Alastair+and+Adam

__Our group__ __Chapter1__
 * Alastair Clare
 * Adam Coll

__What a the three materials used to make iron?__ The three main materials used to make iron are iron ore,coke and limestone?

__Where do the raw materials come from and how are they transported to the plant?__ They are extracted from underground,iron ore coming from many places such as the far east (India) and limestone just comes from underground. Coke is ground down coal. They are transported to the plant by train or by boat.

__How and why are the raw materials processed before they are used in the blast furnace?__
 * Coke is the first material “produced” as it is not a natural material, it is ground down coal. Iron ore is placed in a blast furnace and mainly forms iron but a little iron ore is not converted to iron. **
 * The iron ore is mixed with small pieces of coke and heated to form an iron rich clinker called ‘sinter’. Sintering is very important as it reduces waste and provides an efficient raw material for iron making in the Blast Furnace. **
 * The coke is produced at the works from carefully selected grades of coal. Different grades of coal are blended, for consistency, before they transfer it to ‘batteries’ of coke ovens. It’s heated in sealed ovens to erase the unwanted materials for about 15 hours, then it’s graded and cooled before they put it in the Blast Furnace. **
 * Coke ore and sinter are ‘charged’ into the top of the Blast Furnace, together with limestone. **

What role does each of these three raw materials play in the iron making process?

Iron ore in the blast furnace mainly forms iron although some can be left over in the end as it has not been converted to iron properly. Coke reacts with the iron ore in the blast furnace “stripping” it of its oxygen, generating massive temperatures to melt the iron for continued reactions. The iron ore reacts with the iron ore to get rid of any impurities. These processes create the waste material slag which floats on the top which is easy to remove from iron. __What can you say about the ecological effects of using these raw materials (for the country where they come from and for the means of transportation)?__


 * Mining in the countries which supply iron ore could damage the environment. The machines would destroy the landscape and release carbon dioxide. In the transportation a lot of fuel is consumed and will pollute the atmosphere.

__How can the side effects be reduced?__ **

The side effects can be reduced by making less steel. This is already happening today through recycling. The iron ore could also be mined nearer to the factory.

__What role does each of these three raw materials play in the iron making process?__

__Chapter 2__

Calculate the mass (kg) of each element. Fe (Iron) = 94.9% of 100kg = 94.9kg C (Carbon) = 4.55% of 100kg = 4.55kg Si (Silicon) = 0.25% of 100kg = 0.25kg Mn (Magenese) = 0.3% of 100kg = 0.3kg

How many kg of each element is oxygenised of the 100kg hot metal? Fe = 2% oxygenised = 94.9kg * 0.02 = 1.898kg of Fe is oxygenised, 93.002kg is used to make steel. C = 0.05% oxygenised = 4.55kg * 0.05 = 0.2275kg of C is oxygenised, 4.3225kg is used to make steel. Si = Mn = 0.1% oxygenised = 0.3kg * 0.1 = 0.03kg of Mn is oxygenised, 0.27kg is used to make steel.

An average Dutch household uses 2000m3 natural gas a year (for heating, cooking etc.). Combustion of natural gas produces 32Mj/m3

1m3 = 32Mj 2000m3 = 64000Mj

If 45% of the heat generated by the C combustions will leave the process through the waste gases, what will the temperature be of the liquid steel?

4.55kg of C is in the mixture. However, 0.05kg is used in the steel, leaving 4.5kg to be oxygenised and create heat. 1kg of C takes 11.7Mj to oxygenise. So,

4.5kg * 11.7Mj = 52.65 Mj

52.65Mj * 0.55 = 28.96 Mj left in by C.

When all oxidations occur their was 70.76Mj released. Fe =