diymy Chapter 11 Let's get the stuff done first.
Chapter 11 Let's get the stuff done first.
When Liu Yulong realized that the craftsmen had developed the converter steelmaking method, he also immediately realized that the technical principles of the converter steelmaking method and the frying steel method were actually very similar.
Both methods involve exposing molten iron at high temperatures to air, allowing the oxygen in the air to react with the carbon in the molten iron.
The carbon dioxide generated is released into the air, directly reducing the carbon content of the molten iron, thus converting the pig iron into molten steel.
The only difference is that the fixed stovetop for stir-frying has been changed to a shaking, tossing, and fan-assisted stir-frying method.
All types of steel are alloys of pure iron and carbon, and the carbon content determines the basic properties of steel.
The higher the carbon content, the harder the steel, and the more elastic it will be, but it will also be more brittle and prone to breakage and cracking.
The lower the carbon content, the softer the steel, and the less elastic it is, but it is also more flexible and easier to deform.
Theoretically, wrought iron contains no carbon, while pig iron contains more than 2% carbon.
Steel contains less than 2% carbon and is further divided into high-carbon steel and low-carbon steel.
For a man who was already skilled in the steelmaking process, the converter steelmaking process itself did not present any technical difficulties.
Liu Desheng established a special department within the Gewu Academy to specifically research and upgrade steel smelting technology.
Although Liu Desheng did not directly point out the direction, it was only natural for the craftsmen to start by figuring out the steelmaking method and gradually develop the early converter steelmaking method. It was a natural progression.
However, as Zheng Fuguang said, the steel produced by this method still has problems.
Because iron ore itself is not pure, most iron ore contains impurities such as phosphorus, and the steel produced from it also contains phosphorus.
Phosphorus makes steel hard, brittle, and lacking in toughness.
There's also the process of blowing air and stir-frying, which can accelerate the reaction of carbon, but it's difficult to control the amount of air entering the air.
Excessive oxygen will react with iron again to form rust, and nitrogen will leave air bubbles and voids in the steel ingot.
These two key issues need to be addressed before the steel industry can truly modernize and enter the era of large-scale steelmaking.
After realizing what was happening, Liu Yulong's first order was to reward the recipients:
"The proposer and the final implementer of the 'tossing steel in a wok' method will each be promoted one level."
After the scholars and craftsmen expressed their gratitude, Liu Yulong began to explain the direction for improving the converter steelmaking method:
"After you go back, break up the dolomite and use it as the main ingredient to mix the furnace lining, then cover it completely with a layer on top of the refractory bricks."
"The furnace lining will be continuously consumed during the steelmaking process, and it will need to be replaced after it is completely consumed."
"The consumed furnace lining will turn into slag sediment, but it can also solve the problem of hard and brittle steel in the frying process."
"Then mix the soil with pure iron ore and calcine it in a blast furnace to obtain a blocky auxiliary material."
"After stir-frying with a blower, put it into an iron urn to eliminate the honeycomb steel."
"The ratio of clay to iron ore, as well as the ratio of auxiliary materials to molten iron, all require you to conduct specific experiments."
Using dolomite to make alkaline furnace linings can upgrade ordinary converters into alkaline converters.
This allows excess phosphorus to be removed during steelmaking, ultimately resulting in relatively pure steel or wrought iron.
Dolomite is a readily available material, and it is not difficult to process.
The "Tu Zi" mentioned by the ancients is a type of pyrolusite, whose main component is manganese dioxide.
Tu Zi was used as a pigment for ceramics and painting, as well as an ingredient for alchemists' elixirs and was also regarded as a medicinal material.
When manganese dioxide is calcined with iron ore, ferromanganese alloy is obtained, which is a typical "deoxidizer".
Adding an appropriate amount of ferromanganese during the converter steelmaking process can remove excess oxygen and directly produce manganese steel.
Liu Yulong often reads popular science articles and is able to remember these key technical points.
Although I don't know the specific mixing ratio, I also don't know how to control the furnace temperature and timing.
But as long as the right ideas and direction are in place, skilled craftsmen can gradually explore these details.
It's only a matter of time before the alkaline converter steelmaking technology is perfected and matured.
When Liu Yulong spoke, Grand Secretary Zheng Fuguang and the craftsmen of the Metallurgical Department were both surprised and puzzled.
Can dolomite and silt really solve the problems in steelmaking?
The key question is, how did this young emperor know all this? And it doesn't seem like the sudden inspiration of a layman; rather, it's like a seasoned craftsman giving a hint to his apprentice…
Could it be that the emperor read some craftsman's books that he was unaware of?
Zheng Fuguang and his entourage bowed in gratitude and accepted the orders, noting down Liu Yulong's arrangements. Then, they couldn't help but ask:
"Your Majesty, we obey your decree. We humbly request your guidance: why can dolomite furnace lining solve the problem of hard and brittle steel?"
"Why can the auxiliary materials obtained from the calcination of clay and iron ore remove air bubbles from wrought iron? From which industrial records does this information come?"
Liu Yulong knew the underlying principle, but explaining it was extremely troublesome.
The key issue is that these listeners lack a modern understanding of chemistry, so I have to introduce this knowledge to them during my presentation so that they can understand it.
Liu Yulong felt that now was not the time to delve into this matter in detail. He had other things to arrange, and he wanted them to get their tasks done first. After he had organized his thoughts, he would then give them a special lesson.
So Liu Yulong put this issue aside for the time being:
"Don't ask so many questions yet. Just make the product first and verify if it's feasible."
"Then we went to actually verify what the difference was in the final steel ingots obtained without using dolomite as the furnace lining."
"Then we need to study the specific characteristics of the soil. Once we understand that, we'll know why it can remove air bubbles."
"If you still can't figure it out, I'll explain why again."
Zheng Fuguang dared not press further, and with a hint of doubt, he bowed and agreed.
"Your Majesty's teachings will be remembered by your humble servant."
As long as the alkaline converter steelmaking technology can be perfected, the Han Dynasty will no longer lack high-quality steel.
This enabled the mass production of various machines, the large-scale construction of railways, and the building of steel warships, officially ushering in the industrial age.
However, steel is only the skeleton of industry; it also needs "flesh and blood" to become a true industrial nation.
The Institute of Geology has ample personnel, funding, and resources, so it doesn't need to wait for one project to be completed before starting another; it can start many different research projects simultaneously.
After arranging the improvement of steel smelting technology, Liu Yulong continued to arrange a series of experiments in other industries.
Sulfur treatment of natural rubber solves the problem of natural rubber melting and deforming when heated, resulting in modern vulcanized rubber used to make seals, pipes, insulation layers, tires, rubber shoes, and so on.
The active ingredient, quinine hydrochloride, is extracted by treating quinine powder with hydrochloric acid.
The coal tar formed during coal coking was analyzed, and a method for rapidly producing picric acid was explored using nitric acid and sulfuric acid to find new and usable synthetic dyes.
We will use laboratory materials to make nitrocellulose and nitroglycerin, study their physical and chemical properties, and look for methods for mass production and long-term stability.
Methods for designing and manufacturing multi-roll rolling mills driven by steam engines, and for rolling steel plates, helmets, stoves, steel pipes, rails and other equipment.
He also took the opportunity to explain the basic operating principles of internal combustion engines, as well as the principles of typical electric motors and wired telegraphs.
Liu Yulong spoke until evening, briefly mentioning the technologies he thought could be started right now.
It also specifically explains which aspects can be achieved quickly and which require long-term exploration.
Which are the most important and need to be tackled as quickly as possible, and which can be figured out slowly in one's spare time?
These experimental projects were then assigned to the corresponding departments and institutions.
Zheng Fuguang, who was in charge of taking notes, and his two roommates made a very thick stack of notes.
Most of them, along with the scholars, officials, artisans, and other people present, were both astonished and puzzled.
The first two emperors rarely arranged specific experimental projects. Even the few projects they personally arranged were very general and lacked specific experimental methods and objectives.
The new emperor arranged a whole series of experiments today, all of which were very specific and had clear objectives.
Almost all of them directly explain what materials to use, what the key difficulties are, and what kind of results can be considered a success.
During this time, scholars such as Wang Lai and Zheng Fuguang could not help but ask some fundamental questions.
Liu Yulong explained the relatively easy parts on the spot, and for the difficult parts, he told them to make the product first and then study it.
The scholars, officials, artisans, and other distinguished guests present were even more confused upon hearing the explanation:
Why does the young emperor before me know these things?
Is all of this true? If we do as the emperor requests, will we really receive anything in return?
Liu Yulong felt he had said enough, so he set off to return to the palace.
Liu Yulong's actions were so different from those of the previous two emperors that the staff of the Gewu Academy had countless feelings and questions.
When Liu Yulong was here, he certainly didn't dare to openly express or discuss it; he had been holding it in all afternoon.
After seeing Liu Yulong off, they finally couldn't help but start discussing it among themselves:
"I originally thought that His Majesty wouldn't value our Academy of Natural Sciences, but it turns out that His Majesty just doesn't like the Academy's original system."
"It now seems that the current emperor values the Academy of Natural History more than the late emperor and the founding emperor. However, the current emperor is more pragmatic than the founding emperor and has more urgent and specific demands on us..."
"These demands are indeed too many. The things we've arranged for today will take us more than three to five years to complete."
"Do you really think that this dolomite and clay can prevent the steel ingot from becoming hard and brittle, and also eliminate internal voids?"
"If it succeeds, wouldn't it mean we could directly refine tens of thousands of stones of refined steel?"
"Separating substances from coal tar is such a hassle. Can these substances also be used to produce dyes like picric acid?"
"Why produce picric acid in such large quantities? This bright yellow dye is only for royal use, isn't it?"
"Does adding sulfur to rubber really prevent it from becoming sticky again?"
The scene was chaotic. Wang Lai watched coldly for a while, then coughed heavily twice.
Wang Lai was the chief Grand Secretary, an old and highly respected man. People around him would instinctively pay attention to his reactions, and would fall silent when they heard him cough.
Wang Lai raised his hands and bowed in the direction of the palace:
"The emperor has given his decree, and we should do our best to fulfill it. Matters of learning can be discussed, but the emperor's decree cannot be questioned."
Everyone suddenly realized that it was indeed inappropriate to openly speculate on the emperor's mindset.
Perhaps because the young emperor had just ascended the throne and had not yet established sufficient authority, his ministers did not have enough fear of him.
Everyone quickly bowed in the direction of the palace, and then bowed again to Wang Lai.
"Thank you for your guidance, Chief. We were presumptuous."
Wang Lai continued to instruct:
"The Emperor now places high hopes on us. Once these projects are completed, they will greatly benefit the entire Academy of Sciences."
"We cannot disappoint His Majesty; we must complete His Majesty's arrangements as soon as possible."
Everyone immediately understood that the Institute of Physics had been unstable in the past mainly because it had not produced any outstanding or practically useful results.
If all of Liu Yulong's arrangements for today can be successfully completed, then the Institute of Physics will naturally have more confidence.
So everyone immediately joined in, cupping their hands in agreement once more.
"The chief is absolutely right."
"We will certainly live up to the Emperor's trust."