Chapter 492 A Terrifying Number: 150,000 Tons!
Yanjing No. 1 Steelmaking Plant!
The carriage stopped outside a long red brick gate.
After everyone got off the carriage, they all stopped and looked up at the door. On the door arch, there was a series of large characters made of cast iron.
Zhu Di made a gesture of invitation, "Father, the new steelmaking converter that Jin Mi and the others built is in the steelmaking plant."
Combining experimental research and enterprise.
This more advanced scientific research method has nothing to do with him.
It was developed by the Department of Science and Technology Research on its own.
The steelmaking plant has many mature skilled workers, whether they are cooperating with the Research Department to build the equipment that researchers want, or setting up assembly equipment.
The manpower, material resources, and technical strength are all more sufficient than those of the Research Department.
Over time.
Gradually, the research department came up with some new ideas. After new ideas, it always likes to seek cooperation with enterprises in the surrounding industrial areas.
Many factories and companies are also very willing to cooperate with the Research Department.
Because as long as the technical hypotheses proposed by the Research Department are verified, it can be realized.
Companies that cooperate with research will have priority in using technology patents for a fee.
Moreover, the patent fee will be more favorable than other companies that also want to use the patent.
As for the Research Department.
The current Research Department cannot be self-financing.
Several patents for previous inventions and creations were relatively small and the profits generated were not large.
However, with the emergence of the 66 steam engine, he had reason to believe that with the large-scale use of steam engines, the Research Department would be able to be self-financing in the near future.
The Department of Science and Technology Research was established with the support of the Yan Fan regime.
It can be regarded as a national scientific research institution established with the power of the country.
In the first industrial revolution, there was actually no need to establish such political-level scientific research institutions.
The reason why he did this was actually very simple. He wanted to use the power of the country to promote the first industrial revolution more quickly.
I hope that when I finish this life, I can see the train rushing through the mountains, rivers, and farmland with billowing smoke and white gas, and the roar of the whistle.
I hope to see with my own eyes that the iron-clad warships made by the Chinese, carrying the Chinese on board, can cruise the seven oceans without any restrictions or intimidation.
It turns out that even in this period of the first industrial revolution driven by the experience of craftsmen.
The power generated by the research institutions established by this kind of political power is really powerful.
It is impossible to build a steam engine so quickly by relying on individual strength alone.
In order to avoid the negative impact of official power on the Research Department.
He also put a lot of effort into the process of establishing the Research Department.
First of all, the Yan Fan regime had no interest in the Research Department.
Secondly, the financial resources of the Research Division are divided into three parts.
Part of it is financial allocation.
The Yan Fan regime provided researchers with a minimum guaranteed salary to ensure that researchers could support their families.
If the Yan Fan official assigns designated research tasks to the Research Department, it must provide scientific research funds to the Research Department.
The patent results produced by the research are shared by both parties, and the Research Department has the right to share 50% of the patent dividends.
Another part of the financial resources comes from the research department's spontaneous research results and patent licensing income. This part is the dividend of all scientific researchers in the research department.
In other words, the more new technologies the Research Division invents and creates, the more profits they make.
And this part of the income will not be completely distributed as dividends.
Fifty percent of the annual patent licensing fees must be retained as the Research Department's own research funds.
The last part of the financial resources comes from the Research Department's undertaking of corporate research tasks. This kind of cooperation, how to charge for it, and how to distribute the patent income, is completely decided by the Research Department and the companies themselves, and the Yan Fan regime does not interfere.
It can be said that the Science and Technology Research Department is a semi-public and semi-private scientific research institution that was established by the Yan Fan regime and provided minimum living security for researchers by the Yan Fan regime.
…
Zhu Yuanzhang walked inside.
As he walked, he asked: "The first steel plant? There are second and third steel plants? Is there so much steel that can be consumed?"
Everyone immediately pricked up their ears.
In fact, when they saw the first two words, they were also very curious whether there were other steel factories in Yanfan.
Zhu Di explained with a smile: "It is just such a large steelmaking plant now. However, when this steelmaking plant was first built, the steelworks were very optimistic about the future of steelmaking. Both the management and the workers believed that they In the future, we will build the second and third... steel plants. Although the steel plant is not allowed to be privately owned and is run by the government, the steel plant is also a shareholding system. Although our official side holds shares, we do not intervene in the operation. Retaining shares is only for the purpose of supervision. After all, whether it is steel or iron, they are strategic resources, and we must supervise the whereabouts of these strategic resources. "
“Also, it’s support.”
"After the Century Bridge was built, steel suddenly faced a situation where there was no market and it could not be digested. It is precisely because we, Yanfan, own shares and it is a government industry, that we have the motivation to use the power of the country to manufacture helmets for soldiers, expand infrastructure, etc. This method helped the No. 1 Steelmaking Plant survive the crisis at that time.”
during this crisis.
Not only did it help the steelmaking plant survive the crisis.
Moreover, taking advantage of the special period of maintaining production and low steel prices, Yanjing's infrastructure construction was completed quickly and relatively cheaply.
Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Zhu Di with a smile, thoughtfully.
Some people tried to persuade Biao'er to let go of blast furnace technology and iron smelting technology and allow private ownership.
He knew what these people were up to.
Blast furnace technology was fine.
But he would never allow private iron smelting.
Just as the fourth brother said.
Iron is a strategic resource.
It's about war!
The stability of imperial power!
When the court cannot ensure that it is stable enough and cannot be shaken.
As for where the iron will go, we must know.
But if the Jinling Industrial Zone continues to implement the current model, once Huizu leaves, if the upper and lower levels cannot agree, I am afraid it will return to the period when Lu Zhao presided over the industrial zone, and the ending was rapid decline and half-dead.
The fourth brother was obviously reminding him.
The Jinling Industrial Zone can be compared with the practice in Yanjing.
The government, management and workers jointly hold shares.
The government only retains the right of supervision and does not participate in the operation, leaving the operation completely to the management and workers.
In this way, if officials are not sent, there will be no bureaucratic style and negative impact on the factory.
The heat wave that hit Zhu Yuanzhang interrupted his thoughts.
Hiss!
At the same time, bursts of inhalation came from behind.
Row after row, rehearsing neatly, braving the rolling heat waves, half-man-high small crucible furnaces appeared in everyone's sight.
Fifty rows!
Twenty in each row!
A full thousand small crucible furnaces lined up together, forming a spectacular scene, which was too shocking for everyone on the Ming side.
It was too shocking!
Lan Yu and others looked at each other.
They all saw the deep shock in each other's eyes.
Mu Ying couldn't wait to ask: "Old Four, how much steel can each of your small steel furnaces produce?"
"One hundred kilograms." Zhu Di smiled and stretched out a finger, "If all the steel furnaces are in production at the same time, 100,000 kilograms of steel can be produced a day, but it is impossible to start all the steel furnaces. About one-fifth of the steel furnaces are in operation every day."
The main reason is that this kind of small crucible steel furnace has too many shortcomings.
Maintenance is too time-consuming.
"How much steel is produced that year?" Zhu Chong asked.
"This year's statistics have not been calculated yet, but last year's annual steel production was 100 tons!" Zhu Di's lips slightly raised, and his pride in his heart was hard to hide.
Even though this kind of steelmaking in a small crucible furnace with a capacity of 100 jin has a very low technical content.
But it is already a remarkable achievement!
In history, Zhang Zhidong founded the Daye Steel Plant in Hubei.
It only produced hundreds of thousands of tons of steel a year, right?
Now in Yanjing, five or six hundred years earlier, it can already produce 100 tons of steel!
Even if the quality of this steel is not as good as the quality of the steel in the Daye Steel Plant.
But it is still steel after all!
After all, it is more advanced than forged iron.
Of course, objective facts must also be faced.
This method of steelmaking consumes too much energy and costs too much.
Five or six people can only make a small furnace of uneven quality steel in a day.
In order to achieve uniform overall quality of steel.
The steel made from a single small steel furnace must be mixed with the steel in other small steel furnaces, re-melted, and cast into billets.
There is no other way.
If this mixed re-melting process is not carried out.
The quality of each batch of steel varies too much.
If it is used to make bicycle rims, some bicycles will be very durable, while others will break down after a short time of use.
Unstable product quality has a great impact on product strength.
However, as long as Jin Mi and his team can make steel in a converter, steel production will increase, and hundreds of thousands of tons a year is not an unattainable dream.
And the quality will be more balanced.
...
One hundred tons!
Compared with Zhu Di, he was dissatisfied with steel production and quality.
Everyone on the Ming side was silent after hearing this number.
One hundred tons!
The steel production of the Ming Dynasty is zero now!
Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the thousand small steel furnaces and came back to his senses, "Let's go and see Jin Mi's experiment."
Zhu Di nodded and led the way.
A moment later.
Came to the east of the steel plant, a separate and isolated empty yard.
Everyone looked up.
Looking at the black steel "monster" in front of them.
Two blast furnaces as high as ten feet stood on both sides ten meters apart.
Behind the blast furnace, there are ladders and blast furnace observation platforms made entirely of angle steel and iron plates, similar to the Century Bridge, with rivet structures.
The two blast furnaces themselves are only six or seven feet high.
The base cast with cement and steel bars is as high as three or four feet.
The two blast furnaces have funnels for placing iron slurry solution facing each other, and below the funnels, a diversion channel for diverting iron slurry solution is built with refractory crucible bricks.
The diversion channels merge in the middle to form a diversion channel extending forward.
Below the diversion channel is a container like a goldfish bowl, with a narrow mouth and bottom, and a fat container in the middle.
Behind this strange cast iron container, there is a large furnace that seems to be able to accommodate this strange cast iron container.
…
Hundreds of workers are busy.
One of them is wearing a gray work suit and a thin back wearing a safety helmet, busy directing.
"Master Wang and Master Liu, make a final check on the exhaust pipes and valves of the steam boiler!"
"Okay!"
"Brother Liu, make a final check on the gantry mixer for hoisting ore!"
"Okay, don't be nervous, Xiao Wang, make sure to eliminate some hidden dangers before formal production!"
"Don't worry, Xiao Wang. This is related to the jobs and dividends of us steelmaking factory workers. We hope that this experiment will succeed more than anyone else. As long as it succeeds, from now on, our Yanfan's steel with better quality will be It can replace iron on a large scale!”
"Ha ha……"
…
Everyone listened to the shouts, trumpets, and whistles.
Zhu Yuanzhang pointed to the thin and thin figure, "Is that Jin Mi?"
Zhu Di smiled and nodded. Seeing that the preparations were almost done, he turned and whispered to the director of the steelmaking plant.
The factory manager trotted away.
After a while, he returned with Jin Mi.
Under Jin Mi's safety helmet, his face was covered with gray and black. He wiped it with his sleeves as he ran. When he came to Zhu Yuanzhang, his face had turned into a big painted face. He grinned, showing eight white teeth, "Master, Master." , why don’t you say anything when you come, I will go and greet you.”
Zhu Yuanzhang and Ma Xiuying looked at the young man with a colorful face in front of them with smiles.
Ma Xiuying smiled kindly and said with concern: "I am much thinner than when Junior Brother Qian Xiongying and Junior Sister Cailu got married."
Jin Mi smiled and scratched his head, and explained: "During this period, building the blast furnace is indeed a bit tiring and busy, but it will be fine if I get through this period of time. As long as this experiment is successful, it won't take long for me to eat it back."
Zhu Yuanzhang handed his handkerchief to Jin Mi and asked: "This business is tiring, hard, dirty and messy. Is it your own volition, or is it your master's wish that you are willing to endure this hardship for your master's sake?"
Given the education that Jin Mi and the others received from Lao Si and Miao Yun.
to be honest.
Even if children like Jin Mi become officials, they will definitely become capable ministers and officials.
At least, if it were in Daming.
Such a talented and capable child.
I will never come to a steel factory to do such a hard, tiring, and dirty job.
Jin Mi looked at the handkerchief handed over by Zhu Yuanzhang and clapped his hands repeatedly, "Master, I can just use a towel."
As he spoke, he took off the towel tied around his neck and wiped his face vigorously. While wiping, he said with a bright smile: "Master asked us to engage in research. At first, we did not understand it, but later we all understood that Master's Good intentions.”
The master is afraid that they will step into the involuntary whirlpool of officialdom.
In the end, it was swallowed up by this whirlpool, and not even the bones and residue were left!
In addition to their masters and wives, even their parents, who are heavily influenced by tradition, actually hope that they can become officials.
"It's not that the master won't let us become officials. The master said that before the age of thirty, we can't make anything famous, so we can still be officials. However, I don't want to be an official anymore. Master and master, I really like what I'm doing now. Soon after, when Yu Tongzhi takes us on another expedition, I will follow him to various parts of the world to look for various metals formed by volcanic eruptions, various meteorites falling from the sky, and study their ingredients. Making better steel..."
"I found a special piece of steel during my previous expedition. After research, I have discovered some things. I believe that this special steel formed by volcanic eruptions and meteorite burning can point the way for the development of steel..."
…
"Master and Master, I am already a well-known metallurgical engineer now. Master also said that in the future, when the Imperial Academy of Engineering will open a metallurgical department, I will be asked to write a book based on my research!"
"Also, Senior Brother Dongxu studied ballistics and studied the acceleration of gravity and the relationship between acceleration and speed."
"Junior Brother Zhou Chao studied animal specimens and proposed the hypothesis of natural selection, survival of the fittest, and biological evolution."
"Junior brother Xia and several junior brothers jointly formulated the industrial measurement standards and so on..."
…
Jin Mi introduced happily.
Others looked at Zhu Di vaguely.
They all know that some of the achievements made by Zhu Silang's students have been verified to be correct, and they have greatly helped Zhu Silang's Yanfan industry.
Some have yet to be proven correct.
Although I knew about it in the past, I didn’t think much about it or pay too much attention to it.
But at this moment, Wang Jinmi said it in a summary form.
Then I suddenly realized that students like Zhu Silang, at such a young age, had already achieved so many achievements.
Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the young man in front of him, his face covered with sweat. The more he wiped it with a towel, the more stained his face became. He smiled and grabbed Jin Mi's dark and oily hand, and personally stuffed his handkerchief into Jin Mi's pocket. , "Master, this handkerchief is not valuable. It is just used by Master and is given to you. There is no one in this world who is more pure and clean than you little guys. Master, I hope you can continue to maintain it."
Jin Mi smiled shyly and nodded heavily.
He knew that his master gave him this handkerchief to wipe away the dust that fell on his soul from time to time.
It's an encouragement.
Huang Zicheng, Qi Tai and others looked at Jin Mi, their eyes red with envy.
What an honor it is to be able to let the emperor hold his dirty hands and call himself master in one breath!
There is also a handkerchief used by the emperor! This is almost equivalent to a death-free iron scroll!
What kind of shit luck happened to Zhu Silang's students.
Zhu Di didn't know that Huang Zicheng and others were thinking sourly and jealously at this moment.
If he knew, he would retort without hesitation.
If we say that in the past, little guys like Jin Mi were favored by their father and mother because of him.
This is the reaction of the father, the emperor, and the queen Aiwujiwu.
So now, the favor that Jin Mi and the others received has nothing to do with him.
It is through their own efforts and achievements that they have won the recognition and appreciation of their father, queen and mother!
"Director Xiao Wang, everything is ready!"
At this moment, a liaison worker standing on the top of the iron platform in the middle of the boiler shouted while waving three three-color flags in his hand and uttering the semaphore.
Zhu Yuanzhang patted Jin Mi on the shoulder and said with a smile: "You go and give the command first, and I will explain it to the master in person later."
"It's Master."
Jin Mi responded, turned around, and jogged forward a few steps.
Grabbing the whistle hanging around his neck.
Di——
The whistle sounded, and the busy workers stood at their respective posts according to the division of labor.
"Load coke, ignite, blast!"
Jin Mi's voice fell.
A moment later, standing on the high platform, the operator responsible for liaison between the front and rear shouted: "The No. 1 valve connected to the blower is open, the No. 1 cylinder is operating normally, and the blower is operating normally!"
"Valve No. 2 is open, cylinder No. 2 is operating normally, and the coking coal bucket is operating normally!"
…
"Ignition completed! Coking coal loading completed!"
"Requesting reloading of iron ore!"
Jin Mi also waved the flag and shouted at the same time: "Start loading!"
Rumble…
The roar of the reciprocating motion of the steam engine cylinder became even louder and more intense.
After a while, everyone saw the high gantry, the pulley hoisting machine and the connected steel cables tightened, and a bucket filled with iron ore slowly rising.
"One two one!"
When the bucket was higher than the charging port of the blast furnace, workers standing on the large iron platform near the blast furnace shouted slogans and pulled the bucket over through the horizontal guide rail.
Boom!
The bucket tilts towards the charging port, and a bucket full of iron ore is poured into the blast furnace.
With the continuous addition of iron ore.
The temperature of the blast furnace also gradually increased.
About half an hour later.
Standing on the high platform, the worker in charge of liaison waved a flag and shouted: "Pig iron furnace, wrought iron furnace, loading is complete!"
After Jin Mi waved the flag several times.
He handed the command flag to the worker next to him, turned around and trotted to Zhu Yuanzhang and Ma Xiuying, "Master and Master, I will take you to the back of the blast furnace. Behind the blast furnace are the steam engine area and the stockpile area."
"good!"
Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and nodded with kindness.
Immediately, everyone followed Jin Mi to the back along the cement sidewalk.
A very huge boiler appeared in front of him.
A thigh-thick steam pipe extends from the boiler, and is divided into more than a dozen small steam pipes, which are close to the ground and lead to everywhere.
Yes, leading to the blower.
Some lead to lifting wheels.
…
Jin Mi pointed at the boiler and introduced: "Master, this is the largest boiler we have built so far. This kind of lying boiler is called a horizontal boiler. This boiler mainly produces powerful steam."
"Steam power can drive three blowers, two ore buckets, two coking coal buckets, and a converter cylinder at the same time. This comprehensive steelmaking furnace has a total of nine large and small cylinders, all relying on this one Large boilers are driven.”
"We estimate that this production line can be fully operated with only 300 people, and the designed annual steel production capacity is 150,000 tons!"
…
One hundred and fifty thousand tons? !
Feeling embarrassed, Lu Ben followed the crowd with his lips twitching fiercely.
What is the concept of 150,000 tons! ?
In the Ming Dynasty, excluding the private sector, the imperial court's iron production was probably only about 150,000 tons per year, right?
As for steel production, excluding wrought iron, it is almost zero.
He already knew that the quality of the imperial court's wrought iron was similar to that of Yan Fan's steel.
And now, Yan Fan is actually pursuing steel production to reach 150,000 tons? !
Thousands of tons!
There are jealous and hateful people.
There are also people who simply admire, envy, and are curious.
Lan Yu and others put on the safety helmets given by the workers and approached the steel furnace.
Look at the large and small cylinders connected to machines such as blowers and lifting wheels.
Take a tour from the back and come to the front again.
Jin Mi pointed to the strange pot-bellied furnace between the two blast furnaces and introduced: "Master, this is the converter. After the molten pig iron and molten wrought iron are mixed and flow into this converter, the converter will be pulled into the blast furnace behind for mixed smelting."
"This blast furnace is equipped with two cylinders, which can swing forward, backward, left, and right, in three directions, so that the two kinds of molten iron in the furnace can be fully mixed and smelted."
…
Zhu Yuanzhang deliberately smiled and asked: "You introduced it so carefully, aren't you afraid that we visitors will see it and secretly learn your technique?"
Jin Mi scratched his head and looked at Zhu Di.
Zhu Di looked up with a smile and looked at the top of the blast furnace.
Jin Mi scratched his head again and could only tell the truth: "Master, let alone whether this new steel-making method can be achieved. Even if it can be achieved, I think that with Ming's current technological reserves, it cannot be built even if it knows the principle." , a lot of technology was used in the construction of this steelmaking furnace, including many new technologies.”
"For such a tall steel furnace, the imperial court can make it smaller."
"But the bearings used in the lifting wheels and the small cylinders and two cylinders we made to generate strong power can realize the three swing motions of the converter..."
"These are technologies that the court cannot solve now."
"Even the steel cable used for the bucket cannot be made by the court. The steel cable is as thick as a thumb, not as thick as a steel bar. You have to pull a piece of iron into a complete wire of 100 meters, 200 meters, or 300 meters, and then use at least 50 wires to twist them into a solid and flexible steel cable with a rope twister. The court does not have this technology now."
"And this technology is the most common technology required to build such a steelmaking furnace."
...
Zhu Yuanzhang listened carefully and nodded silently.
He had seen the steel cable for the bucket just now.
Let alone the steel cable.
The court could not make the casting process of the huge horizontal boiler.
As the court's cannon casting technology matured.
He also had a great understanding of casting technology.
When casting such a large, closed boiler, if there is a sand hole on it, it cannot be used if it is not airtight enough.
And the larger the volume, the higher the possibility of sand holes!
This is also why the larger the cannon, the more difficult it is to cast.
The fourth brother provided the casting technology for the coastal defense guns, but until now, the craftsmen's finished product rate for casting coastal defense guns is very low.
Not to mention this horizontal boiler, which is larger than the coastal defense guns and has a more complicated casting process.
…
Three or four hours.
It was approaching noon.
The temperature was getting hotter.
And it was even more unbearable around the blast furnace.
Some people began to grumble and complain in a low voice, and even made malicious speculations.
"No matter how good the Yan vassal is, this weather will deduct half of the points!"
"It's been so long, can it be done?"
…
Zhu Yuanzhang was sweating all over his face, and he couldn't help frowning slightly when he heard the whispers coming from behind him.
A group of people just watched and complained!
There is a reason why the Ming Dynasty fell behind step by step!
"Master."
When the flag signal was sent out again from the high platform, Jin Mi turned around with a few goggles and handed them to Zhu Yuanzhang, Ma Xiuying and others: "The observers of the two blast furnaces reported that the iron slurry can be produced. It will be bad for the eyes if you don't wear goggles when you make steel in the converter later."
Zhu Yuanzhang took the goggles made of thin iron sheet, green glass and wooden ear frames.
He put them on by imitating Zhu Di's movements.
Zhu Di smiled and explained: "Father, this green glass is a glass of poor quality. However, this glass, because of this layer of green, happens to have light filtering properties. The workers in the iron smelting plant often stare at the high-temperature boiler, which is very harmful to their eyes. This green glass is just right."
Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and nodded.
Although this green glass was not trafficked back to the Ming Dynasty.
But he had seen it after he came to Yanjing.
The glass installed in the homes of the people is all this green glass.
Poor quality, it must be cheap.
Of course, this cheapness is only for the people under the rule of the fourth brother.
Ordinary people in the court probably couldn't afford it.
Ming Dynasty could use glass to install windows, and families who could afford it would not use this green glass, but would choose the whiter and more transparent glass.
Perhaps this is also the reason why Yanfan green glass was not sold in Ming Dynasty.
Zhu Yuanzhang was lost in thought.
Two workers opened the funnel at the same time.
The fiery red iron slurry flowed out and finally flowed into a diversion trough and into the converter.
"Good! It's done!"
When the fiery red iron slurry filled two-thirds of the converter, Jin Mi shouted, and the iron slurry solution in the diversion trough stopped. Jin Mi shouted: "Pull the converter into the furnace fire, open valves 8 and 9, and start converter steelmaking!"
Squeak!
Some harsh sounds sounded.
The converter was pulled into the coke furnace at the back, which was burning with billowing flames.
The converter swung three times.
The fiery red iron slurry burned violently in the furnace, the flames rose, and the iron slurry sprayed out from time to time.
The faces of the crowd were all red.
The magnificent industrial atmosphere.
Everyone was stunned.
Lü Ben and Hu Weiyong could not help but come out from the back and get closer, staring with red eyes.
Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Jin Mi holding a face guard made of iron sheets and approaching the converter where the iron slurry was splashing. He was a little worried and frowned slightly and asked: "What is Jin Mi doing? It's too dangerous."
Could it be!
Zhu Di opened his mouth and thought of a possibility, but he was not sure.
Zhu Yuanzhang saw that Zhu Di did not speak, and he was patient. When Jin Mi returned with hot steam all over his body, he could not wait to ask: "Jin Mi, it's so dangerous, why are you approaching?"
Everyone looked at Jin Mi.
...
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