Chapter 281 Steelmaking

Franz preferred the Bessemer process, which is what later generations called the converter process. Of course, he did not intend to repeat the detours that Bessemer had taken, such as the problem of acid-base properties.

The acid converter process cannot remove sulfur and phosphorus, which causes huge waste and reduced quality. The alkaline converter process uses a converter with an alkaline lining to process high-phosphorus pig iron and dumps slag to remove sulfur (this process is a bit complicated and will not be described in detail).

Why didn't Franz adopt the more efficient Martin process in later generations? Because the initial investment of the Martin process is too high, the cycle is long, the reaction time is slow, the types of steel that can be manufactured are relatively small, the energy consumption is serious, it cannot overcome the inherent shortcomings, and the upper limit is too low.

The converter steelmaking is obviously more flexible, which is suitable for a country like Austria where steel enterprises are very scattered. After Austria adopted the alkaline converter process, the output of steel can be increased by 8-10 times.

However, given the current market situation of insufficient supply, the price of steel will not drop too much. Franz can take the opportunity to earn high profits and expand production capacity, thus occupying the market one step earlier than other powers.

In fact, the Bessemer process has been completed long ago, but there are still many defects, and the timing is not right.

Karl Friedrich Plattner, who is responsible for the research on converter steelmaking, is a genius metallurgist from Saxony. The other is Redten Bacher, an Austrian born in Steyr. He used to be a cleaner at the Vienna Engineering College and attended for two months. After that, he went to Switzerland and became a famous engineering expert and one of the founders of mechanical engineering.

In fact, Franz originally planned to invite Krupp and Siemens, but the former had a prosperous business and was in the limelight. He refused to accept Austria's invitation and committed "treasonous behavior."

The latter was because he stole a donkey and pulled a peg. He watched others fight, but he ran away and he went to jail. It was obviously a duel between two officers, but in the end, two soldiers went to jail, one of whom was Siemens.

In fact, it was not difficult for Franz to get him out, but Siemens was a prisoner who received much attention, because even in prison, he was still studying science and technology, and his inventions were even valued by the Prussian military.

Finally, under the operation of some Junker nobles, the Prussian King Frederick William IV personally signed a pardon to pardon him.

If Franz got this out at this time, it would definitely become a big news. In order to avoid aiding the enemy, the Prussian military would directly kill this great inventor in human history.

The level of Plattner and Bacher is not worse than that of these two geniuses who have left their names in history, but there are some problems with the direction of their research.

The top-blown converter technology that was far ahead of others more than a hundred years later was one of the products of combining their inventions.

The two were experts in metallurgical engineering, and with the cooperation of a group of professionals, they quickly worked out the Bessemer process.

As for the problem of alkaline furnace lining, although the two did not understand what Franz was going to do, it did not prevent them from working. The new alkaline refractory bricks are made by mixing dolomite and tar, which are fired at high temperatures to make clinker.

After several experiments, they discovered the brilliance of this alkaline furnace lining and began to admire this genius who grew up in the palace.

When Franz came to the factory where they were experimenting again, the two had already taken their notes and benches.

"Archduke Franz, the experiment has been completed. This new technology will cause an industrial revolution. The existing blower may not be able to meet your needs. We have invented a new blower."

Franz looked at this so-called new blower. In fact, the technological content is not high. It is just that a few blades are added to the original blower, and the power becomes a steam engine. The only design beyond this era is the air duct.

This has to admire the wisdom of mankind. Historically, this kind of industrial blower was not invented by Americans until 1867.

The invention of this high-efficiency blower can also further increase steel production. Of course, what is blown in at this time is air, which still contains 78% useless nitrogen, which is still a huge waste.

However, industrial oxygen generators need the help of electricity, and electricity is still a scarce resource at this time.

"It's a great invention, but the efficiency of steam engines is too low. The navy has a steam turbine technology that can increase the efficiency of your invention by 500%."

"500%?! God! But what's the use of blowing in so much air? It's mainly nitrogen, and it can't burn."

"Then why don't you try to remove the nitrogen and inject pure oxygen directly?" Franz said. After all, he knew the direction of historical development. The top-blown converter method is still the most widely used steelmaking method today.

And the Austrians after World War II also used the inventions of these two.

"Pure oxygen? How much water do we need to electrolyze?" Plattner immediately thought of the way to electrolyze water to produce oxygen.

"That's a waste of electricity." Bacher said. Obviously, the electricity price at that time was so expensive that it made people feel distressed.

"After the steam turbine is delivered, maybe you can find the answer from it."

Franz's words made the two professors more interested in the mysterious steam turbine.

In fact, modern American aircraft carriers use steam turbines to generate electricity, which does not reduce their own thermal efficiency and helps to reduce fuel consumption. It is a good way to kill many birds with one stone.

In fact, Franz thought too much. At this time, electricity was still in its infancy. Not to mention the two of them who were engaged in metallurgical machinery, even the power experts could not do it.

"Is the machine really as magical as you said?" The two asked with doubts and expectations.

"Let's wait and see." Franz did not give a clear answer, because he knew that these engineers believed in seeing is believing. Even if you tell them the sky now, these people will not believe it.

"Now this technology is close to maturity and can be put into production. Our country can definitely achieve self-sufficiency in steel. No, we can take over the entire German steel market." The two professors gave their own judgments.

"No, I don't plan to promote this technology for the time being. It will only be used in the royal factory. This technology needs to be further improved."

In fact, Franz just wanted to make a wave of technical dividends first. Selling patents is indeed a good idea, but you can't resist that there are always rogue countries that have ways.

For example, after Bessemer registered a patent in the United States in history, an American immediately jumped out and said that this method was invented by him.

In order to invent the Bessemer steelmaking process, this American conducted secret research on his own, and did not come out until the Bessemer process became popular in Europe.

This mysterious American inventor who shouted that Bessemer was a thief and a liar immediately received support from the US government, which cancelled Bessemer's patent and granted it to this mysterious man.

Soon this mysterious man went bankrupt and had to transfer the patent to the US government. From then on, the US government not only obtained Bessemer's patent without spending a penny, but also made a profit from American steel companies every year.