FUNCTION OF BLAST

FURNACE

PRESENTED BY,
S.R & S.B
PLANNING ENGINEERS, BF#2
BLAST FURNACE
 It’s a type of metallurgical furnace used for
smelting to produce metals.
 BF’s: Bloomeries for iron, Blowing houses for
tin, and Smelt mills for lead.
 But the term has been limited to those used
for smelting iron ore to produce pig iron.
 Purpose is to chemically reduce and physically
convert iron oxides into “HOT METAL”.
 RAW MATERIALS
 Iron oxides:- Raw ore, Pellets, Sinter.
 Raw ore:Hematite(Fe2O3)
Magnetite(Fe3O4)
Rich iron content about 50%-
70%
 Pellets: Produced from lower iron
content ore. 60%-65%
 Sinter
 COKE: (cooked coal)
mixture of coals-crushed and ground into
powder-charged into oven and heated-
volatile matters oil and tar are removed-
taken out after 18-24 hrs- cooled and
screened into pieces. Contains 90%-93%
carbon, some amount of ash and sulfur.
coke with high energy value provide
permeability, heat and gases which are
required to melt and reduce the iron ore.
 Lime stone:
Final raw material in the iron making
process is limestone. Removed from the
earth by blasting, crushed and screened to
a size of 0.5-1.5 inch to become blast
furnace flux. It can be pure high calcium
limestone, dolomitic limestone containing
magnesia or a blend of two types. It
removes sulfur and other impurities from
the molten metal.
 PROCESS
All raw materials undergo numerous chemical and
physical reactions while descending to the bottom of
the furnace.
1. C + O2 = CO2 + Heat
CO2+ C = 2CO
2. 3 Fe2O3 + CO = CO2 + 2 Fe3O4 Begins at 850° F
Fe3O4 + CO = CO2 + 3 FeO Begins at 1100° F
FeO + CO = CO2 + Fe Begins at 1300° F
(or)
FeO + C = CO + Fe
3. CaCO3 = CaO + CO2 Begins at 1600° F
4. FeS + CaO + C = CaS + FeO + CO
1.Hot blast from Cowperstoves
2.Melting zone
3.Reduction zone of ferrous oxide
4.Reduction zone of ferric oxide
5. Pre-heating zone (throat)
6. Feed of ore, limestone, and
coke
7. Exhaust gases
8. Column of ore, coke and
limestone
9. Removal of slag
10. Tapping of molten pig iron
11. Collection of waste gases
THE BF PLANT
Conclusion:
 BF is the I step in producing steel from
iron ore.
 I BF appeared in 14 century and
produced 1 ton per day. Modern BF
produce 13,000 tons per day.
 BF will survive into the next millennium-
the larger, efficient furnaces can
produce hot metal at costs competitive
with other iron making technologies.
Bibliography:
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blast_furnac
e
 www.chemguide.co.uk/.../extraction/iron.
html
 www.steel.org