapidly incrusted with aluminum
oxide. The incrustation takes place even though the surface
of the bath is protected by a reducing medium. The reason
for the incrustation has never been satisfactorily explained.
The incrustation builds up rapidly and in so doing restricts
the cross section of the molten aluminum secondary. With
the reduction in the diameter of the secondary the tendency
to be ruptured by "pinch pressure" increases until it is finally
ruptured, thus breaking the secondary circuit.
Attempts were made to clean the secondary channel by
means of articulated tools. Another means for cleaning the
channels was to empty the furnace through a bung-hole so
located that a tool could be inserted after the furnace was
emptied. This method of cleaning was unsatisfactory from
the standpoint of efficient operation. I t was only after so
designing a furnace that the incrustation could be removed
from the seeonda~3" channels without emptying the furnace,
by means of a straight tool; a really successful furnace re-
sulted. Ajax-Tanm-Wyatt furnaces have come into very ex-
tended use because of their cleanliness, a minimum of heat
dissipation into surrounding atmosphere, accurate tempera-
ture and alloy composition control, and reduced metal loss.
Another type of induction furnace is the eoreless type.
These are usually operated with high frequency current. The
 Vol. 99, No. 3 FIFTY YEARS OF PROGRESS IN ELECTROTHERMICS 67C

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F G

i | i il \\ "~- ~ -P

(Di'
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FI~. 4. Ajax-Scomet 1000 kilowatt induction melting furnace, hearth holding capacity 20,000 pounds

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B[-- ~-
.,'~zcrioN ON L I N ~ B--B. 5~CTION OH LINE A--A.

FIG. 5. Ajax-Tama-Wyatt furnace for aluminum melting

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 68C JOURNAL O F T H E ELECTROCHEMICAL S O C I E T Y
original furnace, and the one almost exclusively in use today,
was developed by the late Edwin F. Northrup and marketed
under the name "Ajax-Northrup." The Ajax-Northrup fur-
nace, although mainly used in the ferrous field, is also used
in the nonferrous field. The submerged resistor type of fur-
nace has its principal drawback in the requirement that the
metal in the resistor channel and a bath with sufficient hy-
F~G. 6. A sectional view of Ajax-Northrup high frequency
induction furnace showing the magnetic field and stirring ac-
tion of the molten charge.
draulic head above it must be kept continuously molten, or
for intermittent operation poured, and the furnace re-started
with molten metal from an exterior source. The Ajax-Nor-
thrup furnace does not require a molten secondary to act as
a resistor.
The hearth or crucible of the furnace is usually cylindrical
in shape and can be completely emptied. Because of the com-
plete emptying of the molten contents of the furnace, flexi-
bility of operation results; viz., no contamination of the
individual charge. A sectional view of the Ajax-Northrup
high frequency induction furnace, showing the magnetic field
and stirring action of the molten charge, is shown in Fig. 6.
The electromagnetic force in the molten metal charge keeps
the metal stirred up, quickly distributing the elements to all
parts of the charge, insuring alloys of perfect homogeneity.
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March 1952
In large production a stationary crucible is preferred, but
in foundries devoted to making small castings a lift coil fur-
nace is preferred. Such a furnace is shown in Fig. 7. It con-
sists of a box-shaped furnace shell containing the inductor
coil. This shell is lowered by means of a hoist around a stand-
ard crucible containing the charge. When the melt is finished
the coil is lifted and the crucible is picked up on a shank for
FIG. 7. Ajax-Northrup lift coil furnace
pouring. Two crucibles mounted on a truck arranged with
end stops makes a convenient and efficient arrangement. The
outside crucible receives its charge while the charge in the
crucible within the inductor coil is melting. After the charge
is melted and has been brought to the proper degree of super-
heat for casting, the jacket, with the inductor coil, is lifted
and the crucible with its solid charge is moved into the posi-
tion where the inductor coil can be lowered to embrace it.
Power of such magnitude can be applied to the induction
coil as to make possible melting time as low as 20 minutes for
a red brass mixture. Many Ajax-Northrup furnaces, of both
fixed crucible type and lift coil type, are in commercial opera-
tion for melting copper base alloys.