Iron on IndustryNet

We searched IndustryNet for products and services. Make a selection below.

Iron is a metal, and by mass, it is the most common element on earth. This metal forms much of Earth’s outer and inner cone.Iron is a chemical element and pure iron is relatively soft but is unobtainable by smelting. Iron chemical compounds have many uses, for example:Iron oxide mixed with aluminum powder can be ignited to create a thermite reaction, which is used in welding and purifying ores.

The Production Of Iron:

There are two main stages in the production of iron unless the desired product is cast iron.Blast Furnace Processing:

• Industrial iron production starts with iron ores which is reduced to metal by treatment with carbon

• Conversion is conducted in a blast furnace at temperatures of about 2000 c.

• Carbon is provided in the form of coke and a flux such as limestone which is used to remove siliceous minerals in the ore

• Both coke and limestone are fed into the top of the furnace while a massive blast of heated air about 4 tons per ton of iron is forced into the furnace at the bottom.

• In the furnace, the coke reacts with oxygen in the air blast to produce carbon monoxide

• The carbon monoxide reduces the iron ore to molten becoming carbon dioxide in the process.

• Some iron in the high temperature lower region of the furnace reacts directly to the coke

• The flux present to melt the impurities in the ore is principally limestone and delomite which decomposes to calcium oxide

• Calcium oxide combines with silicon dioxide to form a liquid slag

• The slag melts in the heat of the furnace and at the bottom, the molten slag floats on top of the denser molten iron

• Apertures on the side of the furnace are opened to run off the iron and slag separately.

Slag can be used as a material in road construction or improve mineral poor soil. Due to environmental concerns, alternative methods of processing iron have been developed.

Direct Iron Reduction:

Direct iron reduction reduces iron ore to a powder called “sponge” ironor “dried” iron that is suitable for steelmaking.

• Natural gas is partially oxidized with heat and a catalyst
• These gases are then treated with iron ore in a furnace, producing solid sponge iron
• Silica is removed by adding a limestone flux

Types Of Industrial Iron:

Wrought Iron-is an iron alloy that is very low in carbon and has a fibrous inclusion as slag. Wrought iron is a semi-fused mass of iron with slag.Wrought iron is tough, malleable, ductile, corrosion-resistant and easily welded.

Cast Iron – is a hard relatively brittle allow of iron and carbon and can be easily cast in a mold and contains a higher proportion of carbon than steel and is either grey or white in color.Cast iron has a relatively low melting point, good fluidity, castability, Excellent machinability, resistance to deformity and wear resistance.Cast iron has become an engineering material.

Steels – are alloys of iron and other elements, but primarily carbon.Because of its high tensile, strength and low cost, steels are widely used in construction and other applications.

Can't find what you're looking for? IndustryNet is powered by real people. Contact us for assistance.