ISIJ International, Vol. 54 (2014), No. 5, pp.

1059–1066

Pre-modern Refining Process of “Okaji” without Deoxidation

Kazuhiro NAGATA1)* and Takashi WATANABE2)

1) Tokyo University of the Arts, 12-8 Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
2) Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
(Received on November 30, 2013; accepted on March 3, 2014)

In Tatara process, steel “kera” and pig iron “zuku” were produced. Pig iron and low quality of steel
“Bugera” in these products were decarburized with air by hand blowing to produce steel plates with low
carbon content, called “Hochotetu” or “Waritetsu”. The decarburization in pre-modern refining process
was called “Okaji” and composed of two processes of “Sageba” and “Honba”. In the Sageba process, pig
iron was decarburized to steel with about 0.7 mass%C, called “Sagegane” and the yield was almost
100%. In the Honba process, the Sagegane was decarburized to steel with about 0.1 mass%C, called
“Oroshigane”, without deoxidation and the yield was 60 to 70%. The Orosigane was promptly forged to
make plates. Thus, the contents of oxygen in Hochotetsu was about 0.2 mass%. The Okaji process has
been examined in the present work. In the Sageba process, pig iron was decarburized by FeO slag, called
“Noro”, with CO gas bubbling at about 1 400°C. In the Honba process, the temperature in furnace was
kept about 1 450°C. Sagegane was oxidized by oxygen gas in air to generate heat and the temperature of
Oroshigane increased to near 1 528°C. The temperature of furnace during Okaji process was carefully con-
trolled by blowing rate and keeping moisture in hearth of wet charcoal bed. Water was sometimes poured
during operation.

KEY WORDS: Okaji; refining; Tatara; steel; over-saturated oxygen content.

duced the skill of the master Heisuke Watanabe. There is the

1. Introduction
movie of Okaji process in the early 20 Century.5)
Tatara is the Japanese traditional ironmaking process to In the present paper, the mechanisms of decarburizing reac-
produce pig iron “zuku” and steel “kera” in a furnace from tion of pig iron and steel by air in “Okaji” process is realized.
iron sand and charcoal during about 70 hrs. Tatara works were
closed after world war II but reconstructed in Yokota-cho of
2. “Okaji” Process
Shimane prefecture in 1977. Pig iron and low quality of
steel “Bugera” in these products were decarburized to pro- 2.1. Resources
duce low carbon steel in “Okaji” works. The Okaji process The resources of Okaji process were pig iron of “Zuku”
was composed of two processes of “Sageba” and “Honba”. and low quality steel of “Bugera” produced in Tarara pro-
In Sageba, pig iron was decarburized to steel with about cess. Pig iron was classified in three types. The first was
0.7 mass%C, called “Sagegane”. In Honba, the steel was porous pig iron of “Nagare-zuku” that run out from Tatara
decarburized to low carbon steel with about 0.1 mass%C, furnace during operation, the second was dense pig iron of
called “Oroshigane”. A block of Oroshigane was instanta- “Ura-zuku” that remained in the furnace and the third was
neously forged to make plates, called “Hotyotetu” or “Kera-zuku” that adhered under “Kera” of steel bloom.
“Waritetu”. The yields of Sageba and Honba processes were Nagare-zuku and Ura-zuku were called as “Hachime-zuku”
almost 100 mass% and 60–70 mass%, respectively. Old and “Korime-zuku”, respectively. The composition of pig
nails used in Japanese shrines and temples had been manu- iron was listed in Table 1. Silicon and phosphorus contents
factured from Hochotetsu. The steel of old nails include car-
bon with about 0.1 mass% and over-saturated oxygen with Table 1. Composition of pig iron produced in several Tatara
about 0.2 mass%.1) works (mass%).
Unfortunately, The technique of Okaji process was ceased Area Works C Si Mn P S Ti
in the early 20 Century. Kuni-ichi Tawara2) reported on the
Tatara and Okaji processes worked in the area of Izumo of Izumo Tanabe 4.46 0.15 0.19 0.043 0.003 trace
Shimane prefecture and the west area of Hoki of Tottori Iwami Yonehara 3.63 trace trace 0.1 0.003 trace
prefecture in the end of the 19 Century. Fujio Sakaki3) rep- Hoki Tonami 3.61 0.03 0.01 0.033 0.010 trace
resented the technique of “Okaji” and Seizo Tanabe4) intro-
Aki HiroshimaTesuzan 3.80 trace trace 0.15 0.020 0.12

* Corresponding author: E-mail: nagata-kr05@nifty.com Hoki* Kondo 3.22 0.18 0.049 0.009 0.018 trace
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2355/isijinternational.54.1059 * dephosphorized

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 ISIJ International, Vol. 54 (2014), No. 5

Table 2. Composition of Okaji-sai (refining slag) (mass%).

Works T.Fe FeO Fe2O3 SiO2 MnO Al2O3 CaO MgO P2 O5 TiO2 V2 O5
Tsugoyama 53.42 63.17 6.18 17.82 0.63 6.12 1.78 0.88 0.19 0.64 0.09
Sakanokaji 48.02 59.22 2.87 21.16 0.33 7.02 2.56 1.04 0.20 2.56 0.53

Fig. 2. Construction of hearth of Sageba and Honba.2,5)

in pig iron were lower than modern blast furnace and pig
iron was white cast iron. Dephosphorized pig iron was pro-
duced by the Kondo works in the west area of Hoki. The
process was called “Tamebukiho” that molten pig iron was
dephosphorized during dropping through a deep pool of slag
“Noro” in the bottom of Tatara furnace. Because “Noro” is
a slag with iron oxide rich near Fayarite composition, as
shown in Table 2, and has high oxygen potential in equilib-
rium with iron. Thus, Dephosphorization of molten pig iron
effectively proceeded at 1 350 to 1 400°C.
In Tatara process, Zuku and Kera were produced each
about 1.5 tons from 12 tons of iron sand and 12 tons of char-
coal during about 70 hrs. The size of Kera bloom was
approximately 2 m of length, 1 m of width and 0.3 m of Fig. 1. Layout of Okaji works of Tsugoyama.4)
thickness. The big steel bloom was broken in fist size by
dropping down the big chisels with 1 and 0.5 ton from tow- The consumption of charcoal in Okaji works was 11 to 13
er. The broken steel lumps were classified into several bamboo baskets a day. The volume of basket was approxi-
grades. Zuku and the low grade steel with low carbon con- mately 90 cm in diameter and 90 cm depth. A large volume
tent including Noro, called “Bugera”, were used as the of charcoal was carried by human back without horse. Thus,
resources of Okaji process. the works was usually moved to follow charcoal site. On the
other hand, heavy and dense iron sand and steel products
2.2. Fuel were carried by horse.
The charcoal for Okaji, called “Kozumi”, was produced
by a expert, “Yamako”. A large quantity of branches of big 2.3. Okaji Works
trees that made charcoal for Tatara were employed. Old Mr. Figure 1 shows the layout of “Tugoyama” works in the
Mansuke Takada who was “Yamako” of “Ashiya” Okaji west area of Hoki. A hearth with a piston-type blower was
works told that in order to make “Kozumi” charcoal, the installed in each “Sageba” and “Honba”. The layout was
best place was slope. The ground was slightly dug in round rather different from other works.
with about 8 m diameter and surrounded by bank. Branches As shown in Fig. 2, the hearth of Sageba and Honba had
were burned and extinguished with soil. Farmers produced a pit of 1.5 m in length, 1.2 m in width and 1.3 m in depth
“Kozumi” in a square hole with 2 m side. Branches were cut with drain covered by wood plates at the bottom. The pit
in about 1 m length and burned. Wood was piled up on were covered with clay to become 1.2 m in length, 0.3 m
branches covering with green grass to smoke during firing. width and 0.85 in depth and stamped with charcoal powder.
Finally charcoal was extinguished with soil. Because The blower and hearth was divided by a fire wall with
“Kozumi” charcoal was absorbent, it had to carry to Okaji 24 cm in thickness. Under the wall, a bamboo pipe of
works in the daytime to avoid night dew. “Kirokan” was passed from blower to hearth and connected

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 ISIJ International, Vol. 54 (2014), No. 5
to a clay tuyere. The tuyere was made of clay with 36 cm
in length and 3 cm in diameter at the exit for Sageba and
48 cm in length and 4 cm in diameter for Honba and
inclined by 18 degree for Sageba and 4 degree for Honba.
In front of the tuyere, the oblong hearth was trenched a little
sloping with about 10 cm in depth and about 1 m in length.
The wood blower had a piston sealed with raccoon dog’s
fur. Its size was 1.4 m in length, 0.36 m in width and 0.8 m
in height and the volume was 0.36 m3.
Honba was installed an anvil, called “Kanatoko”, and a
pig iron plate, called “Kanashiki”, of wrought iron. The size
of anvil was 21 cm in length, 9 cm in width and 54 cm in
height. The anvil was buried in ground by 10 cm depth on
round stones and faced its long side to a master, called
“Daiku”. It reinforced with stones in both sides and a steel
wedge. Daiku sit on the hill in 30 cm height from ground.
The anvil was inclined outside by 3 degree to fit forged plate
on the flat surface of anvil. The size of “Kanashiki” was
54 cm in length, 48 cm in width and 10 cm thickness and
set outside of anvil.
The workers of Sugitani works were a master “Daiku”, a
“Sage” craftsman, 4 hammering men, called “Teko”, and 2
blower men. The first to forth hammering men surrounded
an anvil in opposite side of the master and forged clockwise
according to the sign of master. The weight of hammer was
5.6 to 7.5 kg. “Daiku” and “Sage” craftsman wore black nets
to protect their eyes from high temperature.
2.4. Operation
2.4.1. Sageba Process
319 kg of pig iron blocks was used a day in Tsugoyama
works and 200 to 250 kg a day in Sugitani works. In Uchitani
works at Izumo, 255 kg of pig iron and Bugera was used.
In Ichikisakamura works at Iwami of the west area of
Shimane prefecture, 225 kg of pig iron was used.3)
The big blocks of pig iron were set in tunnel in the front
of tuyere and the other blocks were piled up on the tunnel,
as shown in Fig. 3. The piled blocks were covered with
Fig. 3. Construction of steel blocks like tunnel.2,5) The numbers
show the procedure to pile up blocks.
1061
charcoal and fired with blowing air. In initial stage, blowing
was moderate. After about 1 hr, pig iron blocks near tuyere
were melted and decarburized to about 0.7 mass%C. When
molten steel was flowed down in just front of tuyere, Sage
craftsman checked the viscosity of molten steel with an iron
stick, called “Sokotsuki”. When molten steel was viscous,
blowing rate was increased. However, high temperature
caused to dry in the hearth and to make steel hard and brittle.
Thus, moisture in hearth should be always controlled with
sprinkling water taking into account of the state of charcoal
burning and blowing rate. The decarburization of pig iron
under controlling temperature was most difficult. After 20
to 30 min, decarburized steel blocks, “Sagegane”, were
pulled out from the front of tuyere every few min, as shown
in Fig. 4. The Sageba process proceeded during about 2 hrs.
The yield of iron was almost 100% and the consumption of
charcoal was 450 kg per 300 kg of “Sagegane”.3)
2.4.2. Honba
In Honba process in Sugitani Okaji works, the mixture of
about 200 kg of Sagegane and about 100 kg of Bugera was
divided in 9 groups. In Tsugoyama Okaji works, it was
divided Sagegane in 10 groups. The ratio of mixture was
different in each Okaji works.
About 30 kg of Sagegane blocks were piled up as the
same manner as Sage process and covered by charcoal.
Charcoal was burned and blocks were heated. Blowing was
rather weak in the initial stage but strong when combustion
became active. After about 20 min, 70% of Sagegane started
to melt and drop down to hearth. Molten steel was partially
solidified on hearth and Sage craftsman agglomerated in a
block with a iron stick of Sokotsuki. The block was always
turned to heat with fire and decarburized. Then, the block
was kept a little away from tuyere and the other 30% of
Sagegane blocks were melted, decarburized and agglomer-
ated with the previous block in a block. Finally, Sage crafts-
man took out the hot and decarburized steel block with a
pincher and covered it with straw ash. He put it on a
Kanashiki plate and handed it over to Daiku. The Sage pro-
cess took about 30 min.
Daiku held the hot block on a Kanashiki plate and four
Teko hammers forged it to form in rectangular and cut gap
to separate it into 2 pieces. The first forging was called
“Hito-yaki” or “Dokiri”. The block was heated again by
Sage craftsman and handed it over to Daiku. Daiku put it on
an anvil of Kanatoko to form in rectangular plate and cut it
Fig. 4. “Sagegane” blocks taken out from hearth with a iron stick
of Sokotsuki.5)
© 2014 ISIJ
 ISIJ International, Vol. 54 (2014), No. 5

Fig. 5. (a) Oroshigane forged first time “Hito-yaki” and (b) Hocho-tetsu cut notch in the center.5)

into 4 pieces to the longitudinal direction. The second forg-

ing was called “Futa-yaki” or “Nibangiri”. In the third to
sixth forging, each plate was heated and extended to one
way. One end of plate was cut to form in rectangular and
heated again. The cut was called “Hanagiri”. After then,
each plate was cut notch in the center, as shown in Fig. 5.
The size of plate was 60 cm in length, 20 cm in width and
1 cm in thickness. In the Honba process, the weight of plate
was about 5 kg per plate. The yield was 60 to 70%. One
Honba process took about 1 hr and Total Honba processes
took about 10 hrs a day.
Mr. Heisuke Watanabe of “Daiku” said that it was clever
for Daiku to make a plate with less hammering because steel
became harder by more hammering. Steel plate during the
third forging was very soft like a fresh rice cake. A ham-
mering man, Teko, never hammered twice at the same point
and never hit with the edge of hammer because of the cause
of its damage. It was very important for Teko to hammer
with the flat surface of hammer at the center of Kanatoko.
Daiku always put the hammering point of plate on the center
of an anvil and took into account of all of the forging pro-
cesses.

3. Experiments of Okaji Process
3.1. Experiments
The hearth with 30 cm in width, 42 cm in length and
55 cm in depth is constructed by alumina bricks in steel box
of 61 × 80 × 60 (cm). A tuyer of iron pipe with 21 mm ID
was installed on the hearth wall with a downward angle of
10 degree and inserted into hearth by 7 cm. The tip of tuyere
was coated by fire-resistant clay. In the opposite side of tuy-
ere, the hearth was made with 30 cm width, 22 cm length
and 20 cm depth. Charcoal powder was stamped on the bot-
tom of the hearth and about 4 litter of water was poured.
Cold air was continuously blown with a electric fan. Before
starting Okaji process, the hearth was enough heated by
charcoal burning.
In Sageba process, three blocks of white cast iron with
3.9 mass%C were piled up in front of the tuyer with distance
of 3 to 4 cm, as shown in Fig. 6(a). The pig iron block was
produced from iron sand and was casted in trapezoid with
the bottom size of 11.0 × 6.5 cm, the upper size of 7.5 ×
3.5 cm and the thickness of about 3.0 cm. Its weight was
1.25 kg. The blocks were covered with pine charcoal. Air
was blown to burn charcoal and the blocks were heated.
After white sparks of “Wakibana” appeared in flame, blow-
ing rate was increased. Water was sometimes poured on
Fig. 6. Set (a) pig iron for Sageba process and (b) Sagegane block
for Honba process and oxygen sensors.
charcoal with a sprinkling can. When the blocks were melt-
ed down, blowing was stopped and a solidified product of
“Sagegane” was taken out and cooled in water.
In “Honba” process, a block of Sagegane was set upside
down in front of tuyer, as shown in Fig. 6(b), and covered
with charcoal. Then, the block was heated by blowing air.
After “Wakibana” appeared, blowing rate gradually
increased and was controlled as the “Wakibana” appeared in
flame uniformly and strongly. Water was also sometimes
poured on charcoal with a sprinkling can. When the block
was melted down, a hot steel block of “Oroshigane” was
taken out and covered with straw ash. Oroshigane blocks of
No. 1 and 2 were promptly forged with a forging machine
to form it in rectangular.
In order to measure temperature and oxygen partial pres-
sure, three sensors with R-type thermocouple and needle-
type oxygen sensors were set in front of the tuyer, behind
and above the pig iron blocks, respectively, as shown in
Figs. 6(a) and 6(b). The oxygen sensor is a Galvanic cell
composed of ZrO2-9mol%MgO as a solid electrolyte and
Cr/Cr2O3 mixed powder as reference electrode. The solid

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 ISIJ International, Vol. 54 (2014), No. 5

electrolyte was one-end closed tube with 4 mm OD, 3.5 mm After 12 min, the temperature attained at 1 350°C. Temper-
ID and 35 mm in length. The tip of the sensor was protected ature was carefully controlled to keep about 1 350°C with
by MgO tube to prevent it from eroding by molten FeO-rich pouring water on charcoal. The temperature in front of tuy-
slag of Noro. ere attained at 1 200°C after 13 min and was kept at 1 400°C
The behavior of pig iron blocks and Sagegane block in after 23 min. The temperature behind the blocks gradually
front of tuyer was observed using a video camera.
Sagegane block of No. 5 and Oroshigane block of No. 3
were cut in plate of 5 mm thickness at the center in the
direction to tuyere. The plates were cut in mesh to measure
the concentrations of carbon and sulfur with the combustion
method by LECO and those of the other elements with X-
ray fluorescence method.

4. Results
4.1. Temperature and Oxygen Partial Pressure during
Operation
Sageba processes were performed 5 times with their
yields of 92 to 100% and Hon-ba processes were done 3
times with their yields of 47% to 87%, as shown in Table 3.
As shown in Fig. 7 of Sageba process of No. 5, after Fig. 7. Temperature and oxygen potential changes in front of the
9 min, the temperature above blocks attained at 1 200°C and tuyer (tuyere), behind (rear) and above (top) pig iron
after then “Wakibana” continuously appeared in flame. blocks, respectively during Sageba process of No. 5.

Table 3. Experimental results of Sageba and Honba operations.

Wakibana
Process Day & Time Initial weight Product weight Yield Start melt* Water in hearth Note
appears
Sageba 2005/Nov/27 Pig iron Sagegane A block was
92% 12:20 1.5 l
No. 1 12:01–12:40 4.15 kg 3.8 kg falled down
Honba Oroshigane
13:13–13:50 Sagegane 13:25 13:35 1.5 l Forged
No. 1 0.812 kg
Sageba 2006/Nov/12 Pig iron Sagegane
99% 10:49 11:12 1.9 l
No. 2 10:40–11:21 4.56 kg 4.50 kg
Sageba Pig iron Sagegane
13:05–13:56 98% 13:26 13:27 2.6 l Temp.&PO2 measure
No. 3 4.54 kg 4.43 kg
Honba Sagegane Oroshigane Temp.&PO2 meas.,
14:25–15:11 47% 14:40 14:50 2.2 l
No. 2 4.31 kg 2.03 kg Forged
Sageba 2006/Nov/13 Pig iron Sagegane
100% 10:00 10:22 2.3 l
No. 4 9:49–10:33 4.24 kg 4.24 kg
Sageba Pig iron Sagegane
10:50–11:56 97% 11:05 11:41 3.0 l Temp.&PO2 measure
No. 5 4.31 kg 4.2 kg
Honba Sagegane Oroshigane
12:33–13:50 87% 12:45 13:35 2.2 l Temp.&PO2 measure
No. 3 3.71 kg 3.25 kg
Note: * Observed from tuyere through a window.

Fig. 8. Aspects of melting pig iron blocks during Sageba process of No. 5.

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 ISIJ International, Vol. 54 (2014), No. 5

increased to attain at 1 200°C.

Fig. 9. Temperature and oxygen potential changes in front of the
tuyer (tuyere), behind (rear) and above (top) Sagegane
blocks, respectively during Honba process of No. 3.
Oxygen potential in front of tuyere was almost in air and
that above the blocks fluctuated between 10–3 and 10–8 atm,
followed by 10–2 atm in the final stage. That behind the
blocks gradually increased from 10–15 to 10–12 atm.
Figure 8 shows the aspects of melting of pig iron blocks
during Sageba process of No. 5. It was notable that pig iron
melted with CO gas bubbling and “Wakibana” in flame.
In Honba process of No. 3, as shown in Fig. 9, after
15 min, the temperature above Sagegane block attained at
900°C and after then Wakibana continuously appeared in
flame. After 20 min, the temperature attained at 1 300°C and
after 50 min at 1 400°C. After 70 min, the block started to
melt and then blowing increased. The temperatures in front
and behind the block suddenly increased and finally attained
at 1 450°C. During final stage at high temperature, water
was poured sometime to prevent temperature from increas-

Fig. 10. Aspects of melting Sagegane block during Honba process of No. 3.

Fig. 11. Cross-section of Sagegane of No. 5 and Carbon distribution.

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 ISIJ International, Vol. 54 (2014), No. 5
Fig. 12. Cross-section of Oroshigane of No. 3 and Carbon distribution.
ing over 1 450°C.
Oxygen potentials in front and above the block were
almost in air and that above the block decreased to 10–10 atm
according to temperature rise in the final stage. Also,
oxygen potential behind the block increased from 10–15 to
10–12 atm near the equilibrium with Fe and FeO in the final
stage.
Figure 10 shows the aspects of melting of Sagegane
block during Honba process of No. 3. It was notable that in
the final stage, the droplets of molten FeO slag of Noro
flowed down on molten steel with Wakibana in flame but
without CO gas bubbling.
4.2. Carbon Concentration Distribution in “Sagegane”
and “Oroshigane”
The composition of pig iron was 4.033 mass%C, 0.188
mass%Si, 0.175 mass%Mn, 0.245 mass%P. 0.0395 mass%S,
0.001 mass%Al, 0.084 mass%Ti and 0.091 mass%V.
Figures 11 and 12 show the distribution of carbon content
in Sagegane of No. 5 and Oroshigane of No. 3, respectively.
In Sageba process, the upper part of Sagegane was decar-
burized to 0.5 to 0.1 mass%C and melted down for tuyere.
However, the bottom part was not melted without decarbur-
ization. In Honba process, Oroshigane was decarburized to
0.6 to 0.07 mass%C but not uniform.
5. Discussions
5.1. Decarburization Mechanisms of “Sageba” Process
In Sageba process, pig iron started to melt after 20 min
when the temperature in front of and above pig iron blocks
1065
attained at 1 350 to 1 400°C. Pig iron melted in the initial
stage was hardly decarburized. After then, pig iron melted
and flowed down on the surface of block to the direction of
tuyere. Molten pig iron was oxidized by air to make molten
FeO slag layer of Noro on the surface of pig iron. Oxygen
gas in air reacted with positive holes (h) in molten FeO slag
to be O2– ion at the slag surface;
1 / 2O2 ( gas ) → O2 − + 2 h ..................... (1)
The hole transferred from the surface of slag to the inter-
face with molten pig iron and reacted with iron and with car-
bon in pig iron and O2– ion;
Fe ( pig iron ) + 2 h → Fe 2 + ( in slag ) ............. (2)
C + O2 − + 2 h → CO ( gas ) ..................... (3)
The mobility of hole in FeO slag is larger by a few order
than the diffusion rates of O2– and Fe2+ in slag as well as the
slag layer was stirred by CO gas bubbling. Thus, the oxygen
potential at the interface was high as 10–3 to 10–8 atm. On
the other hand, the oxygen potential in equilibrium with δ -
Fe and molten FeO is about 1 × 10–10 atm at 1 400°C6) and
that in equilibrium with carbon in pig iron and 1 atm of CO
gas is about 1 × 10–18 atm at 1 400°C. There was large dif-
ference of oxygen potential at the interface to proceed both
decarburization and oxidation of iron with active bubbling
of CO gas simultaneously.
5.2. Decarburization Mechanisms of “Honba” Process
In Honba process after 50 min, the temperature of Sagegane
block rapidly increased to 1 450°C and then the block melt-
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 ISIJ International, Vol. 54 (2014), No. 5
7HPSHUDWXUHΥ
7HPSHUDWXUHΥ
Fig. 13. Reaction paths of decarburization and oxidation of pig iron and Sagegane on the phase diagrams of (a) Fe–O and
(b) Fe–C systems.
ed. In the initial stage of melting, the decarburization of
molten steel took place with moderate CO gas bubbling and
after then generated FeO droplets on steel without gas bub-
bling, as shown in Fig. 10(c). Oxygen potential above the
block attained to 10–10 atm in the final stage and iron was
violently oxidized directly by air to generate heat with
increasing the temperature of molten steel. This oxidation is
realized from the yield of iron by 60 to 70%. During decar-
burization of molten steel, oxygen content in steel increased
to near 0.15 mass% of eutectic point at 1 528°C, as shown
at the point B in Fig. 13(a), and carbon content in liquid
steel was about 0.1 mass% in equilibrium with δ -Fe as
shown at the point D in Fig. 13(b). The decarburized molten
steel was solidified near the melting point of iron.
5.3. Effect of Water Put in Charcoal Bed and Poured in
Flame
As mentioned above, water played very important role
that the temperature of steel block was suppressed under
1 400°C for Sageba process and 1 450°C for Honba process
in order to prevent steel block from oxidizing by air during
decarburization. Pouring water in flame on charcoal was to
control the temperature of steel blocks. However, water put
in charcoal bed cooled hearth by vaporization. In the present
experiments, the lower part of Sagegane did not melted
because of vaporization of water. Thus, a Sage craftsman
always stirred molten pig iron to check the viscosity of steel
with Hodotsuki and controlled temperature by blowing rate
in order to prevent pig iron from solidifying.
White sparks of Wakibana were fine iron particles that
were generated from molten iron by strong force when CO
gas bubble over the critical radius suddenly appeared at the
interface of molten slag and molten steel.
© 2014 ISIJ
6. Conclusions
“Okaji” works produced low carbon steel of Hocho-tetsu
with about 0.1 mass%C from pig iron and low grade of high
carbon steel. The decarburization process was composed of
two processes of Sageba and Honba processes. In the former
process, pig iron blocks were heated by charcoal burning
and decarburized by the reaction with molten FeO slag of
Noro at the temperature near 1 400°C. Sagegane blocks with
the carbon content of average 0.7 mass% were produced. In
the later process, the blocks were heated to keep at 1 450°C
in hearth with the same manner as the former process. The
blocks were oxidized to generate heat themselves and to
increase the temperature over 1 528°C. The melted blocks
were agglomerated in a lump using a iron bar of Sokotsuki.
The lump was decarburized by oxygen in air directly and the
carbon content decreased to average 0.1 mass%, while the
oxygen content increased to about 0.2 mass%. Thus, Hocho-
tetsu was over-saturated with oxygen and the distribution of
carbon and oxygen content was not uniform.
Acknowledgement
Authrs thanks Mr. Sumihira Manabe, Japanese sward
master, for his help with our experiments.
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