Production of iron & steel

ICH 231 T 2013

Dr F Marais

Occurrence & extraction of iron

Iron is the 2nd most abundant metal occurring in the earths crust. Extracted mainly from its oxides Haematite - Fe2O3 and magnetite Fe3O4 Also from the carbonate FeCO3 but iron pyrites, FeS2 is not considered important. Extraction occurs in a blast furnace. Iron ore, limestone & coke are fed in at the top. Molten ore tapped off at bottom.

What happens in the blast furnace

Energy & reducing agent are obtained by combustion of coke: 2C(s) + O2(g) 2CO(g) Reduction of iron from its ore occurs at 700C Fe2O3(s) + 3CO(g) 2Fe(s) + 3CO2(g) In the region of 1200C the silicate and phosphate impurities are reduced by coke

Reduction of Iron
Hematite (Fe2O3), magnetite (Fe3O4), and other iron oxides are reduced in blast furnaces. Purified iron exits the furnace at the bottom.

2009, Prentice-Hall, Inc.

Steel

Crude molten iron contains many impurities:

Silicon Manganese Phosphorus Sulfur Carbon

2009, Prentice-Hall, Inc.

Steel
Haematite is added to convert impurities to their oxides: phosphorous to P(V)oxide; silicon to silicon dioxide and carbon to carbon monoxide. Further oxidation with O2 (except phosphorus, which reacts with CaO) allows compounds to be easily separated from the molten iron. Purified molten steel is poured into molds.

2009, Prentice-Hall, Inc.

Properties of steel
Properties can be altered by varying the amounts of carbon added during manufacture. Mild steel between 0.1 and 0.4 % carbon Hard steel between 0.5 and 1.5 % carbon Hard steel is further hardened by heating to red heat (850C) and the plunging into cold water. The process is called quenching

Examples of alloy steel

Name of alloy Approximate percentage composition 73Fe; 18Cr; 8Ni + C 94Fe; 5W + C Invar 64Fe; 36Ni Manganese steel Permalloy Rock drills Use Special features Resists corrosion Hardness Stainless steel Tungsten steel Cutlery High speed cutting tools Watches Small coefficient of expansion

86Fe; 13Mn + C
78Ni; 21Fe + C Electromagnets

Toughness
Strongly magnetised by electric current Loses magnetism