blast-furnace
Definition
Noun: A blast furnace is a large, tall industrial structure used for smelting iron ore to produce pig iron. It operates by forcing a blast of hot, compressed air through a mixture of iron ore, coke, and limestone, creating high temperatures that separate the metal from its ore.
Usage Examples
- (The tall furnace used for iron production runs non-stop.)
- (They check the heat levels to maintain proper metal extraction.)
- (The furnace becomes extremely hot for melting iron.)
Advanced Usage
"to tap a blast furnace": to open the furnace to release molten iron.
- The crew prepared to tap the blast furnace at dawn. (They opened the furnace to drain liquid iron.)
"blast furnace slag": a byproduct of the smelting process, often used in cement production.
- The slag from the blast furnace is recycled for road construction. (The waste material is repurposed.)
Variants and Related Words
Blast-furnace (adj): relating to or characteristic of a blast furnace.
- The blast-furnace operation requires strict safety protocols. (The process involving the furnace has safety rules.)
Furnace (n): a general term for an enclosed structure for heating materials.
- The furnace in the basement heats the entire house. (A heating device, not necessarily for smelting.)
Synonyms
- Smelting furnace: a furnace used for extracting metal from ore.
- Iron furnace: a furnace specifically for iron production.
Related Idioms
- "like a blast furnace": extremely hot or intense.
- The room was like a blast furnace in the summer heat. (The room was very hot and uncomfortable.)