How does a blast furnace work step by step?
Molten iron is produced in a blast furnace by the following steps:
- Charge (solid iron ore, coke, and limestone) is constantly dumped into the top of the furnace.
- A blast of hot air is blown into the furnace from the bottom.
- Coke is the fuel that supplies additional heat, increasing the temperature of the charge.
Which process takes place in blast furnace?
Blast furnaces operate on the principle of chemical reduction whereby carbon monoxide converts iron oxides to elemental iron.
How is a blast furnace made?
A blast furnace is usually built with a steel case and bricks made of magnesium oxide or other refractory material inside the case. The hot furnace cannot melt these bricks. The furnace is cooled with water running inside part of the case and bricks. The process of making iron is simple.
What is the main function of blast furnace?
The purpose of a blast furnace is to chemically reduce and physically convert iron oxides into liquid iron called “hot metal”. The blast furnace is a huge, steel stack lined with refractory brick, where iron ore, coke and limestone are dumped into the top, and preheated air is blown into the bottom.

How blast furnace is heated?
The blast furnace is a brick-lined, stainless steel stack, which is heated using pre-heated air. Limestone, coke and iron ore are placed in the blast furnace and heated. The coke, limestone and iron react in the presence of heat, producing slag and liquid iron.
What is the process of making steel?
Steel is made from iron ore, a compound of iron, oxygen and other minerals that occurs in nature. The raw materials for steelmaking are mined and then transformed into steel using two different processes: the blast furnace/basic oxygen furnace route, and the electric arc furnace route.
What is produced in blast furnace?
Blast furnace produces Hot metal (Liquid Iron) using Iron ore, Coke, Sinter, Pellets and fluxes such as Lime-stone, Pyroxenite, Quartzite reacting with oxygen from pre heated air.
What are the main parts of a blast furnace?
The components of a blast furnace include the Charge, exhaust gas outlet, charging bells, gas outlet, tuyeres, taphole, bustle pipe, slag hole, refractory lining, and conveyor system.
What are the components of a blast furnace?
Blast refers to the combustion air being “forced” or supplied above atmospheric pressure. The components of a blast furnace include the Charge, exhaust gas outlet, charging bells, gas outlet, tuyeres, taphole, bustle pipe, slag hole, refractory lining, and conveyor system.
What chemical reactions happen in a blast furnace?
The reactions of the blast furnace involve 1) combustion of the fuel and its conversion into carbon monoxide, 2) reduction of the ore, and 3) formation of slag. A reaction such as FeO + CO = Fe + CO2 can occur in both the forward and backward direction under conditions existing somewhere in the blast furnace.
Why is the blast furnace a continuous process?
The production of iron in a Blast Furnace is a continuous process. The furnace is heated constantly and is re-charged with raw materials from the top while it is being tapped from the bottom. Iron making in the furnace usually continues for about ten years before the furnace linings have to be renewed.
How is the blast furnace heated?
How are blast furnaces heated?
The hot gas passes through the stove and transfers heat to the refractory chequer work. A pre-heated stove is then used as a means of heating incoming air to be used as the hot blast in the furnace.
How steel is produced step by step?
With this in mind, here are the 6 steps to modern steel production explained.
- Step 1 – The iron making process.
- Step 2 – Primary steel making.
- Step 3 – Secondary steel making.
- Step 4 – casting.
- Step 5 – First forming.
- Step 6 – The manufacturing, fabrication and finishing process.
What processes lead to the production of carbon dioxide in the blast furnace?
The coke (carbon) burns with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide. This reaction is exothermic. The CO2 then reacts with more coke to give carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide acts as a reducing agent and reacts with the iron ore to give molten iron, which trickles to the bottom of the furnace where it is collected.
What is the temperature of a blast furnace?
The Blast Furnace is a large steel structure about 30 meters high. It is made up of special firebricks that can withstand temperatures approaching 2000ºC. In the furnace gets pre-heated air at about 1000ºC is blasted into the furnace through nozzles near its base.