The Basic Oxygen Furnace (BOF) is current method of producing steel, and one of the most dramatic elements to the steelmaking process. Molten iron from the Blast Furnace is combined with steel scrap in the BOF vessel. Pure oxygen is blown into the furnace at supersonic speeds to aid combustion, and to refine the iron and scrap through mixing. This process has been used in the American steel industry since the 1960s, replacing the Open Hearth Process, and the Bessemer process. The BOF is much more efficient, allowing steel makers to rapidly make a batch of steel, while controlling the quality of the steel very tightly. In LTV's Cleveland Works, there were BOFs in both the East and West Side facilities. These photos were taken in April 2001 in the East Side BOF.
