Pool iron, often referred to as Beach Iron, is an intermediate product and an essential raw material for the production of steel. It is produced in a blast furnace, a tall, refractory-lined furnace that uses a counter-current flow of hot air to reduce iron ore to molten iron. Coke, a high-carbon fuel, is used to provide the heat and carbon monoxide necessary for the reduction process. Limestone is also added to the blast furnace to flux impurities in the iron ore, forming a slag that is tapped off separately from the molten iron.
Once the molten iron is produced, it is either transferred by way of ladle in its molten state to the basic oxygen furnace (BOF) for the production of steel or alternately dumped into pooling pits. Pooling pits consist of a flat bed of sand where the molten iron is poured into from the blast furnace to form a slab of molten iron. The molten iron is allowed to cool and solidify. Once it has solidified, the slab of iron is broken into blocks of iron which generally have a maximum dimension of 1000 mm and thickness of 300 – 500 mm. These blocks of iron are referred to as Pool Iron or Beach Iron.
Herewith a Process Overview:
- Iron ore, coke, and limestone are charged into the top of the blast furnace.
- Hot air is blown into the furnace from the bottom, causing the coke to burn and produce carbon monoxide.
- The carbon monoxide rises up the furnace, reducing iron oxide in the ore to molten iron.
- Molten iron and slag collect in the hearth at the bottom of the furnace.
- Slag is tapped off through a slag notch, and molten iron is tapped off through a tap hole.
- Molten iron is either transported to the BOF for steelmaking or pooled to produce Pool Iron.
Should you have any demand for Pool Iron, Beach Iron or other iron derivatives please contact Mineral-Loy.
, is an intermediate product and an essential raw material for the production of steel. It is produced in a blast furnace, a tall, refractory-lined furnace that uses a counter-current flow of hot air to reduce iron ore to molten iron. Coke, a high-carbon fuel, is used to provide the heat and carbon monoxide necessary for the reduction process. Limestone is also added to the blast furnace to flux impurities in the iron ore, forming a slag that is tapped off separately from the molten iron.
Once the molten iron is produced, it is either transferred by way of ladle in its molten state to the basic oxygen furnace (BOF) for the production of steel or alternately dumped into pooling pits. Pooling pits consist of a flat bed of sand where the molten iron is poured into from the blast furnace to form a slab of molten iron. The molten iron is allowed to cool and solidify. Once it has solidified, the slab of iron is broken into blocks of iron which generally have a maximum dimension of 1000 mm and thickness of 300 – 500 mm. These blocks of iron are referred to as Pool Iron or Beach Iron.
Herewith a Process Overview:
- Iron ore, coke, and limestone are charged into the top of the blast furnace.
- Hot air is blown into the furnace from the bottom, causing the coke to burn and produce carbon monoxide.
- The carbon monoxide rises up the furnace, reducing iron oxide in the ore to molten iron.
- Molten iron and slag collect in the hearth at the bottom of the furnace.
- Slag is tapped off through a slag notch, and molten iron is tapped off through a tap hole.
- Molten iron is either transported to the BOF for steelmaking or pooled to produce Pool Iron.
Should you have any demand for Pool Iron, Beach Iron or other iron derivatives please contact Mineral-Loy.