Carbon Monoxide: Redux

Oct 31, 2003 3 Replies

OK, everyday I dirve by an integrated Steel Mill (one with a blast furnace). Sometimes I see a blue burnoff flame, sometimes it is yellow. Is one of these carbon monoxide? Is it from the balst furnace or Coke ovens?


The typical blue color as seen on your home gas stove is the color associated with the temperature. Blue is richest in high temperatures. When there are other colors, like red, yellow, green, are due to cation impurities in the gas stream. Stimulated irradiation colors for the elements are extensively listed in many physical chemistry handbooks. I think sodium might be the yellow source, but can't find my pchem book.

Likely to be from the oxygen steelmaking, the gas from this process is harder to process as fuel than the coke oven or blast furnace gas. It would also fit with the change in colour of the gas. The composition of the gas from steel making varies a lot during the blow while the coke oven and blast furnace gasses are more stable in composition.

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