ELECTRIC ARC FURNACE CONDUCTING HEARTH Russian patent published in 1997 - IPC

FIELD: electrometallurgy; melting silicon alloys in ore-smelting furnaces. SUBSTANCE: hearth includes steel casing and steel bottom provided with cooling system and holes over which copper plate is located. Copper plate is made in form of separate segments interconnected for connection to current lead; their terminals are received by hole in steel bottom. Hearth includes also conducting portion of lining located between segments of copper plate and working chamber of furnace and nonconducting portion of lining located over periphery of conducting portion. Lower layer of lining adjoining the center portion of bottom is nonconducting; gap between conducting portion of lining and segments of copper plate, as well as horizontal gap between conducting portion of lining and its lower nonconducting layer adjoining the center portion of bottom is filled with carbon mass. Vertical joints of conducting portion of lining and its nonconducting portion, as well as joint of lower nonconducting layer of lining adjoining the center portion of bottom are provided with expansion seams; joints of leads with bottom and joint of bottom with casing are gastight. EFFECT: enhanced reliability. 4 cl, 1 dwg