Chemistry:Charcoal iron
Charcoal iron is the substance created by the smelting of iron ore with charcoal.
All ironmaking blast furnaces were fueled by charcoal until Abraham Darby introduced coke as a fuel in 1709. The more economical coke soon replaced charcoal in British furnaces, but in the United States , where timber for charcoal was abundant, charcoal furnaces lingered much longer. Even after the introduction of anthracite smelting to the US in 1839,[1] and the development of American coke production later in the century, charcoal iron continued to find favor because of its heat-resistance, toughness, and malleability. The last charcoal furnace in the US did not close until 1945.[2]
In Britain, the penultimate furnace built was Alderwasley in 1764, followed by Warsash Furnace in 1869.[3] The last working furnace at Backbarrow converted to coke in 1922.
In Western Australia, pig iron was made using charcoal between 1948 and 1981 at Wundowie.[4] At its peak, operating two charcoal-fueled blast furnaces, the Wundowie charcoal iron and wood distillation plant produced 52,262 tons of iron in 1960/61.[4]
There are still charcoal-based iron and steel making operations in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais.[5][6][7]
The traditional Japanese tatara furnace uses charcoal and ironsand to produce a mixture of iron and steel. Small quantities are still made by the Nittoho Tatara in Japan. The tatara smelting process involves direct reduction and—unlike a blast furnace—at no time is the product fully molten. The smelted iron remains in the furnace for an extended period until much of the iron has converted to tamahagane, a steel suitable for making swords.
See also
- Harrison Ainslie
- Wundowie charcoal iron and wood distillation plant
References
- ↑ Bartholomew & Metz 1988, p. 31.
- ↑ Williams 2003, p. 316.
- ↑ Ridden, Philip A Gazetteer of Charcoal-fired Blast Furnaces in Great Britain in use since 1660 Merton Priory press, 1987, 2nd edn 1993 ISBN:0-9520009-1-1
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Relix & Fiona Bush Heritage and Archaeology. "Wundowie Garden Town Conservation Plan". Wundowie Progress Association. https://uploads.strikinglycdn.com/files/2ce46168-f12e-4fa2-a0ce-a1f633c29324/Final-Oct-2008-Con-Plan.pdf.
- ↑ Meyers, Henri; Jennings, R. P. (2 November 1979). "Charcoal Ironmaking, A Technical and Economic Review of Brazilian Experience". United Nations Industrial Development Organization. https://open.unido.org/api/documents/4692236/download/CHARCOAL%20IRONMAKING.%20A%20TECHNICAL%20AND%20ECONOMIC%20REVIEW%20OF%20BRAZILIAN%20EXPERIENCE%20(09366.en).
- ↑ Couto, Laércio; Nicholas, Ian; Wright, Lynn (2011). "Short Rotation Eucalypt Plantations for Energy in Brazil". https://www.ieabioenergy.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/IEA_Bioenergy_Task43_PR2011-02.pdf.
- ↑ Faleiro, R.M.R.; Velloso, C.M.; de Castro, L.F.A.; Sampaio, R.S. (2013). "Statistical Modelling of Charcoal Consumption of V & M do Brasil's Blast Furnaces in Relation to Hot Metal Production and Ferrous Loads". http://www.revistaingenieria.uda.cl/Publicaciones/290006.pdf.
Bibliography
- Bartholomew, Craig L.; Metz, Lance E. (1988). Bartholomew, Ann. ed. The Anthracite Industry of the Lehigh Valley. Center for Canal History and Technology. ISBN 0-930973-08-9.
- Williams, Michael (2003). Deforesting the Earth. University of Chicago Press. p. 316. ISBN 0-226-89926-8. https://archive.org/details/deforestingearth0000will. Retrieved 2007-12-23.
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