open hearth
/ˈoʊpənˌhɑrθ/
adjective
- Relating to a type of steelmaking furnace that uses a shallow hearth and regenerative heating.
- Many old steel plants used open-hearth furnaces before switching to basic oxygen furnaces.
- The open-hearth method was once the dominant way to produce steel.
- The open-hearth process requires careful control of temperature and chemistry.