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Chapter 21: Problem 9

Describe the extraction of iron in a blast furnace.

Short Answer

Expert verified
Iron extraction in a blast furnace involves preparation of raw materials (iron ore, coke, limestone), loading these into the furnace, preheating and blowing hot air to cause various reactions including reduction of iron ore to iron, formation of molten iron and slag, and finally extraction of the molten iron from bottom of the furnace. The limestone acts as a flux, combining with sandy impurities in the iron ore to form a slag that is lighter than the iron and floats on top of it.

Step by step solution

01

Preparation of Raw Materials

The raw materials involved in this process include iron ore (mainly iron oxide), coke (carbon source), and limestone (calcium carbonate). The iron ore is first mined and then processed to a more manageable size. The coke is produced from distilling coal, and limestone is taken from natural sources. These are collectively called the charge.
02

Loading of Blast Furnace

The charge is loaded into the blast furnace from the top. It consists of alternating layers of coke, limestone, and iron ore, beginning and ending with a layer of coke.
03

Various Reactions

The furnace is preheated, and hot air is blown from the bottom. Then, several chemical reactions occur at various levels of the blast furnace. One of the primary reactions is the reduction of iron ore to iron. \(Fe_2O_3 + 3CO \rightarrow 2Fe + 3CO_2\).
04

Formation of Molten Iron and Slag

As reactions continue, molten iron is formed and collects at the bottom. The limestone acts as a flux and combines with the sandy impurities (silicon dioxide) in the iron ore to form a slag. \(CaCO_3 \rightarrow CaO + CO_2\), \(CaO + SiO_2 \rightarrow CaSiO_3\) (slag). The slag is lighter than iron and floats on top of it.
05

Extraction of Iron

At the bottom of the furnace, separate taps are provided to remove the molten iron and slag. The molten iron is cooled and cast into pig iron or processed further.

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