Concept of Furnace for Metal Refining by Microwave Heating —A Design of Microwave Smelting Furnace with Low CO₂ Emission—

Abstract

A concept of ore refining by microwave heating and a model of the microwave smelting furnace were proposed in order to build the first prototype furnace for efficient iron ore refining. The repose and wall friction angles were measured for powdery ores (mined in Robe River, Australia), and the electromagnetic field distribution was analyzed through numerical calculation to design the furnace.
The hearth angle needs a certain amount of degrees, and the degrees must be less than 19.8-degrees in perspective of the mass transfer. A reverberator type furnace was adequate and utilizeed the energy efficiently. The reflected output reached the maximum when the electric wall was made at the cone surface.