BASICS OF CRUCIBLE MELTING

Most crucibles used in the metals industry for melting, holding and/or transferring operations
are preformed vessels manufactured from carbonbonded silicon carbide or ceramicbonded
clay graphite.
Crucibles may be as small as teacups or may hold several tons of metal. They may be xed
in place within a furnace structure or may be designed to be removed from the furnace for
pouring at the end of each melt. Crucibles are used in gas and oilred furnaces, in electric
resistance furnaces and in induction furnaces. They come with or without pouring spouts and
in a wide variety of traditional and specialized shapes.

CRUCIBLE ADVANTAGES
With their unique ability to melt, hold and transfer metal using a single vessel and to allow
even incompatible alloy changes to be made simply by switching vessels, the operational
exibility of crucibles is unchallenged. However, even when xed within the furnace
structure, crucibles offer important advantages when compared to directly heated fuelred
furnaces and to electric resistance or induction furnaces with rammed refractory linings:

Lower Metal Loss / Cleaner Metal In fuel-red furnaces where the metal is heated
directly by a ame produced by gas or oil burners, there are both high levels of metal
loss and increased oxidation due to the combustion products generated. In fuelred
crucibles furnaces, however, the ame is isolated from the metal and the metal is
heated indirectly with heat conducted through the crucible. This indirect heating
greatly reduces metal loss and metal oxidation, resulting in lower metal purchase
costs, lower energy costs per pound of metal poured and less slag or dross formation.

Alloy Flexibility Even when xed-in-place in a furnace, a crucibles high density

interior surface reduces the likelihood of cross contamination when alloy changes
are made.

Quick Replacement Removing a worn or damaged crucible from a furnace and

installing a new crucible is a faster, simpler and less technically demanding process
than removing and replacing a worn or damaged rammed refractory furnace lining.
Also, because crucibles are preformed to exact material and dimensional
specications, there are few concerns about improperly compacted refractory or
incomplete sintering.

CRUCIBLES THEN AND NOW

Crucibles, in the form of well-red clay pots, were present at the dawn of the metals
industry, some 6,000 years ago, and gave early metal workers the ability to melt metal in a
durable container that could then be used to pour the molten material into a mold.
At their most basic level of form and function, crucibles today are little changed from their
early prototypes. But in their materials, construction, thermal efciency and service life,
For additional information on Morgan Molten Metal Systems products or to nd a location nearest to you,
please visit:

www.morganmms.com
Submitted for publication by the AFS/ASM Association in the upcoming Metals Handbook

BASICS OF CRUCIBLE MELTING

CRUCIBLES THEN AND NOW

(continued)

modern crucibles are vastly superior to those in use just a short time ago. Designed for a
wide range of traditional applications and new processes, todays crucibles are formed using
a wide variety of materials and processes that impart specic characteristics, capabilities and
limitations to each of the many types of crucibles available from crucible manufacturers.
Determining what properties your application requires of a crucible is the most important
step in selecting the proper crucible to meet your needs.

MATCHING CRUCIBLE AND APPLICATION

In the metals industry, most crucibles are used to melt, hold and/or transfer nonferrous
metals commonly aluminum, zinc and their alloys and copper and copper-based alloys,
as well as for precious metals. They can also be used for higher temperature alloys, such as,
nickel bronze and cupronickel and, to a lesser extent, for melting ferrous metals, such as
gray iron.
Knowing the metal you want to melt, hold and/or transfer, however, is just the start in
selecting the right crucible type for your application. You also must know the specic crucible
properties that are important for your particular application. These properties include:

Maximum temperature limits It is important that the highest temperature

reached by your application does not exceed the maximum temperature rating of
the crucible.

Tolerance of thermal shock If your application results in rapid heating or cooling

of the crucible, you will need to select a crucible type that resists thermal shock.

Impact resistance and mechanical strength If the crucible in your application

is used to transfer metal or if it is subject to the impact of dropped charge
materials, you will want a crucible with the strength and durability to survive to
these activities.

Erosion/corrosion resistance Does your application produce slag, dross or other

byproducts or use uxes that chemically attack the inside surface of the crucible? If
so, you will want a crucible that resists such attack.

Oxidation resistance When exposed to air at high temperatures, graphite in

a crucible will oxidize. Crucible glazes are designed to afford protection to the
crucible material and different glaze compositions are specied depending on the
intended operating temperature.

Non-wettability If it is important in your application that the inside surface of

the crucible resist the intrusion of molten metal into pores in the crucible material,
you will need a crucible that minimizes wetting.

For additional information on Morgan Molten Metal Systems products or to nd a location nearest to you,
please visit:

www.morganmms.com

BASICS OF CRUCIBLE MELTING

MATCHING CRUCIBLE AND APPLICATION

(continued)

Electrical properties If your application requires a crucible that heats inductively,

you will need a crucible designed for use in an induction furnace and with a specic
electrical resistivity that optimizes the coupling of the crucible with the induction
coil.

Thermal conductivity Not all crucibles offer the same level of heat transfer
through the crucible and into the metal. To achieve the lowest energy costs, you
should select the crucible with the highest level of thermal conductivity that meets
all of the other requirements of your application.

Crucibles have been called the rst composites and modern crucibles use a carefully balanced
combination of materials to achieve the important characteristics listed here.

Graphite A foundry crucible usually contains 30% to 50% by weight of ake

graphite, depending on the properties required. The carbon content of graphite
imparts high thermal conductivity and non-wettability and, coupled with its platelike layered matrix structure, provides high thermal shock resistance. This is critical to
foundry applications where temperatures can change by several hundred degrees in
seconds.

Silicon Carbide A foundry crucible typically will contain 10% to 50% of silicon
carbide, based on the desired characteristics. Silicon carbide provides excellent
resistance to high temperature erosion and corrosion and imparts a high level of
thermal conductivity to the crucible.

Silicon Metal Fine powders of silicon metal or alloys are used to increase strength
and erosion resistance, to protect the graphite and carbon bonding matrix from
oxygen and to help ensure an even glaze coating.

Glass Glass is used to provide a semi-permeable barrier to gases, controlling the

ingress of oxygen and egress of combustion products.

Aluminosilicates Aluminosilicates are used to modify the refractory properties of

the crucible or internal glass composition.

There is not a single crucible material recipe or manufacturing process that offers the highest
level of every desirable characteristic for every application. Therefore, your best course will
be to prioritize the list of crucible properties most important for your application and review
those requirements with your crucible provider to nd the crucible product best suited to
your needs.

For additional information on Morgan Molten Metal Systems products or to nd a location nearest to you,
please visit:

www.morganmms.com

BASICS OF CRUCIBLE MELTING

CRUCIBLE CARE
With proper care, crucibles will provide long service life, but like every system used in the
processing of molten metal, crucibles must be handled properly and must be operated within
their design parameters. All crucibles may be damaged by:

Excessive Temperatures Crucibles must not be heated beyond their specied

maximum temperature capability. Excessive temperatures will cause crucible failure.

Thermal Shock Structural damage may be caused by too rapid heating or cooling
of the crucible. Uneven heating or frequent thermal cycling between cold and hot can
also result in crucible damage.

Mechanical Shock Damage caused to the crucible by the impact of charge materials
and/or, in the case of removable crucibles, by impacts during movement.

Damage to Crucible Glazes Crucible glazes serve as a barrier against oxygen attack
of the carbon material making up the crucible. These glazes may be damaged by
any of the previously noted hazards and such damage will lead to a reduction in
crucible life.

Crucibles must be thoroughly inspected for shipping damage when received. If cracked,
chipped or otherwise damaged, they must not be installed. Crucibles should be stored
inside in a warm and dry environment and must be completely dry before use. All claygraphite crucibles must be properly annealed before being subjected to the rst full
heat. This will help the crucibles withstand thermal shock throughout their service life. All
crucibles should be preheated using the recommended procedure whenever entering use
from a cold, i.e., room temperature, condition. During operations, the crucible should be
inspected for damage after each heat and slag or dross buildup inside the crucible must
be removed. Damaged or worn crucibles must be replaced immediately.
Select the right crucible for your application, install it properly, operate it within its design
parameters, protect it from physical and thermal damage and replace it immediately
when damaged or worn. Follow these rules and your crucibles will provide excellent
service, operational efciencies and signicant economies.

For additional information on Morgan Molten Metal Systems products or to nd a location nearest to you,
please visit:

www.morganmms.com