Introduction
The use of the blast furnace for smelting iron ore involves a number of steps that are used to ultimately produce liquid iron. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the process involved in making iron with a blast furnace. Through a discussion of each of the steps such as ore preparation, pre-heating, charging the furnace, and the smelting process, an understanding of how iron is made will be gained
Ore Preparation
Before the process of smelting the iron can begin the ore must first go through a number of preparation steps. The ore is first crushed and then ground into a fine powder. Through this preparation process the impurities are separated from the ore which results in a higher quality ore.
Pre-heating
After the ore has been prepared it is then placed in a pre-heater which is a type of furnace. The ore is heated to high temperatures and the heat helps to further reduce the amount of impurities in the ore.
Charging the Furnace
Once the ore has gone through the pre-heating process it is then ready to be placed into the blast furnace. The blast furnace is a large cylindrical furnace that is filled with layers of ore, coke, limestone and other materials. The upper portion of the furnace is then filled with hot air or gas.
Smelting Process
When all of the necessary materials have been placed in the furnace the smelting process can begin. The hot air or gas flows up through the furnace and helps to fuel the furnace as well as raise the temperature. The materials that were placed in the furnace begin to react with each other and separate into different layers. The layers of molten iron eventually sink to the bottom and when the process is complete a basin of molten iron is produced.
Conclusion
The process of smelting iron ore with a blast furnace involves a number of steps. The ore must first be prepared, pre-heated, and then placed into the furnace. The furnace is then filled with hot air and other materials and the smelting process can begin. Through the smelting process and chemical reactions the impurities are separated from the ore and a basin of molten iron is produced. Through an understanding of the process one can gain a greater appreciation of the process and how iron ore is transformed into molten iron.
