Final answer:
The term 'basic' in basic oxygen furnace references the chemical nature of the refractory lining, which is composed of materials like calcium oxide that are basic and withstand high temperatures. They play a key role in the steel-making process by reacting with acidic components to form a protective.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term 'basic' in the basic oxygen furnace refers to the chemical nature of the refractory lining. This kind of furnace uses materials like calcium oxide (CaO), which are basic (as opposed to acidic), for the refractory lining. These substances are known as refractories because they retain their strength at high temperatures and do not easily corrode. As these materials feature in the reactions inside the furnace—such as the removal of unwanted elements like phosphorus and silicon as they influence the basicity of the environment within the furnace.
The basic oxygen process is designed to convert molten iron—typically from a blast furnace—into steel. In this process, oxygen is blown into the molten iron, which reacts with elements such as carbon to reduce the carbon content and thus produce steel. The calcium oxide lining reacts with acidic components like silica (SiO2) to form (mostly calcium silicate, CaSiO3), which floats on top of the molten iron and is removed separately. This not only refines the iron but also helps to protect it from further oxidation.