🛠 The Blast Furnace Technology
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Year: Around 1709 (use of coke)
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Inventor: Abraham Darby
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How it works:
Blast furnace technology replaced charcoal with coke for melting iron. In the blast furnace, iron ore and coke are layered and processed at high temperatures to produce pig iron. -
Societal Impact:
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- Enabled mass production of cheap iron.
- Was the foundation for building machines, tools, and railways.
- Promoted urbanization and the growth of heavy industry.
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