Thermal aspects of the smelting of iron ore in reconstructed South African Iron Age furnaces

Abstract

by H.M. FRIEDE*,A.A. HEJJAt, A. KOURSARISt, and R.H. STEEL* SYNOPSIS A study was made of the smelting process in two experimental furnaces patterned on Iron Age furnaces excavated at Melville Koppies Nature Reserve, Johannesburg. In a number of smelting experiments, the influences of air supply, temperature, time of operation, fuel consumption, and other operational factors were investigated. Metallurgical and metallographic aspects of the furnace operation and smelting products are discussed, and the experiments are compared with similar research work conducted in Europe and Africa. SAMEVATTING Daar is 'n studie gemaak van die smeltproses in twee eksperimentele oonde wat gebou is volgens die patroon van oonde uit die Ystertydperk wat in die Natuurreservaat Melville Koppies, Johannesburg, uitgegrawe is. Die invloed van die lugtoevoer, temperatuur, bewerktyd, brandstofverbruik en ander bedryfsaspekte is in 'n aantal smelteksperimente ondersoek. Die metallurgiese en metallografiese aspekte van die oondbedryf en smeltprodukte word bespreek, en die eksperimente word vergelyk met deeglike navorsingswerk wat in Europa en Afrika gedoen is.

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