New-York tribune., 1896-11-15
A HUGE ELECTRIC FURNACE.
A NEW WAY TO TREAT IRON ORE-1T MAY
WORK A REVOLUTION.

Tho new process which De Laval. the Swedish
engineer has invented for the conversion OF iron
ore into pure metallic iron into steel Is attracting
attention for several distinct reasons One Is that
the man himself has already derived botn wealth
and fame from two OF his earlier Inventions, a
machine for milking and steam turbine
Success like this tustifes good deal OF curiosity In
regard to any fresh scheme that he may propose.
Another reason is that the attempt Is made. In tho
De Laval process TO accomplish in one operation
what II usually takes two to PERFORM Namely ihe
complete elimination of the impurities associated
with the metal found in the earth Instead OF
producing pig iron first. and then converting this
into commercial iron or steel bars the ingenious
Swede completes the Job with single heating.
Thirdly he proposes to employ electricity In his
work a colossal scale. and for that reason ne
and other capitalists whom he has associated with
him buying up lot Of the best water powers
In Sweden. Among those already secured Is one
developing $1,000 10000 horsepower. ''The Iron
Age" which makes this announcement. says that
four falls In one stream at Trollhattan combine to
give the total here mentioned. While there Is no
reason TO doubt the statement. II may be remarked
that one cannot easily find this name in gazetteers
or aliases Trollhattan. however is said to be the
place where for the last three years lie LaVa mas
been carrying on his metallurgical experiments.
Electricity Is already used in large quantities In
the publication Of Montana copper and the produc-
ton OF aluminium at Niagara and Ncuhausen. But
tho processes in both cases different from that
which IS involved In the system of reducing iron
ore They are chemical In their nature. and effect
n disntogration OF substances dissolved In bath
through which n current is sent What De Laval
does on the other hand is merely TO produce heat.
precisely rs Is done In electric welding machine,
an electric cooking range. or one OF those tiny
furnaces in which NJ Moissan manufactures dia-
monds BY Transforming his current. so that IL
has an exceedingly low voltage and great volume.
by n receptacle which no interposes at the right
point In this manner he gets a higher tempera-
turc than with coal gas. and gets II more quickly
So huge a scheme FOR producing heat with cleo
tricty IS without a precedent In industrial usage.
The material out OF which De Lavals furnace Is
made has not yet been mentioned in any reports at
hand Nolssnn used bits OF lime But his APP
paratus was a mere toy In comparison with mod
srn blast or rcgcncrating furnace. little more
Information is vOuchsafed. though as TO the ar
raugcmcnt OF the contents The ore is reduced 10
compound IL subjected TO some preliminary warm
Ing in "A rotating cylinder before being subjected TO
the electric current
How far the general plan here mentioned Is avail
able for use In America IS question not easily an
swcred at present Swedish iron ore Is different
from that found In England and this country.
Nevertheless II might be practicable 10 employ the
DE Laval process here. and. II so. II would prove
particularly valuable in those parts OF the country
producing iron and not coal. but blessed with
water power which could be readily converted into
aiecfr