pa1778data.pdf

U.S. STEEL DUQUESNE WORKS
HAER No. PA-115
(Page 67)
shaker screen, located below the high point of the conveyor on a
steel platform; three chutes which connect the screen to three
150-ton storage bins which are hung from the platform; and a ramp
from which trucks received ferromanganese by means of a Syntron
vibrating feeder leading from the bottom of each storage bin.
Installation date: 1955.
E. Trade Ferromanganese Storage and Shipping Building: The
trade ferromanganese storage and shipping building is built off
the eastern wall of the ferromanganese car preparation building,
200 , -0" from its southern end. The one story steel framed
building with a sloped roof is 60'-0" wide x 140*-0" long. It
has a corrugated metal exterior. Located inside of the building
are eleven 20'-0" square x 8'-0" high wooden storage bins located
along its eastern and western walls. A 12'-0" wide x 72 , -o" long
loading dock extends from the southern end of the building along
its outside eastern wall. A 12'-0" wide x 20'-0" long office
enclosure is adjacent to the northern end of the loading dock.
Running alongside of the loading dock is a standard gauge
railroad track.
Construction date: 19 66.
F. Hopper Rail Car and Truck Scale: A 100-ton rail car and
truck scale is located approximately 200'-0" northeast of the
storage hoppers. A lO'-O" wide x 24 l -0" long x lO'-O" high
concrete block recording house is located next to the scale on
its western side.
Installation and construction date: 1955.
HISTORY
The basic steps involved in the production and delivery of
pig iron at the blast furnace remained essentially the same at
the Duquesne Works, as in all integrated steel mills, throughout
its history. In the general practice, iron ore, coke, and
limestone (or some other fluxing agent like dolomite) was charged
into the top of the furnace at a weight ratio of approximately
2:1:1/2 respectively. After the raw materials entered the top of
the furnace they came in contact with an ascending current of hot
gases. The first change that took place was one of drying, as
the moisture within the raw materials was driven off by the gases
and carried out of the top of the furnace. Subsequently, the
stock filled with a gaseous atmosphere containing the reducing
agent carbon monoxide, and began its descent toward the higher
temperatures at the bottom of the furnace. During the descent,
carbon monoxide, which was produced by the contact of coke with
the hot blast air at the level of the tuyeres, reduced the ore to
free iron in a spongy state by oxidation and liquified the
limestone. At the top of the bosh, or fusion zone of the