Modern Production Methods of Steel
Blast furnaces have been used for two millennia to produce pig iron, a crucial step in the steel production process, from iron ore by combining fuel, charcoal, and air. Modern methods use coke instead of charcoal, which has proven to be a great deal more efficient and is credited with contributing to the British Industrial Revolution. Once the iron is refined, converters are used to create steel from the iron.
During the late 19th and early 20th century there were many widely used methods such as the Bessemer process and the Siemens-Martin process. However, basic oxygen steelmaking, in which pure oxygen is fed to the furnace to limit impurities, has generally replaced these older systems.
Electric arc furnaces are a common method of reprocessing scrap metal to create new steel. They can also be used for converting pig iron to steel, but they use a great deal of electricity (about 440 kwh per metric ton), and are thus generally only economical when there is a plentiful supply of cheap electricity. Thermal treatment of steel.
By thermal treatment of steel like tempering, quenching an annealing important properties of steel like hardness, can be modified. Special furnaces are used for this purpose.
Uses of steel
A piece of steel wool
Iron and steel are used widely in the construction of roads, railways, infrastructure, and buildings. Most large modern structures, such as stadiums and skyscrapers, bridges, and airports, are supported by a steel skeleton. Even those with a concrete structure will employ steel for reinforcing. In addition to widespread use in major appliances and cars (Despite growth in usage of aluminium, it is still the main material for car bodies.), steel is used in a variety of other construction-related applications, such as bolts, nails, and screws. Other common applications include shipbuilding, pipeline transport, mining, offshore construction, pipeline transport, aerospace, white goods (e.g. washing machines), heavy equipment (e.g. bulldozers), office furniture, steel wool, tools, and armour in the form of personal vests or vehicle armour (better known as rolled homogeneous armour in this role).
Historically
Before the introduction of the Bessemer process and other modern production techniques, steel was expensive and was only used where no cheaper alternative existed, particularly for the cutting edge of knives, razors, swords, and other items where a hard, sharp edge was needed. It was also used for springs, including those used in clocks and watches. With the advent of speedier and thriftier production methods, steel has been easier to obtain and much cheaper. It has replaced wrought iron for a multitude of purposes. However, the availability of plastics during the later 20th century allowed these materials to replace steel in many products due to their lower cost and weight.
Hot Rolling - Hot Rolling Process | Hot Rolling Application | Types of Hot Rolling Mill | Hot Rolled Steel Tube | History
Cold Rolling - Physical metallurgy | Degree of cold work | Cold Rolling Stainless Steel | Manufacturing Process
Foil rolling | Rolling Mill | Steel Mill | Production methods | Recycling of Steel | Modern Steelmaking | Contemporary Steel
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