Blast furnace construction is a necessary component of the steel production process. The blast furnace, when properly constructed, can produce high-quality steel. To ensure efficient melting of the raw materials that enter the blast furnace, a properly built structure must be in place.
Blast furnace construction begins by erecting a steel frame that surrounds a chamber created by a steel wall installed around the circumference of the furnace. This wall is usually several feet thick and is usually constructed of either iron or steel plates. The entire circumference of the wall must be sealed, and the opening near the bottom of the wall must be plugged in order to create a secure and airtight environment inside the furnace.
Once the furnace is surrounded by the steel wall and the appropriate seals have been applied, the inner chamber must be filled with packed ore and heated or preheated air. This heated air, which is directed into the furnace through pipes, is necessary to create the blasts of intense heat required to melt the ore. Depending on the type and amount of ore used, these air blasts can reach temperatures as high as 2500°F (1371°C).
In addition to the ore and the heated air, a combustion material such as coke or charcoal is usually added to the furnace during construction. This combustible material helps to further increase the amount of heat in the furnace and will accelerate the melting of the ore. During this process, the ore and the combustible material mix and generate slag, a liquid by-product of the smelting process. This slag is then scooped out to be used as an industrial material in its own right.
After the construction of the furnace has been completed, the temperature of the furnace must be controlled in order to reach the desired levels of heat. This is usually done by controlling the amount and speed of the heated air blasts and by controlling the amount of combustible materials being added to the furnace. Monitors are usually placed around the furnace to detect any changes in the temperature and to make adjustments as needed.
Blast furnaces provide steel makers with the high-temperature heat source necessary for steel production. Although the process of constructing the furnace is complex, the result is a properly built, airtight furnace that can withstand the intense heat produced during the smelting process. As long as the furnace is constructed in the correct manner and appropriately monitored, it can be used to produce high-quality steel without fail.
