Furnace Govăjdie, built in the early nineteenth century, was at the time, a first reference technology: it was the first continuous-flow furnace in Europe (and second in the world).
The furnace was built on the site of a forge, Old Limpetrul that work in 1674 at the confluence Runc and Nadrab. Construction lasted four years, and the first batch was held in April 1810. Employing more than 200 workers here. Most were Romanian, but also a considerable number of Germans. It was the first furnace in the area. The
beginning of modern metallurgy began three decades earlier Pădurenilor
County in 1781, it began to produce furnace Topliţa, Cerna Valley. The Govăjdie brought, however, the benefits of new technologies and consequently greater productivity. Until the advent of, the process of production of pig iron supposed to stop periods for loading and unloading furnaces. Now the two operations puteu be carried out simultaneously. Originally produced 640 tons of iron per year, to reach, in 1852, after modernization, an annual output of 4,000 tons.
Other pieces of steel this time, were manufactured at the ironworks in Resita, who used also Govajdia cast iron. The
furnace worked until 1918. The construction furnace construction
started in 1806 and ended in 1810. The façade junction furnace from
streams and Runc Nădrab sat a memorial plaque with the inscription
"Augusto Imperator Francisco I. exstructum 1810".
The
amount allocated construction proved to be insufficient, because this
amount was enough just to build furnace, furnace hall and adduction of
water. That's what Samuel
Matz, owner Smitheries with József Asztalos, master carpenter drew up
new investment projects that included the construction of a smelter
foreman housing. From building projects remained only bridge project load and store charcoal project. On December 10, 1808 Asztalos Matz and prepared other projects which in turn are approved by the Treasury. According
to the project to build the dam on the river Runc price of 3691 HUF 5
farthings and cleaning water feed channel from the dam on the river
Nădrab cost 430 forints. Thus
the works for the construction of the plant was completed in 1813.
Together with all final investment sum amounted to 98 728 forints 50¼
farthings.
The furnace was put into operation in mid April. Sketch furnace no longer exists, but other documents known shape and size. According to the documents, round crucible had a diameter of 110 cm, diameter 215 cm belly, the neck diameter 105 cm.
Belly
height 315 cm of the bottom of the crucible, the crucible height of the
bottom of the upper tuyère 53 cm and height 47 cm below the tuyère and
the total height of the furnace was 9.50 m. The top of the blast opening
had a horizontal alignment, trunk blowing furnace on the side placed on
stream, with a deviation of 80 mm from the center of the tank furnace.
The
blast opening was lower curvature at an angle of 3 °, the discharge
hole directed in the direction of pig iron, with a deviation of all 80
mm from the center of the tank. For
blowing air into the furnace was provided by six double bellows with
the same dimensions, mounted in the engine room, ensure a foal 7-8
breaths per minute. The air is transported from the furnace via a pipe. Staff
and management Govăjdie furnace in 1890
The first
period of operation of the furnace After putting the furnace into
operation in April 1810, after seven months and a half of operation and
after production of 1380.7 tons of iron, the blast furnace was stopped
on the one hand because crucible furnace was pronounced wear and
secondly because he gathered a sufficient amount of iron processing
workshop few months raising.
After
rebuilding the crucible furnace, the furnace was put back into
operation in 1814, worked for seven years until 1821, subject to
availability charcoal furnace functioned alternately furnace Topliţa. Lack of charcoal in a period of seven years resulted in an average annual output of only 638.7 tons. Lack of charcoal was caused by continuous operation kiln furnaces peasant near Topliţa and drank heavily Govajdia manganese.
The
documents of the years 1813 and 1818 arising industrial advantages that
this furnace or the furnace could achieve much better results than the
peasant ovens and charcoal quality ore processed and prepared for
melting was not appropriate. Based
on documents show that used Limon with a lower limestone and silicate
(H4SiO4) and containing a few percent peroxide manganese because
manganese steel helps to achieve the best quality. Respectively
Ghelari ore mining derived from the surface also contained some traces
of copper and in addition because of the brittleness of ore quality and
does not require cooking, and the iron content was 40-42%.
Charcoal strong best quality was obtained from beech wood were harvested from Govăjdiei surroundings.
Govăjdie furnace was stopped at the end of 1820. After
that the furnace has stagnated for 17 years until 1837. During that time
rotted any machinery, dams, channels for the supply and decanters sand.
They were
clogged conduits and were invaded by vegetation, such perimeter plant
has become a ruin worthless while smelters peasant
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