Iron Dynasty

The molten steel flows in the crucible mixed with heat waves, and the steel workshop is as hot as a furnace in the hot summer.

After coming out of the palace, Xiao Ming went directly to the iron and steel workshop. After a while, his clothes were soaked with sweat.

His Royal Highness, it's too hot here, let's discuss this outside. Chen Wenlong advised that ordinary people would find it unbearable to stay in this steel workshop for a while, and he was worried that Xiao Ming would not be suitable here.

Looking at the shirtless slave craftsman who was working hard, Xiao Ming said: No need, this king is not so squeamish, by the way, I heard that the steel workshop has changed a workshop supervisor, where is he?

Chen Wenlong pointed to the young man who was rushing here not far away and said: Your Highness, the one in front is, he is a student of Bowen College, and he is studying steel production. He just took office a month ago, and as His Highness said, he also I mentioned this converter steelmaking thing, but later I just said that there is no material, so I didn't mention it again.

Oh? Xiao Ming showed an interested look. After three years of training, more and more students are now entering various workshops in Qingzhou. It's just because they are limited by the conditions, they have mastered many things, but they suffer from not having them. condition fulfilled.

However, there is no way to do this. In contemporary his country, he used to be poor and nothing at all. At that time, when overseas scientists returned home, they started from scratch.

But there is one thing he can't compare to. At that time, the whole country focused on production, and now the environment he lives in is still in war, so he can only achieve it in the same way.

Meng Kuo sees His Highness.

The young man who claimed to be Meng Kuo looked like a scholar, just like the craftsman in the workshop. At this time, the young man was also bare-armed, and his body was covered with black iron filings.

Looking at Meng Kuo up and down, Xiao Ming said, Chen Wenlong said that you came from Bowen College. Since that's the case, this king will test you. This converter steelmaking is acidic and alkaline, and the one that produces iron is of high quality.

Returning to Your Highness, it is alkaline. Meng Kuo said, Sulfur and phosphorus in iron cannot be removed from acid linings, but alkaline linings can.

Why get out sulfur and phosphorus?

For steelmaking, phosphorus is a harmful substance. The presence of phosphorus increases the hardness and brittleness of iron. Excellent pig iron should contain less phosphorus, while sulfur promotes the combination of iron and carbon, making iron hard and brittle, and has a low level of synthesis with iron. Iron sulfide with a melting point makes pig iron hot brittle and reduces the fluidity of molten iron, so pig iron with high sulfur content is not suitable for casting small parts.”

Meng Kuo was talking, Chen Wenlong was beaming, Xiao Ming couldn't help but ask, This king asked Meng Kuo, what are you happy about?

His Royal Highness, this Meng Kuo was selected by the Xiaguan from Bowen College, and his response is fluent now, which proves that Xiaguan's vision is correct. Chen Wenlong laughed.

Xiao Ming was also very satisfied with Meng Kuo's answer in his heart. No matter whether he had the conditions or not, at least he had mastered the knowledge. He asked again, What is the oxidant in converter steelmaking? What is the slag-making material?

The oxidizing agent is only iron ore and oxygen, and the slag is lime. Meng Kuo was calm and comfortable.

Xiao Ming nodded and asked some more in-depth questions. Meng Kuo's answers were straightforward, which made him even more satisfied.

After a pause, he said, With you here, this king can safely hand over the converter steelmaking production line to you.

Converter steelmaking? Meng Kuo exclaimed when he heard the words.

Yes, this king has found the basic lining material of the converter, and now the basic converter steelmaking method can be realized. Next, you will lead the craftsmen of the steel workshop to produce the converter, and at the same time build a production line to improve the steel production. Yield. Xiao Ming said while handing over the blueprint to Meng Kuo.

After taking the drawing, Meng Kuo couldn't wait to open it. As Xiao Ming said, the equipment required for the entire production line was marked on it, and the drawings also included the structure diagram of the specific equipment.

Don't be afraid of failure. If you can't make it the first time, you can try again. Xiao Ming said to Meng Kuo that any technological innovation will encounter various problems in the early stage. In Xiao Ming's opinion, this converter steelmaking has to fail a few times. Only then can we learn the tricks from practice.

But now that the technology is ready, the realization is not far off.

And once Qingzhou can get a lot of cheap steel, it will be possible to build rails that require a lot of steel, and steam locomotives will no longer be an extravagant hope to run in Dayu.

At the same time, the large increase in steel production will also improve the war capability and make the production of weapons easier. Most of the troops will not stay in the era of cold weapons as they are now.

Meng Kuo looked at the blueprint carefully and said to Xiao Ming, Your Highness, the official has been waiting for such a technology to be realized. Your Highness can rest assured that Meng Kuo will build a production line even if he does not eat or drink.

Xiao Ming nodded. The technical difficulties of converter steelmaking are converter and oxygen blowing. Now the problems have been solved. As for other issues such as charging and molten steel shaping, they are the same, and no further research is needed.

In the next few days, Xiao Ming and Meng Kuo have been discussing the establishment of the production line. Some of the facilities were also delivered to the craftsmen for production. On the fifth day, the mine sent the first batch of magnesite ore.

This batch of ore was mined for experimentation by Xiao Ming's order. After calcination, grinding, and casting, the lining of the converter was formed.

After completing this step, the rest is a matter of course, Xiao Ming does not want to continue to participate, after all, he does not want to dispel Meng Kuo's enthusiasm.

Because in his opinion, a leader should be moderately lazy, otherwise, his subordinates will develop the problem of laziness.

Stepping away from the converter steelmaking business, Xiao Ming continued to focus on the current chaos.

At this time, a piece of news brought by Wang Xuan made him sweat.

King Wei sent messengers to form an alliance with King Yan, King Zhao and King Liang? Xiao Ming asked anxiously.

Yes, Your Highness. Wang Xuan's expression was solemn. And now the messenger has arrived at King Yan's place. It is the news sent back by our spies in Bozhou.

It seems that King Wei is really jumping off the wall this time. Xiao Ming's face was heavy, this was the danger of subjugation to him.

If the four kings came to attack him at the same time, he would definitely be unable to resist. After all, in this era, the advantages of firearms could not completely offset the crowd tactics of the cold weapon troops.

In fact, the real weapon to end the cold weapon war is the machine gun, and for him, it is still impossible to come up with this thing.

His Royal Highness, if King Wei's treachery succeeds, it will be a disaster for us. The lower official thinks that it is time to assassinate the envoy of King Wei to delay the alliance. Wang Xuan said.

This can only cure the symptoms, not the root cause. If one messenger dies, there will inevitably be a second messenger. Now we should think about how to destroy this alliance. Xiao Ming said bitterly.