150 years of the Shelton Works - page 7

 

 

movement of iron
This map shows the movement of iron between one company's various works. c1700.

Puddling Furnace
Puddling Furnace
The Puddling Furnace was introduced as a process for making malleable iron by using coal or coke for firing.
Up to this time the sulphur in coal and coke had prevented their use. In this process the fuel is not in contact with the iron, completely overcoming this problem.

 

Efficiency increased further in 1784 when Henry Cort used coke as a fuel for ironmaking in a puddling furnace, and was able to increase output more than tenfold. The effect on the industry was dramatic, the iron produced was of a superior quality, and the siting of ironworks no longer needed to be near woodland or water.