Alphametals

Pig Iron

Pig iron, also known as crude iron. Pig iron is the product of smelting iron ore (also ilmenite) with a high-carbon fuel and reductant such as coke, usually with limestone as a flux. Charcoal and anthracite are also used as fuel and reductant.

Pig iron is produced by smelting or iron ore in blast furnaces or by smelting ilmenite in electric furnaces.

PROPERTIES OF PIG IRON

Pig iron is also known as crude iron. It is obtained from a smelting furnace in the form of oblong blocks and has a very high carbon content of 3.5 - 4.5 as it contains 90% of iron. It is produced by smelting iron ore with high-carbon fuel and reductant such as, coke usually with limestone which serves flux. Other materials like anthracite and charcoal are used as fuel.

The term 'pig iron' derives from the old manner of dealing with molten iron. It was run off direct from the furnace into, open channels which feed into numerous short channels on either side, bearing a faint semblance to a sow suckling iron piglets. Pig iron was broken off from the sow when solid. A small amount of cold iron is still known as pig iron today. The term 'hot metal' is used to denote molten iron.

APPLICATIONS OF PIG IRON

The applications of pig iron in an electric arc furnace are for steelmaking. High purity pig iron is used in foundries for producing ductile iron castings. Pig iron is also used in foundry pig iron in grey iron castings.