Final answer:
The advanced way to smelt iron involves the use of coke in a blast furnace, allowing for continuous operation, mass production, and a more efficient reduction process.
Step-by-step explanation:
The advent of using coke as a reducing agent revolutionized the metallurgy of iron. Earlier methods employed charcoal for extracting iron from its ores, but around 1620, the introduction of coke broadened the use of iron. The procedure consists of first roasting the iron ore to remove water and decompose carbonates into oxides. In the blast furnace, roasted ore, coke, and limestone are reduced into molten iron and sl*g.
The furnace, which can reach impressive sizes of 80-100 feet in height and about 25 feet in diameter, contains a mixture that is continuously fed from the top. Pre-heated air (up to 900°C) helps in converting carbon to carbon monoxide, which in turn reduces the iron oxides to metallic iron.
Iron smelting with coke in a blast furnace represents a more advanced and efficient method than previous techniques. The utilization of blast furnaces allows for continuous operation and mass production of iron, facilitating the widespread use of this metal and furthering technological advancements in various fields.