The Blast Furnace: Zones and Type

Introduction
What is the definition of blast furnace? In general, blast furnace is a metallurgical heating and
smelting machine used in production of metals. It is very essential in metallurgical companies. Blast
furnace is of very great help to engineering departments in so many ways as this assists in daily
functions of the engineers. It is of very great help in foundry as it is used for heating and melting of
iron. It is used in separation of impure materials from parent metals and makes the metals useful to
the society. The processes that take place in blast furnace are much and all must be passed through
before any valuable element is recovered. I wonder how the world of today would have been without
this great machine called blast furnace.
There are many types of blast furnace. The types of blast furnace that are obtainable in the world of
today include non-ferrous blast furnace, iron and lead blast furnace.
There are many zones that take place in blast furnace. These zones have the particular time and
temperature ranges for their occurrences, that is to say that it depends on the metal to be heated
and melted. The four basic zones that take place in blast furnace are the preheating,
reaction/reduction/oxidation, combustion and the melting zones.
Zones/Stages in Blast Furnace
The preheating zone in blast furnace occurs at the lower temperature in the furnace chamber. This
is the lowest heating zone in furnace as much heat does not partake in it. The preheating stage in
blast furnace is dependent on the metal to be smelted. Free water and moisture in the ore to
undergo smelting is driven out at this stage and it occurs at the temperature of about 200 degree
Celsius in some cases.
The reaction/reduction/oxidation zone occurs at optimal heat and mass transport. The reduction
zone occurs mostly in lead blast furnace as heating in the blast furnace occurs through reduction
reaction process and oxidation takes place in Iron blast furnace. This zone occurs at high gas
velocity and the resistance to gas flow is low. This zone is a radical zone as the movement of gases is
high. Reduction of lead oxide to lead begins at relative low temperatures. Oxygen containing lead
species requires more intense reducing conditions. Tin as an ore that contains lead can partly be
reduced to lead bullion, and the separation of the two components depends on the solubility and the
density of the two.
The combustion zone occurs when the coke in the furnace reacts with the oxygen introduced
through the tuyeres. Tuyeres are pores on the body of the furnace that allows forcing in of Oxygen
and it is a very important part of furnaces. There is release of high amount of heat in combustion
reaction, and that is to say that exothermic reaction takes place. The Carbon (IV) Oxide is further
reduced to Carbon (II) Oxide when Carbon reacts with Carbon (IV) Oxide.
Melting zone occurs within a limited time. This is the chamber of blast furnace where melting
process takes place after the ore had been heated to its melting temperature. Taking lead containing
ore for example, the temperature at which the ore melts is at about 1150 degree Celsius.
What is Lead Blast Furnace as a type of Blast Furnace? In which Processes does it work?

The blast furnace process is regarded as one of the most complicated process in pyrometallurgy
because many parameters are involved, and the interaction between the materials in the furnace
and gases. Pyrometallurgy involves extraction and purification of metals from their ores by passing
them through intense heating. It can also take the form of roasting of the ore. No one can exactly
explain what happens in blast furnaces and that is why many researchers have tried in so many ways
to use mathematical expressions to explain what goes on in them and it is not new as many reactions
that occur in the study of science are shown through the same method.
Lead blast furnace is used in the production of Lead from their ores. It is used in production of Lead
by melting the ore when heated to high temperature and the molten Lead separated from its slag.
Lead blast furnace is a portable furnace. It has low energy and project capital cost. It is used in
production of soft Lead. The furnace generates high pollution and that is why it is situated far from
homes and offices. The internal part of lead blast furnace is lined with fire bricks. The fire bricks are
used in maintaining constant internal temperature of the furnace. The internal part of lead blast
furnace is charged with coke and other raw materials before any extraction of Lead from its scrap
takes place. Damaged Lead battery is an example of Lead scraps and Lead can be extracted from
them. A similar furnace to lead furnace is the Imperial smelting furnace where the end products are
Zinc and Lead.
Preheating zone in lead blast furnace takes place at the temperature of about two hundred degree
Celsius. The ore containing the Lead element when introduced into the furnace is preheated to this
temperature, either electrically or through any other heat generating process.
At the reduction stage of the furnace, the ore is further heated up to the temperature of about 900
degree Celsius. The ore undergoes reduction process by passing through series of chemical
reactions.
The combustion stage in lead blast furnace involves exothermic reaction where the principle element
that causes this reaction is Oxygen, which is introduced through the tuyere. Combustion zone is the
last stage in lead blast furnace. Finally, the liquid substance (molten Lead) is collected at the
furnace crucible and it is located below the tuyere zone.
Note that there are types of lead blast furnace which are round lead blast furnace and rectangular
lead blast furnace. The round lead blast furnace is also known as mushroom furnace, while
rectangular is also called rachette furnace. Round lead blast furnace is used for low capacity
production, while rectangular furnace is used in standard or high production.
Conclusion of the Topic
A blast furnace is a foundry machine used in production of metals from their ores, mostly production
of iron and lead. There are types of blast furnace which includes non-ferrous blast furnace and lead
blast furnace. The lead blast furnace is further divided into rectangular and mushroom furnace. The
zones that are found in blast furnace include preheating, reaction, combustion and melting zones.
Always remember:
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