Steel production

Furnaces used for making pig iron and steels. RH side of open hearth furnace shows use of oil instead of gas

Steel making

Open Hearth

• The open-hearth process is used most often. In this process heat is di rected over the metal instead of through it. The hearth looks like a large rectangular basin holding 50 to 175 tons of metal. A charge of limestone and scrap is placed in the furnace .

• The fuel lights and burns and is then directed downward and over the metal. After the scrap metal is nearly melted down, hot metal from the blast furnace is added and the refinement of the metal continues. Addi tional hot metal, manganese, or other alloying elements are added to produce different kinds of steel.

Bessemer converter

Bessemer converter

• Bessemer Process. Hot metal from the blast furnace is poured into a Bessemer converter (a kind of furnace) while it is tipped on its side. When it is turned upright, air pressure is forced, through holes in the bottom of the converter.

• The oxygen of the air blown into the molten iron purifies the iron. Certain amounts of carbon, manganese, or other ele ments are added to this purified iron. In this way many different kinds of steel are obtained

Bessemer converter

Electric arc

Electric arc furnace

Electric Arc Furnace

• Steel is made in an electric furnace the same way as it is done in the open hearth .It is usually made in smaller amounts, and electricity is used for heating. The same kinds of steel can be pro duced. Electric furnaces are used to make specialized kinds of steel.

Steel

• Finished Product. After the steel is made, it is cast into molds called ingots. The next steps in handling steel depend on what is to be made.