Cupola & Electric Furnaces

The selection of the melting unit depends on

1) The temperature required to melt the alloy.
2) Quantity of metal required
3) Economy of installation and operation
4) Environmental and wastage disposal
• The most commonly used furnaces in foundries are
1) Cupola furnace
2) Electric arc furnace
 Cupola
• Cupola is the primary method of melting iron in
foundries.
• The primary objective in cupola is to produce
iron with desired composition, temperature and
properties at the required rate in the economical
manner..
• In recent times the usage of cupola is reduced in
favor of induction furnace which offer very
precision control of melt chemistry and
temperature and much lower emission.
Cupola Construction
 Cupola Operation
The stages in the cupola melting process are
1) Preparing the cupola – Height of sand (tempered) bed 200mm,
< 50%moisture , Tap hole (7-10º)
2) Firing the cupola – 3 hours
3) Charging – scrap (25% - 30%)
Coke is fuel, Lime stone is to remove impurities
(thorough mixing of molten metal)
25 : 1 (Pig iron to limestone)
10 : 1 (Pig iron to coke)
4) Soaking of iron – about 45 min
5) Air blast
6) Tapping & Slagging metal
7) Closing
 Zones of Cupola
• Well – Hearth (or) crucible zone
• Combustion zone - (upto 1850º C) - Exothermic
C + O2 CO2+Heat
mn + O2 mnO2+Heat
Si + O2 SiO2+Heat
• Reduction zone- 1200º C - Endothermic
CO2 +C ( COKE) 2CO - Heat
• Melting zone - 1600º C
3Fe+2CO Fe3C+CO2
• Pre heating zone – 1100º C
 Advantages
• Continuous operation
• Low cost
• Easy to operate
• Composition of temperature of melt can be
controlled
 Electric Furnace
• Direct arc
• Indirect arc
• Induction
Direct electric arc furnace
Direct arc electric furnace
Indirect electric arc furnace
Indirect arc
Induction Furnace
 Annexure – IV
Summary
The selection of the melting unit depends on
1) The temperature required to melt the alloy.
2) Quantity of metal required
3) Economy of installation and operation
4) Environmental and wastage disposal
The most commonly used furnaces in foundries are
1) Cupola furnace
2) Electric arc furnace
3) Induction furnace
 Summary
• The primary objective in cupola is to produce
iron with desired composition, temperature and
properties at the required rate in the economical
manner..
• In recent times the usage of cupola is reduced in
favor of induction furnace which offer very
precision control of melt chemistry and
temperature and much lower emission.
 Annexure – V
MCQ
1) Tuyeres are used
(a) to feed the charge in the cupola
(b) to allow the air in the combustion zone of cupola
(c) to collect the molten metal
(d) to throw the exhaust from the cupola
2. Charging in a cupola consists of
(a) alternate layers of lime stone and coke
(b) alternate layers of iron and coke
(c) alternate layers of limestone, iron and coke
(d) alternate layers of limestone and iron
 MCQ
3) Which of the following refractory materials is recommended
for steel furnaces ?
(a) Alumina (b) Silica (c) Magnesia d) Firebrick
4) The following furnace is suitable for melting steel
a) Cupola b) Induction furnace c) Crucible
d) Metal pot furnace
5) Which of the following is not using coke?
a) Cupola b) Induction furnace c) Crucible
d) Electric furnace