electric furnace

electric furnace, heating chamber with electricity as the heat source for achieving very high temperatures to melt and alloy metals and refractories. The electricity has no electrochemical effect on the metal but simply heats it. Modern electric furnaces generally are either arc furnaces or induction furnaces. A third type, the resistance furnace, is still used in the production of silicon carbide and electrolytic aluminum; in this type, the furnace charge (i.e., the material to be...