Metals and Alloys

First Semester 2011/2012

Lecture 7
25.09.2011

Dr. Tarek Abu Leil

 Extracting iron from ore -
Blast Furnace
Production of Iron – Blast furnace - Present
Blast furnace diagram
1. Hot blast
2. Melting zone
Blast furnace 3. Reduction zone II
in spain 4. Reduction zone I
5. Pre-heating zone
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

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 Extracting iron from ore -
Blast Furnace
The heat source

The coke (essentially impure carbon) burns in the blast of hot air to
form
carbon dioxide - a strongly exothermic reaction.

This reaction is the main source of heat in the furnace.

Heat energy is valuable, and it is important not to waste any.

The air blown into the bottom of the furnace is heated using the hot
waste gases from the top.

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 Extracting iron from ore -
Blast Furnace
The reduction of the ore
At the high temperature at the bottom of the furnace 
carbon dioxide reacts with carbon to produce carbon monoxide.
C + CO2  2CO
It is the carbon monoxide which is the main reducing agent in the furnace.
Fe2O3 + 3CO  2Fe + 3CO2
In the hotter parts of the furnace, the carbon itself also acts as a reducing agent.
The other product of the reaction is carbon monoxide, not carbon dioxide.

Fe2O3 + 3C  2Fe + 3CO

The temperature of the furnace is hot enough to melt the iron which go down to
the bottom where it can be tapped off.

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 Extracting iron from ore -
Blast Furnace
The function of the limestone
Iron ore doesn’t exist in pure iron oxide - it also contains a mixture of rocky material.
This wouldn't melt at the temperature of the furnace.
The limestone is added to convert this into slag which melts and runs to the bottom.

The heat of the furnace decomposes the limestone to give calcium oxide (CaO).
CaCO3  CaO + CO2

Absorbing heat from the furnace  Endothermic reaction.

It is therefore important not to add too much limestone because
it would otherwise cool the furnace.

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 Extracting iron from ore -
Blast Furnace
The function of the limestone
Calcium oxide (CaO) is a basic oxide and reacts with acidic oxides such as silicon
dioxide present in the rock.
Calcium oxide reacts with silicon dioxide to give calcium silicate.
CaO + SiO2  CaSiO3
The calcium silicate melts and runs down through the furnace to form a layer on top
of the molten iron.
It can be tapped off from time to time as slag.
Slag is used in road making and as "slag cement" - a final ground slag which can be
used in cement, often mixed with Portland cement.

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 Extracting iron from ore -
Blast Furnace
Limestone helps to separate the impurities from the metal

The liquid waste is known as slag that floats on the

molten iron
They are then tapped off (separated)

The iron produced is only about 90% to 95% pure.

The iron is then further refined using basic oxygen furnace
and the electric arc furnace to produce steel which is widely
used now.

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 Ferrous alloys
STEEL

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 Ferrous alloys - Steel

Steelmaking
The molten iron is transferred to a Basic Oxygen Process, where it is
combined with steel scrap and alloying elements and refined into steel
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 Ferrous alloys - Steel

Steelmaking-Steel slab casting

Molten steel is then continuously cast into large slabs

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 Ferrous alloys - Steel

Steelmaking-Control room
A view of the control room

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 Ferrous alloys - Steel

Steelmaking-Reheated furnace
This is a continuous cast slab leaving a reheat furnace and entering the
hot band mill
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 Ferrous alloys - Steel

Steelmaking-Roughing Stands
This is the same slab passing through roughing stands on its way to the
finishing rolls, where it will be transformed into hot-rolled coil
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 Ferrous alloys - Steel

Steelmaking-Cold Reduction Mill

The hot-rolled, pickled coils enter this mill on one side and pass through
six cold reduction stands, then exit on the opposite end, where the coils
are banded and sent to the hot-dip coating line
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 Ferrous alloys -Steel

German steel manufacturer A worker controls the cast at a blast

Salzgitter - Germany furnace of German steel manufacturer
Salzgitter

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 Ferrous Alloys

Types of ferrous alloys

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 Ferrous Alloys

Types of Steels

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 Ferrous Alloys

Types of Steels

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 Ferrous Alloys

Types of Steels

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 Ferrous alloys - Steel
Types of Steel
Low Carbon (Mild) steel
Mild steel is iron + up to about 0.3% of carbon.

The presence of the carbon makes the steel stronger and harder than pure iron.

Tough, ductile and malleable

Easily joined and welded
Poor resistance to corrosion

In general, the higher the percentage of carbon  harder the steel becomes.
 less ductile

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 Ferrous alloys - Steel
Types of Steel
Low Carbon (Mild) steel
Mild steel is used for - nails, wire, car bodies, ship building, and bridges.

nails wire

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 Ferrous alloys - Steel
Types of Steel
Medium carbon steel
Medium carbon steel contains up to about 0.3 – 0.6% of carbon.

The presence of the extra carbon makes it hard, but it also makes it a little
brittle.

High carbon steel is used for shafts, gears, railway tyres, garden tools.

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 Ferrous alloys - Steel
Types of Steel
High carbon steel
High carbon steel contains up to about 1.5% of carbon.

The presence of the extra carbon makes it very hard, but it also makes it more
brittle.

High carbon steel is used for wood & metal cutting tools, hammers, drills, etc.

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 Next Lecture

Ferrous alloys - Steel

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