IJMC/FEF Student Research Competition

Abstract Cupola melting processes have been around for centuries. This process takes advantage of the exothermic reaction between carbon and oxygen to reach temperatures that can melt iron. Once melting has begun, the cupola can be tapped while continuously melting. Historically, this type of furnace was used by industry and is currently used by art foundries. A decision was made to produce an iron melting cupola to increase the learning capabilities for the Virginia Tech foundry. The furnace was designed based on calculations from literature S. Chastain, "Iron Melting Cupola Furnaces for the Small Foundry" 1st Ed. Chastain, 2000 and modeled using Fusion360 Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software. Systems Engineering and Manufacturing (SE&M) fabricated a steel shell from this model. Saint-Gobain provided three different castable refractories for sample preparation and ASTM standard testing. Based on the test data, a castable refractory was selected and cast on top of insulating paper supplied by Tyler Union. Following sintering to eliminate residual water from the refractory, precise charge calculations were conducted to balance material chemistry and flow characteristics. The completion of this project demonstrates the integration of traditional practices with modern design and testing methods, enhancing experimental learning and research opportunities.