Ladle furnaces

The ladle furnace is normally used to heat up, to hold and to finish all kinds of metal melts. Heating can be done either by graphite electrodes, plasma torches or by induction coils. Depending on metal, ladle size and expected heating rate, electrical power of up to several megawatts may be applied.

Ladle furnaces are used for a manifold of metallurgical applications. As an example, for specialty steels the ladle furnace is used to desulfurize the melt after vacuum degassing.