Charging of Furnace

Charging of Furnace
Points : Charging of Furnace, Definition Definition The three raw materials are carried to the top of and dumped into the blast furnace, called charging the furnace. The principle of this furnace was developed in Central Europe, and the first furnace built in the United States began operating in 1621. The blast furnace that we are familiar with is basically a large steel cylinder lined with refractory (heat resistant) brick and has the height of about a ten-story building.

The charge mixture is melted in a reaction at 1650 C (3000 F), with air preheated to about 11OOC (2000F) and blasted into the furnace (hence the term blast furnace) through nozzles (or tuyeres). Although a number of reactions may take place, basically the reaction of iron oxide with carbon produces carbon monoxide, which in turn reacts with the iron oxide, reducing it to iron. Preheating the incoming air is necessary because the burning coke alone does not produce the incoming air is necessary because the burning coke alone does not produce sufficiently high temperatures for the reactions to occur.