Description

Electric soaking pits are used in some cases for heating ingots of high-quality steel. The heating elements in such soaking pits are carborundum troughs filled with petroleum coke breeze as the resistance material. The troughs are arranged along the entire length of the working chamber. Electric soaking pits may be of the twin type (with a separator wall), with two-sided heating, with three heaters, and with a single heater in the center. Oxidation of metal in soaking pits of this type does not exceed 0.2–0.3 percent (instead of 1 percent or more in other soaking pits). A carburizing environment may be generated in soaking pits by introducing small quantities of gas or mazut into the working chamber. Electric soaking pits are economically efficient for heating hot ingots