Converting (metallurgy) facts for kids
"Converting" is a special way to clean and refine metals. It's a bit like cooking, but for metals! This process is super important in metallurgy, which is the science of working with metals. It helps turn raw metal materials into purer, more useful metals. For example, it's often used to make copper and nickel from their raw forms. Long ago, a similar process called the Bessemer process was used to turn pig iron into steel. The special machine used for this was called a Bessemer converter. Today, modern steel factories use something similar called the basic oxygen process.
Contents
The Converter: A Special Furnace
The main machine used for converting is called a converter. Think of it as a giant, super-hot oven! There are two main types: horizontal and vertical.
Horizontal converters are very common, especially for metals like copper. A famous type is the converters of the Peirce-Smith type [fr]. These are an improved version of an older design called the Manhès-David converter [fr].
How a Horizontal Converter Works
A horizontal converter looks like a big barrel lying on its side. Inside, it's lined with special heat-resistant material. On top, there's an opening called a hood. This hood is where workers pour in the raw metal material and take out the finished product.
Along the sides of the converter, there are two rows of small pipes called tuyeres. These tuyeres are very important!
Adding the Metal and Air
During the process, melted sulfide material, which is called matte, is poured into the converter through the hood.
Air is then blown into the converter through the tuyeres. This air comes from special pipes called collectors. These pipes are designed to make sure that each tuyere gets the same amount of air pressure.
The Chemical Reaction
Inside the converter, it gets extremely hot. This high heat, along with the oxygen from the air, causes a chemical reaction. The oxygen helps to remove the sulfur compounds from the raw metal.
This process creates gases, like sulfur compounds. These gases need to be carefully captured. If they are not, they can be harmful to the environment. Other substances, like arsenic trioxide, can also turn into gas and need to be managed safely.
See also
In Spanish: Convertidor metalúrgico para niños
