How is iron made from iron oxide?

Answer 1

Iron oxide is mixed with coke(Carbon) and Limestone(Calcium Carbonate).

This mixture is named 'sinter'.

It is loaded into the top of the blast furnace. Whereupon a BLAST of hot air is blown in at the bottom through 'tuyeres'. The temperature is about 1100 oC . This is a 24 hour , 7 days a week process. It does not stop unless the furnace is to be closed down for maintainance, e.g. checking the silicon brick lining, and checking the cooling water jacket is water-tight etc.,

This hot air does two things;-

#1 it combines with the coke to form carbon monoxide (CO)

#2 it thermally decomposes the limestone to calcium oxide and carbon dioxide. Because of the 'shortage' of oxygen in the furnace and an excess of coke , the carbon dioxide also decomposes to form carbon monoxide.

The carbon monoxide is a very good reducing agent and reduces the iron ore to form iron.

Fe2O3 + 3CO = 2Fe + 3CO2

The CO2 can then re-circulate to form more CO.

The calcium oxide formed from the decomposition of limestone reacts with the impurities , mainly sand (silicon dioxide) to form 'slag' (Calcium silicate ' CaSiO3).

So you have two products viz. 'pig' iron and 'slag'.

The 'pig' iron has the carbon levels adjusted in a BOS plant to make steels. and the 'slag' is used to make 'breeze' blocks for building and for road surfaces.

NB THe coke(carbon) is obtained from coal. Coal is baked in coke ovens to release the unwanted gases e.g. sulphur dioxide, ammonia, hydrogen sulphide , methane etc., to form coke. These released gases are 'captured' and sold to make other chemicals. e.g. paints, fertilizers. etc.,

Hope that helps!!!!

Answer 2

Using a blast furnace. Iron ore is poured into a blast furnace which is heated to several thousand degrees Celsius, carbon is added to react with the oxygen and form carbon dioxide, other elements such as magnesium are added to react with impurities such as sulphur. Once the purification is complete a layer of all the impurities forms on top which is called slag. Remember, the slag always goes on top.

Answer 3

Iron oxide is a chemical compound made of iron ore and oxygen, otherwise known as hematite. I suppose you would smelt this to get the ore and produce iron from it.

Answer 4

iron oxide, or rust, is formed by the combination of iron and oxygen

Answer 5

As the name derives--iron and oxygen. There are two of them: Iron(II) Oxide and Iron(III) Oxide. In everyday life, we call them 'rust'.

Answer 6

Iron Oxide is:

Iron + Oxygen