What Temperatures Are Used In A Blast Furnace?

A blast furnace is typically used to extract metals from their ores. A blast furnace used to produce iron is heated to temperatures up to 2000 degrees Celsius. This high temperature exists at the bottom of the blast furnace and then it cools gradually towards the top, which is at a temperature of 1000 degrees Celsius.

Iron oxide, coke and limestone are added to the top of the blast furnace. The limestone absorbs acid impurities in the iron ore. Waste gases can also get out at the top and their heat is transferred to the clean air that comes in at the same point.

The blast of hot air coming from the bottom of the furnace burns the carbon in the coke and this produces carbon monoxide which reacts with the iron oxide in the ore. Iron metal is produced and it is so hot in the furnace, this is a liquid which runs to the bottom of the furnace and can be collected.

The temperature in the furnace rises to 2000 degrees Celsius.

The purpose of a blast furnace is to chemically reduce and physically convert iron oxides into liquid iron called "hot metal". The blast furnace is a huge, steel stack lined with refractory brick, where iron ore, coke and limestone are dumped into the top, and preheated air is blown into the bottom. The hot blast temperature can be from 1600°F to 2300°F depending on the stove design and condition.