IRON SMELT Experiment Overview

2013 Iron Smelt Experiments

v1 - 2021

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CONSUMPTION / SEQUENCE rates (at m/kg) are from first ore to last ore additions

Date: May 11, 2013
Experiment: 53
Location: Western Michigan Universtity, Kalamazoo MI
Team: Neil Peterson, Keeney Swearer, Lisa Anne Conner
Furnace: standard Short Shaft
clay cobb on plinth
tap arch (bottom extraction)
Size: 28 cm ID / 72 cm H
Source: standard furnace
Tuyere: standard ceramic tube 2.5 cm ID
Placement: 4 cm proud, 15 cm above base
set at 22.5 degrees down
Bellows: standard electric blower / 900 LpM
Charcoal: 48 kg, oak
Consumption: varies considerably, 8 - 16 minutes/charge
5.3 m/kg
Ore:
DD1A @ 57% Fe
24.5 kg
Sequence:
mainly 1 kg charges
9 min/ kg
Duration
: main sequence about 5 hours
Result: 5.4 kg
Yield: 22 % at extraction
Notes: workshop demonstration at ICMS

ICMS
                    2013
Date: May 27, 2013
Experiment: 54
Location: Wareham
Team: Greg Eamon and Jeff Evarts
Furnace: Short Shaft on plinth
clay and chopped straw cobb
slag tapping / bottom extraction
Size: 29 x 27 cm ID oval x 72 H cm
Source: standard furnace
Tuyere: 2.5 cm ID ceramic tube
Placement: 12 cm above fines base
4 cm proud
set at 22 degrees down
Bellows: standard electric blower
delivery at 800 LpM
Charcoal: 52 kg, maple / oak
Consumption: fast, average 10 m per charge
4.9 m/kg
Ore: mixed types
total 30.4 kg
Sequence: regular increase from 1 to 2 kg / charge
5.8 m/kg
Duration: about 4 hours
Result: 10.5 kg bloom
Yield: 34 %
Notes: course 
overall

Date: October 20, 201
Experiment: 55
Location: Washington College, Chestertown MD
Team: Washington College students
Furnace: Short Shaft on plinth
bottom extraction
Size: 28 cm ID x 64 H
Source: standard teaching system
Tuyere: standard ceramic tube 2.5 cm
Placement: 10 cm above base
5 cm proud
set at 23 down
Bellows: electric blower
Air: 800 - 1000 LpM
Charcoal: 71 kg (E) type?
Consumption: varies considerably, average 12 per charge
5.9 m/kg
Ore:
Unknown (poor?) Limonite
42.5 kg
Sequence: normal increase from 1 - 3 kg charges
7.7 m/kg
Duration: about 6 hours (including preheat)
Result: 3.2 kg bloom
Yield: 8 %
Notes: teaching (student records only)

WC-2013

TEAM PARTICIPANTS

Neil Peterson, Student groups

IRON SMELT LINKS
Lee Sauder
DARC - Iron Experiments



Unless indicated, All text and photographs © 2005 - 2021 Darrell Markewitz - the Wareham Forge