Electron Beam Furnace

An electron beam furnace (EB furnace) is a type of vacuum furnace employing high-energy electron beam in vacuum as the mean for delivery of heat to the material being melted. It is one of the electron beam technologies.

Electron beam furnaces are used for production and refining of high-purity metals (especially titanium, vanadium, tantalum, niobium, hafnium, etc.) and some exotic alloys. The EB furnaces use a hot cathode for production of electrons and high voltage for accelerating them towards the target to be melted.

An alternative for an electron beam furnace can be an electric arc furnace in vacuum.

Somewhat similar technologies are electron beam melting and electron beam welding.

Famous quotes containing the words beam and/or furnace:

    How can one beam alone support a house?
    Chinese proverb.

    ‘Alas!’ quoth he, ‘but newly born in fiery heats I fry,
    Yet none approach to warm their hearts or feel my fire but I.
    My faultless breast the furnace is, the fuel wounding thorns;
    Love is the fire, and sighs the smoke, the ashes shame and scorns;
    The fuel justice layeth on, and mercy blows the coals;
    The metal in this furnace wrought are men’s defiled souls;
    Robert Southwell (1561?–1595)