blast furnace

noun

a large vertical furnace for smelting iron from ore, using coke as fuel: designed so as to direct a continuous blast of air through the fuel in order to obtain a high rate of combustion.

blast furnace

noun

a vertical cylindrical furnace for smelting iron, copper, lead, and tin ores. The ore, scrap, solid fuel, and slag-forming materials are fed through the top and a blast of preheated air is forced through the charge from the bottom. Metal and slag are run off from the base

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Word History and Origins

Origin of blast furnace¹

First recorded in 1700–10

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

British Steel's blast furnaces are set to continue running with a delivery of enough raw materials to keep them alight for the "coming weeks" due on Tuesday, the government has said.

From

How quickly materials get to the site is important because blast furnaces can sustain permanent damage if their temperature drops too low.

From

But Saturday's emergency legislation "enables" the government to keep the blast furnaces working, he said.

From

There is an optimism among ministers that with the law changed they can secure the necessary raw materials to keep the two working blast furnaces in Scunthorpe doing just that - working.

From

The closure of the blast furnaces was controversial in Wales, with Plaid politicians calling for nationalisation of the steel works.

From

blastema blast-furnace cement

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