THE BESSEMER PROCESS

These incredible photos capture the power of the Bessemer process. Sir Henry Bessemer developed the Bessemer process in the 1850s. In this method, molten pig iron is introduced into a large, pear-shaped vessel called a converter. Air is then blown through the molten iron to oxidize impurities, particularly excess carbon. The oxidation process raises the temperature of the molten metal, eliminating impurities and resulting in the production of steel.