LARA, Celine M. Engr. Juan C.

Tallara
MEC 0327-1 03/22/2021
SMELTING DEFINITION
 a form of extractive metallurgy to produce a metal from its ore. 
 uses heat and a chemical reducing agent to decompose the ore, driving off other elements as
gasses or slag and leaving just the metal behind. 
 The reducing agent is commonly a source of carbon such as coke, charcoal, and coal.

PROCESS
Burning of fuel Impurities are
to CO CO reduces hematite to iron Decomposition removed
2𝐶 + 𝑂2 2𝐶𝑂 𝐹𝑒2 𝑂3 + 3𝐶𝑂 2𝐹𝑒 + 3𝐶𝑂2 𝐶𝑎𝐶𝑜3 𝐶𝑎𝑂 + 𝐶𝑂2 𝐶𝑎𝑂 + 𝑆𝑖𝑂2 𝐶𝑎𝑆𝑖𝑂3

Bloomery
 A bloomery was the earliest form of a smelter.
 Bloomery consists of a heat resistant chimney + pipes at
the bottom for air + way to remove product called bloom
(reduced iron).
 Air is added via natural draft or bellows which required
power (e.g. Water power).
 Process: Heat bloomery by burning charcoal or coke;
when hot, add iron ore + more fuel + limestone.
 During the process, iron in the ore is reduced as pure iron
pieces fall to bottom of chimney and weld together in a
spongy mass to form the bloom.
 The rest of the ore (impurities) form the slag. It also ends
up at the bottom of the chimney including becoming
embedded in the bloom.
 To remove the slag and thus further purify the iron
product, the bloom is reheated and then hammered. Blast Furnace
 The product of this process is called wrought iron.
 the required components are iron ore, fuel (originally
Charcoal and Coke charcoal), oxygen or air and a way to recover the
product.
 Charcoal: Residue left when wood (carbohydrate) is
heated in absence of oxygen (anerobic) to drive off water The Method
and other volatile components. The porous residue is
about 85% carbon and burns hotter and cleaner than  Three substances are needed to enable to extraction of
wood. iron from its ore. The combined mixture is called the
 Coke: Residue left when coal is heated in absence of charge: Iron ore.
oxygen (anerobic) to drive off water and other gases (H2,  Haematite - often contains sand with iron oxide,
Fe2O3.
 Limestone (calcium carbonate).
 Coke - mainly carbon.
Several reactions take place before the iron is finally
produced:

 Oxygen in the air reacts with coke to give carbon

dioxide: C(s) + O 2(g) → CO2(g)
 The limestone breaks down to form carbon dioxide:
CaCO3(s) → CO2 (g) + CaO(s)
 Carbon dioxide produced in 1 + 2 react with more coke
to produce carbon monoxide: CO2(g) + C(s) →
2CO(g) Several reactions take place before the iron is
finally produced...
 The carbon monoxide reduces the iron in the ore to give
molten iron: 3CO(g) + Fe2O3(s) → 2Fe(l) + 3CO2(g)
 The limestone from 2, reacts with the sand to form slag
(calcium silicate): CaO(s) + SiO(s) → CaSiO3(l)