HHO torch or an arc furnace for PGM melting?

[Smoolae]

Hello,

I have different amounts of Pt, Pd and Rh salts that I will calcine and later melt to pure metals.
Now I ask for some wisdom.

First I thought about building an HHO generator and use the oxyhydrogen flame for melting the calcined salts. The temperature of the flame reaches upwards to 2800C when an exact stoichiometric mixture is used.

The second idea I got was to build something like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTzKIs19eZE.
This should melt the calcined salts to pure metals with no problem. The only worry I have is the contamination from carbon rods. Though I think that any carbon that indeed leaves from the rods will just form CO2 and wouldn't interact with the melting of PGMs.

I have materials to basically build both of them, but which one should I use?

 

[Lou]

Neither.

Get high frequency induction melter and a tank of argon.

 

[Smoolae]

Neither.

Get high frequency induction melter and a tank of argon.

Haven't even thought about induction heating. Thanks for pointing that possibility out as well!
Would it be possible to get an induction heater that does the job (melts, Pd, Pt and Rh) with a budget around 500usd?
I have seen a lot of them around 2.5 - 5kw, but the temperature they climb up to according to the specs is around 1600C, so a little bit too low.

 

[Lou]

Usually over 20 kHz needed for powders. Every now and then there are Chinese power supplies for 500-800 at the 4-7 kW range.


Typically temp is limited by coil design and how much heat can be removed from the copper coil.

 

[Smoolae]

Usually over 20 kHz needed for powders. Every now and then there are Chinese power supplies for 500-800 at the 4-7 kW range.


Typically temp is limited by coil design and how much heat can be removed from the copper coil.

Thanks for answering!

Also, what are the main disadvantages of using HHO/arc furnace for PGM powder melting?

 

[Lou]

Oxygen contamination

 

[Smoolae]

Oxygen contamination

Got it