Gas Turbines for Blast-Furnace Blowing

The steel-mill blast furnace consumes large quantities of coke, iron ore, limestone, and air. In addition to producing iron and slag, it also is a producer of large quantities of gas. For every ton of iron produced in the blast furnace, approximately 3 1/2 tons of air are consumed and 4 to 5 tons of blast-furnace gas are produced, which represents a calorific heat content equivalent to 9000 lb of steam at 450 psi and 750 F. Eighty per cent of this heat is available for the production of power and for blowing blast furnaces. This blast-furnace gas is of low btu content, ranging between 85 to 100 btu per cu.