Plasma products for material processing - One Atmosphere Plasma Beam

A summary of the qualities of most conventional and the new Plasma Aluminum Melt furnaces:
Theoretical 445BTU/lb. Efficiency is calculated on the basis of:

Furnace	Main advantages	Energy used (kWh/lb)	Metal loss dross	Energy efficiency	Main complaints	Remedy
Indirect fixed crucible	simple low cost of capital equipment easy to maintain gas is cheap	3,300 BTU/lb (0.9969 kWh/lb)	~3-8%	13%	Low pot life High energy loss Emissions Noise	Leave a heel No remedy No remedy No remedy
Direct fixed (open flame)	very simple low cost easy to maintain gas is cheap	4,000 BTU/lb (1.172 kWh/lb)	~5-12%	11%	Low pot life Very high energy loss High uncontrolled emission Very high noise	Leave a heel No remedy No remedy No remedy
Sloping dry hearth	none	3,000-5,000 BTU/lb (0.879-1.465 kWh/lb)	~5-12%	9-15%	Noise Very high melt loss High energy loss Emissions	Improve flame impingement Charge better scrap No remedy
Wet bath reverboratory	none	3,000 BTU/lb (0.879 kWh/lb)	3-5%	15%	High energy loss Emissions/flue	No remedy
Electric radiant reverboratory	cold start possible no flue no agitation no noise	820 BTU/lb (0.2403 kWh/lb)	1-3%	54%	Very high currents Very small sizes High cost of electricity Pot life suspect if one element burns	No remedy Three base No remedy Constant monitoring
Electric induction channel type	rapid melting cold start possible	0.29 kWh/lb	High	45%	Too much of mixing of dross Very expensive equipment & large space Only for holding furnace Non-metallics in channels High dross Electromagnetic field Noise	Use only when holding furnace needed
Coreless induction melting	rapid melting cold start possible	0.29 kWh/lb	High	45%	Very expensive equipment High dross Electromagnetic field Noise Large space needed	Use fluxing covering salts extensively
Plasma Airtorch™ Cover (Ionizer)	extremely rapid melting highly energy efficient excellent for ingot, sprue and scrap melting least iron contamination with sprue melting no chemistry adjustment since Zn, Mg, Li will not have time to vaporize no noise no emissions less space	0.2 kWh/lb	Insignificantly low, < 1%.	65%	No significant drawback	Nothing