THE BEGINNING OF THE MODERN IRONMAKING

AT HUNEDOARA IRONWORKS (1884 1904), TRANSYLVANIA,

ROMANIA
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The government chose four possible sites for building the new works: Govajdie
(where there already existed a high-furnace at about 1 km far from !unedoara"# $imeris#
%eva and !unedoara& 'ach site was considered separately in its weak and strong points&
for Govajdie the most important thing was the () years of ironmaking tradition and also the
availability of the ore resources& *n the other hand# the difficulties regarding the selling of
the production# especially in what concerned the leak of the space necessary for building a
modern plant have caused the renunciation to this alternative+
in favour of %eva and $imeria was the fact that both had a main railroad# so that the
supplying with raw materials and also the selling of the production could be solved+
for !unedoara alternative# the most important thing was the proximity to the iron
works,mines from Ghelar and Teliuc# the possibility to value some forest massifs in the
region in order to produce the charcoal& The main issue that made !unedoara to be
chosen was the desire of the -ocal .ouncil to have this plant in their town& The citi/ens of
the city of !unedoara# by the 0ayor#
0r& George %anila
1
have addressed a memorial to the Government in the year of 11# by
which thex re2uested the building of a new plant in !unedoara# by undertaking to freely
cease to the state the land necessary for the industrial constructions# and also the rights to
work the lime pit# by undertaking to support the construction# especially in what concerned
the supplying issues
3
&
Taking into consideration all the elements of the feasibility studies for the four locations#
the .entral %epartment of $iderurgica has approved in 11 the building of the ironworks
on the territory of !unedoara
4
& 5s place for the ironworks# was settled the cca& 1) ha
garden of the 6ranciscan 0onastery& 7nstead# the 0ayoralty of the city had given a part of
the land 8 called 9ataga 8 having a similar area# that belonged to the city& The land that
was necessary in order to install the pipe that was going to supply the blast furnaces with
water was bought from the population by change as the 0ayoralty had given other lands
having similar areas# and for the :adul %obrii 8 !unedoara funicular and for the
construction of the railroad !unedoara 8 $imeria# there was used expropriated land
;
&
The placement of the new ironworks in !unedoara had imposed the spreading of
the railroad network# by the construction of the normal gauge railroad !unedoara 8
$imeria# carried on by the ironworks and exploited by the <ailroad 5dministration&
7n the same time# there was made the connection of the ironworks railroads to the
new railroad and also to the access land roads& The weekly newspaper !unyad wrote in
the edition no& 1) dated 0ay1(# 14 the followings: =The railroad and the ironworks from
!unedoara are to be inaugurated on 0ay 1;# current year& 5s far as we are informed
about# there are organi/ed big celebrations# and guests from 9udapesta are also
expected>&
The building of the !unedoara ironworks began in 11& 5ccording to the project#
there were built 1 blast furnaces# 14#4) m high and 11) m
3
volume
?#(
&
9eginning with this year# the ironworks from !unedoara had developed as follows:
in 14 there had begun the building of the third blast furnace# having a yield of 4)

8 ;)
@

t,day&+
in 1; there was built the fourth blast furnace# having a yield of
1))
1)
8 13) A 1;)
11
t,day+
in 1@)3# there was built the fifth blast furnace# having a yield of ) A 1))
11
8 1;)
13
t,day&
The fuel used in these blast furnaces (1# 1 and 3" was the charcoal& The last blast furnaces
(built in 1@; and 1@)3" were designed to operate based on coke
14
& The charcoal was
stored in 1 sheds# from where it was conveyed to a station# where the charge was
measured , burdened& The iron ore was extracted out of the Ghelar mine (approx& 1? km
far from the works" and was then conveyed to the blast furnaces by means of a funicular#
built in the same time when building the first blast furnace& The need to increase the pig
iron production had re2uired the increasing of the ore demand# that had led to a more
intense depth exploitation of the ore bodies , layers in the Boiana <usca 0ountains&
9eginning with the year of 1?3# at Ghelar started the industrial exploitation 8 pit
exploitation 8 and in 11# by a gallery& 9ecause the funicular could not support the
re2uirements of a highly increased production anymore# in the period 1@) 8 1@))# there
was built the narrow gauge railroad Ghelar 8 !unedoara (1? km far"& 7n this area# there
were also installed the funiculars Govajdia 8 9atrana <iver (1 km far"# for charcoal
conveying and Govajdia 8 9unila (14 km far" for charcoal and limestone conveying
1?
& The
limestone was also supplied from the local pits and was transported by teams of horses
1(
&
ERE9TION OF BLAST FURNA9ES
The foundation of the two blast furnaces was made of carved stone& The refractory
bricks for lining the crucible and the shoulders came from 'ngland and Germany# and
those for lining the shaft# were of local production&
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The preheating of the air was carried on inside of two tube heating installations#
having the following characteristics , features:
Heating surface, m
2
Length, mHeight, mWidth, m14(#@4#?)?#@)
*ne of the tubes was =/ig-/ag> type and the second one was =plate> type& The tubes
were cast at Govajdie and the components were processed inside the mechanical
workshop of the blast furnace Govajdie& The air was supplied by four 9alancier type blast
engines# having a diameter of 13?) mm and a piston of 11;) mm that allowed the
supplying of a flow rate of @) m
3
,min& The blast engines were installed in a separate
building& 5 @; !B Girard type water turbine and a 31; .B $koda type steam machine with
fly wheel# mounted in a separate building# normally operated them
1
&
The blast furnaces had four tuyeres with blast hole diameter of 1)) 8 13) mm& The
air pressure was ?) 8 ) mmcol!g
1@
& The crucible and the tuyeres were watercooled& 7n
order to discharge the top gases# there was mounted an axial gas gathering device&
Cithin the area of the blast furnaces there also existed the workshops where the
mechanic maintenance operations were carried on& 6or water supply# there was built a
dike on the Dlasti flow# 11;4 m far from the work in construction& The water flew freely
through an open planked conduit# 1 m wide# 1 m high# that crossed the Dlasti :alley# on
the stone poles&
*ne can still see today the poles of this water conduit& The water was caught in a
slurry separator tank# 44 m long and #; m wide# granting a water fall from 11 m& 5t a
normal flow rate of 3)) l,min&# the water drove a turbine at a rotative speed of 1;) rot,min&
Two tube tanks having an area of () m
1
each# using the cleaned top gas or the fine
charcoal as fuels supplied the technological steam
1)
&
The identical dimensions for the first blast furnace were as follows:
Total height, mInner height, mDiameter,
mCrucible height,
mShaft height,
mBosh diameter,
mTop diameter,
mShoulders height,
mShaft angle,
1;#1)14#4)1#4;1#1#414#1?3#14#(4
The blast furnaces had a common house for pig iron casting# that was arranged
both for casting the pig iron in ingot bars and for casting the pig iron parts out of the first
melting&
The slag flew under the blast furnace and it was then poured in moulds# or it was
granulated& 6or conveying the granulated slag# there was commissioned a funicular
conveyer# 9leichert system# behind the blast furnaces# having a length of 11)) m being
driven by a 4) !p electric motor& 7n the neighborhood of the 6ranciscan 0onastery# there
was built a brick factory# having a yield of 1)&))) bricks,day# in order to use the slag from
the blast furnaces&
7n the same time# with the commissioning of the first blast furnace# there was also
prepared the foundation for the third blast furnace& 5fter building of the first blast furnace
was finished# its commissioning was programmed for 0ay 1;# 14& The local newspaper
!unyad wrote in its edition no& 11 dated 0ay 3)# 14: =*n the 1;
th
of this month# the city
of !unedoara and the places in the neighborhood have prepared themselves for a triple
celebration& Ce have invited our dear deputy to present in this day his report to his
electors& There was announced the first discharging and casting , pouring of the blast
furnaces and finally the arrival of the first train on the railroad $imeria 8 !unedoara& !ere
have arrived# carriage after carriage# not only from the neighborhood of !unedoara# guests
willing to see and to have a good time& 9ecause the <oyal .ouncilor Eerepely got ill# the
solemnity on the occasion of the first discharging was postponed>&
The official inauguration took place on Fune 11# 14 and it represents the birth of
the 7ronworks
11
in !unedoara& The local newspaper recorded in its edition no& 1; from
Fune the followings: =9lessing and good luck for !unedoaraG The first pig iron charge has
already flown# the Ghelar hill is melting at !unedoara& This event of huge meaning was not
characteri/ed by celebrations and pompous speeches# but the black smoke coming out of
the stacks spreading over the region has announced the happy news that the more
beautiful future that !unedoara and its neighborhood had expected for years and years
and that lately had even fearly hoped# was not a dream anymore& 5nd those wonderful iron
birds (the scuttles of the funiculars" are continuously passing on their aerial ropeways>&
DIRE9T DEVELO>MENT
*ne year later# on 0ay 14# 1; the second blast furnace was commissioned&
$ince then# the center of gravity of the iron making from Transylvania moves to
!unedoara# where the administration of the works also moves and the old workshops
(smitheries# forges# mechanic workshops" gradually loose their importance# slowing down
their activity# excepting the workshop and the blast furnace in Govajdie# being into
operation until 1@1# as the documents record&
7n Fune 13# 1@) the blast furnace no& 3 is commissioned and in 5ugust 4# 1@; the
blast furnace no& 4 starts to operate& The new blast furnace had a volume of 1 m
3
and
had a central device for collecting the top gas and the foundation was built on poles& The
shoulders were coated with a single bricklayer& The crucible and the bottom with
continuous jacket were water-cooled and the charging platform was mounted on metallic
poles& 9ecause the new blast furnace was 3#3 m higher than the others# it was necessary
to build a new platform at the level of the inner yard to store the ore and the coke# and also
a new material elevator with two transport cabins# driven by a steam machine&
6or supplying the blown air# there was purchased a blast engine having an
absorption power of 11 m
3
,sec&# that could assure the operation of all the four blast
furnaces& The air preheating was carried on in Chitwell pre-heaters# that during the first
campaign were replaced by .owper pre-heaters# having 1; m height# ? m diameter and
(); m
3
of refractory bricks& The three .owper pre-heaters mounting was finished in
1@)1
13
& *ne of the technical re2uirements of those times said: =9etween the furnaces and
the area of the ore yard there are placed the air heaters 8 .owper system 8 through
which# when passing# the air necessary for melting# is heated at ;)) 8 ()) H.>&
The blast furnace reached its designed capacity of 1)@ t,day within the first month
of operation&
The coke necessary for this blast furnace was brought from $yle/ia and it contained
(#; 8 #(I ashes and )#(@ 8 )#1 sulphur& The blast furnace no& 4 represents a very
important step for the iron making at !unedoara as it marks the iron making process ba
using the coke and the pre-heated air at high temperatures&
7n the first year of the JJ-th century# the pig iron production of these ironworks
reaches a maximum level of )&))) tones& 7t is now the moment when the fifth blast
furnace is commissioned at !unedoara# event that ends the shaping of the iron making
development for this stage&
STEEL >RODU9TION
The exploitation of the pig iron produced at !unedoara by transforming it into steel
using new technologies begins in the year 1?& 7nside the casting house of the blast
furnaces# there is mounted a pre-refining furnace and experimental furnaces# 9essemer
type# having low capacities& The air was blown in the pig iron in order to reduce the carbon
content& 7n order to supply the air necessary for the operation# there was mounted a -ang
blast engine# having a flow rate of 111 m
3
,min&
The pre-refined pig iron was delivered to the steel plants from .ugir and
Dolyombre/o# but the technological results were not the expected ones (because of the
high variations in the chemical analy/e"& 9ecause the negative results of the
experimentations , tests# carried on within the plant# were found to be due to the design
deficiencies of the improvised installations# the plant was re-si/ed and re-built in 1(
under proper technical conditions& Chen re-commissioned# a fire destroyed the plant# this
being then abandoned& %uring the tests# there was found out that the replacement of the
blowing no//les was made very often and the refractory lining resisted ; 8 ? days#
respectively ) 8 11) heats& The results obtained were considered to be poor# both in what
concerns the steel 2uality and economically& 5fter the cast house burnt down in 1(# the
experimental furnace# 9essemer type# was rebuilt# being into operation for a period of six
months
14
& 5fter the commissioning of the third furnace# there started a mew stage in the
development of the plant# the aim being the steel production& The steel plant comes into
life together with the erection of two 0artin furnaces# 11 tones each and of two 9essemer
converters# commissioned in 1@1
1;
&
The two 0artin furnaces with basic lining had identical dimensions and the same
arrangement of the regenerative chambers with refractory brick grate&
urnace length, murnace !idth, mHeight at the middle of the furnace, m;#11#31#1
'ach furnace had its own stack& The fuel used was gasogene gas obtained out of
coal supplied from the Fiului :alley# by blowing air and steam over the hot coal (the water
gas reaction"& The gas generators had a system of double plane grates# arranged in
stairs , steps# with a completely closed bottom& The air and water vapors were blown at the
base of the grate by means of a EKrting type device& 'ach furnace had a battery made of ;
gas generators# with a total surface of the grate of ;#1 m
1
&
The two 9essemer converters of small capacity had the following characteristics:
I##! */+(,!, (Height,
mBlo!ing no""le diameter, mHeight of the side no""le for pig iron charging, m)#@1#3?1#1;)
The bottom of the converter was changeable& The refractory lining was made of
2uart/ schist# and the bottom and the blowing no//les were made of shaped bricks& The
bottom resisted at ( 8 1) heats# but in the most situations# the no//les for air blowing were
replaced at each heat& There existed also an area where the bottoms of the converter
were rebuilt and dried inside of a furnace supplied with coke& The time for a heat at the
converter was 1; 8 3) min& and the charging of the converter was within 1; min&
6or preparing of the metallic charge# the steel plant had a pig iron crushing
installation and a scrap shear driven by steam& 5s additional e2uipment for the converters#
there were 1 ladles for the transport of the hot iron# mounted on railroad wagons&
The casting house attended both the 0artin furnaces and the 9essemer converters&
The steel was discharged in a ladle coated with refractory lining# mounted on railroad
wagons&
The casting was carried on in casting pits# where the moulds and trumpets were
mounted on bridges# and the steel was cast through the trap& *ut of the ladle there were
cast 4 8 ; series# 1) 8 1; ingots& 7n each furnace were made in average 1 heats , day& The
lost of material caused by oxidation was 4 8 I&
6or making 1 tone of ingot steel# there were necessary 113) kg of crude steel& The
pig iron consumption of the converters was high# 13)) 8 1?) kg for 1 t of steel& %ue to the
fact that the pig iron made in the blast furnace was not proper for the refining inside the
converter# that e2uipment was operating intermittent&
The steel produced was forged under good conditions# the chemical composition
(I" being as follows:
9#nSiS$)#);)#3))#))@)#)1)#)1
The chemical analy/e was carried on inside the plant laboratory&
The forging workshops were endowed with two ;)) kg steam hammers and
forging fires& 7n order to melt the pig iron and to cast it in units# the plant had a cupola
furnace with a yield of 1;) t,month& The foundry could produce any kind of parts with a
weight up to ;))) kg# like: brake disks# wagons wheels# components for wagons# pumps#
motor housings# pig iron pipes# etc&
The dolomite necessary for repairing was supplied from the own pit from Govajdie
and the granulated magnesite and the magnesia bricks were supplied from !ungary and
5ustria& The operating costs of the 9essemer converters were increased because of the
necessity to keep the tank generating the steam for the blast engine in operation# of the
relatively low steel production and of the high price of the refractory lining&
The conclusions reached by the specialists after the operation of the 9essemer
converters for a period of 1 years were that under the conditions specific to !unedoara#
the 0artin process has some advantages comparing to the converter# especially
economical ones 8 being recommended to shut down the two converters# the production
being stopped in 1@@
1?
&
The 2uantitative development of the main products (t" at the ironworks in
!unedoara:
%earIron oreCharcoalCrude steelCastingsSteel
The ironworks from !unedoara had:
The iron ore mines+
The blast furnace and foundry from Govajdie+
The hydroelectric power plant from .atanas+
The thermoelectric power plant from !unedoara+
0echanic workshops+
!ydro workshop+
Blant lighting installation+
5gricultural tools workshop from Dlasti+
Larrow gauge railroad for iron ore transport Ghelar 8 !unedoara+
.hemical labs+
6orest regions&
&ther assets'
<oom for medical consultations+
$team bath+
.asino+
6ood store called =.onsum>+
3 flats for clerks+
1)1 tenement buildings+
5 bar with flower garden and workerMs orchestra
1(
&
$ersonnel'
B+&* "# ,h *+,+ 8/&,/#1 /# ,h +!0h/2, "# 0+# &+6 ,h+, ,h /!"#$"!%& h+* 918 $"!%!&, $/,h"),
,+%/#1 /#," 0"#&/*!+,/"# ,h (3."6& '!"( ,h (/#& /# Gh.+!, ?.+&,/ +#* G"2+@*/7
specialist engineers# assisted by @) clerks# ruled the ironwork&
7n 1@;(# !unedoara had a population of 3?#4@ inhabitants
1
&