Blast furnace

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/blast-furnace

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the operating principle?Continuous countercurrent smelting process using a hot blast
2. What is the key chemical reactions?Reduction of iron oxides by carbon monoxide and carbon
3. What is a blast furnace and why is it called a giant metal maker?A blast furnace is a huge, tall oven that melts rocks to make metal. It uses very hot air and coal to turn iron ore into pig iron, the first step to making steel.
4. How does the blast furnace turn iron ore into pig iron?Iron ore is put in at the top, and hot air from below pushes it down. The air burns coke, creating heat that melts the ore and lets the iron separate from the waste.

Countercurrent Exchange: Flow of materials in opposite directions to maximize reaction efficiency.
Refractory Lining: Special heat-resistant materials used to line the inside of furnaces.
Decarbonization: Reducing or eliminating carbon dioxide emissions from industrial processes.