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Which part of a blast furnace reaches the highest temperature?
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iron processing
Iron ore is one of the most abundant elements on Earth, and one of its primary uses is in the production of steel. When combined with carbon, iron changes character completely and becomes the alloy steel.
The bosh is the part of a blast furnace that reaches the highest temperature.1
This section is the hottest because of its close proximity to the reaction between the preheated air, which is blown in through the tuyeres, and the coke. This intense combustion zone generates temperatures of approximately 1,650 °C (3,000 °F), which are necessary to produce liquid iron and slag. Due to these extreme conditions, the lining of the bosh and the hearth is typically constructed from carbon-type refractory blocks, which are more resistant to the corrosive action of molten materials than the firebricks used in the upper sections of the furnace.12