An ancient wind-powered iron smelting technology in Sri Lanka
@article{Juleff1996AnAW, title={An ancient wind-powered iron smelting technology in Sri Lanka}, author={Gill Juleff}, journal={Nature}, year={1996}, volume={379}, pages={60-63} }
BEFORE the development of the blast furnace, iron smelting was achieved by ore reduction at temperatures below the melting point of the metal, forming an agglomerated 'bloom' of low-carbon iron and slag. The forced-draught (bellows-operated) shaft furnace known from archaeological studies is usually regarded as the pinnacle of this early smelting technology1–3. Examples of natural-draught furnaces, in which gas buoyancy in a shaft of sufficient height induces a draught adequate to drive the…
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