A 2.45-GHz microwave stirring apparatus was used to make pig iron. 82 mass% magnetite-18 mass% synthetic carbon mixed powders were used as the raw material, and 15 kW microwave power was applied to investigate the effects of stirring on pig iron production and the refractory. The rotation speeds of the stirring apparatus were controlled to be 0, 0.061, 0.125 and 0.474 rpm. In this study, 636.4 g of pig iron containing around 2% carbon was produced from 1400 g of mixed powders. The rotation contributed to a homogeneous thermal distribution, which prevented the refractory from reaching elevated temperatures. In addition, the rotation increased the carbon concentration in the pig iron. By the mixing action due to the rotation, the contact between graphite powder and reduced iron particles was increased.

hot spot, pig iron, microwave heating, refractory, chemical composition.