pressurized blast furnace

pressurized blast furnace [′presh·ə‚rīzd ′blast ‚fər·nəs]

(engineering)

A blast furnace operated under pressure above the ambient; pressure is obtained by throttling the off-gas line, which permits a greater volume of air to be passed through the furnace at a lower velocity, and results in increase in smelting rate.

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Pressurized blast furnace

A blast furnace operated under higher than normal pressure. The pressure is obtained by throttling the off-gas line, which permits a greater volume of air to be passed through the furnace at lower velocity and results in an increasing smelting rate. The process permits large increases in the weight of high-temperature air blown into the bottom of the furnace at lower gas velocities, thus increasing the rate of smelting and decreasing the rate of coke consumption, and also permitting smoother operation with less flue dust production through decreased pressure drop between bottom and top pressures.