A direct flame impingement system for preheating metal pellets before charging into a melting furnace, wherein the pellets are transported by a conveyor belt to a chute discharging into the melting furnace, including a refractory-lined preheater hood including a chute hood covering the chute and a conveyor hood covering at least a portion of the conveyor belt, the preheater hood having an entrance end through which pellets enter and an exit end through which pellets exit toward the melting furnace, and at least one bank of burners each containing at least one burner disposed in the hood positioned to direct flames into contact with the pellets being transported to preheat the pellets prior to discharge into the melting furnace.