The production of Iron and Steel The Blast Furnace The Basic Oxegen Furnace The Electric Arc Frunace

Tuyere –For Hot air Blasts The Blast Furnace Downcomer Receiving hopper Blast Furnace Gas to Cleaning plant Distributing Chute Charging Conveyor Tuyere –For Hot air Blasts Water Cooled Refractory lining Hot air Blast Supporting Column Tap hole Slag Hole Iron Trolley Slag Trolley

The Production of Iron First the ore is graded and crushed and the fine particles sintered. Sintering is the process of converting fine particles into a continuous mass Iron ore powder is compacted and then heated to a temperature below the melting point of the metal in the ore, this results in the waste being removed and the particles of iron ore gathering into ball shaped masses or agglomerates. Conveyor buckets take iron ore, limestone and coke to the top of furnace

4. Once inside the furnace the whole mixture is ‘fired’, this brings it to a white hot temperature. 5. Smelted iron runs to the bottom of the furnace and is tapped off 6. The limestone combines with impurities and forms a slag and as this is lighter than the iron it floats to the top and is tapped off A blast furnace can run for 2 years before the refractory lining has to be replaced. Most of the molten iron goes directly to steel mills although some is cast into Buckets (Pigs). This is known as pig iron and is used to make Cast Iron

Video Clip Blast Furnace

The Basic Oxygen Process Fluxes and coolants Fumes to cleaning plant Water-cooled fume hood Moveable seal Water-cooled lance Tap Hole Steel shell Refractory lining (Dolomite)

The Sequence 1. Charging Scrap Iron and Steel form 30% of the charge   1.    Charging Scrap Iron and Steel form 30% of the charge Molten Iron from the blast furnace makes up the rest

Blowing A water cooled pipe carries oxygen to the surface of the hot metal Oxygen blows at high pressure which increases temperature and burns off impurities

Sampling Samples are taken to check the composition of the steel

Tapping Once chemical analysis indicates correct composition, lance is lifted out Molten steel is poured through TapHole

Removing Slag Once chemical analysis indicates correct composition, lance is lifted out Molten steel is poured through TapHole

Video Clip Basic Oxygen Process

The Electric Arc Furnace Carbon electrodes Power Cables Refractory lining Swivel Roof Water cooled panels Tapping Spout Furnace Door Steel Scrap The Electric Arc furnace is a circular vessel that sits on a set of rollers which allow it to be tipped for Tapping and Slagging

The Sequence 1. Charging The charge consists solely of Scrap Iron

2. Melting The electrodes are lowered, and the arc is started, by raising the electrodes a little above the surface of the scrap

3. Slagging The furnace is first tilted on rollers to allow Slag to be raked off or poured into slag ladles.

4. Tapping The furnace is then titled in the other direction and then the molten steel is poured out through a spout into the pouring ladle.

Video Clip Electric Arc Furnace 1

Video Clip Electric Arc Furnace 2