Name the metals produced from each of the furnaces listed below: - Blast furnace - Cupola furnace - Electric arc furnace - Leaving Cert Engineering - Question 2 - 2017

Operation of the Blast Furnace

The operation of a blast furnace involves several steps:

1. Charging of Materials: Iron ore, coke, and limestone are charged from the top of the furnace. The interior of the furnace is divided into zones where different chemical reactions occur.

2. Combustion: As coke is heated, it produces carbon monoxide, which reacts with the iron ore (mostly hematite) to reduce it to molten iron. The reaction can be defined as:

   $\text{Fe}_2\text{O}_3 + 3\text{C} \rightarrow 2\text{Fe} + 3\text{CO}$

3. Formation of Slag: The limestone reacts with impurities in the iron ore to form slag, which floats on top of the molten iron. This can be represented as:

   $\text{CaCO}_3 \rightarrow \text{CaO} + \text{CO}_2$

4. Tapping the Furnace: The molten iron is tapped from the bottom, while the slag is removed periodically to keep the operation efficient.

5. Cooling: The iron is allowed to cool and can be further processed or cast into molds as needed.