Blast furnace gas

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Blast furnace gas, also called converter gas, is a by-product of blast furnaces that is generated when the iron ore is reduced with coke to metallic iron. It has a very low heating value, about 93 BTU/cubic foot, because it consists of about 60 percent nitrogen and some oxygen, which are not flammable. The rest is mostly carbon monoxide, which has a fairly low heating value already. It is commonly used as a fuel within the steel works, but it can be used in boilers and power plants equipped to burn it. It may be combined with natural gas or coke oven gas before combustion. Particulate matter is removed so that it can be burned more cleanly. Blast furnace gas is sometimes flared without generating heat or electricity.