At the end of August 1986, the heat in Jiangcheng was unbearable.

The steelmaking workshop of the second steelmaking plant of Jiangcheng Iron and Steel Company is in full swing to carry out production, this furnace is oriented silicon steel, this kind of steel has a high price and large profits, and it is a steel grade that is urgently needed in China.

Despite the difficulty of smelting, the steelmakers are willing to smelt this high-efficiency steel, which can fully demonstrate the strength of the working class and can also receive more rewards.

The head of the No. 2 converter A led the deputy furnace leader, the first assistant, the second assistant, and the gunner to throw off their arms and work hard.

The orange-red flame erupted under the action of the oxygen lance, and the air ran through Changhong. The color of the flame quickly turned into a delicate bright red, then it turned white and shiny, shining until it was dazzling white, and then refined into the ultimate red light of all sects.

The change of flame color shows that the temperature in the furnace is constantly from low to high, the impurities in the molten steel are regularly removed, and the required components of the steel grade are gradually formed.

In this hot field, the battlefield of fire, and the world of steel, the steelworkers of No. 2 converter were enthusiastic and engrossed, they worked for a while, sweating, the salt condensed in the heat-proof clothing made by the navy, and the blazing red flame shone on the simple and industrious faces.

The furnace manager instructed the assistant to keep an eye on it and be careless, and he rushed to the operation room to check the oxygen pressure gauge and temperature curve, and then asked the assistant to take samples and measure the temperature.

The temperature is close to the tapping temperature, and three samples are taken for testing in succession, and the steel composition is approaching the qualified line set by the engineer step by step.

"The manganese content is 0.041%, a little higher, Zhou Gong, Zhao Gong, you wait a little longer, and it will be fine immediately. "The clothes of the furnace chief have never been dry, and the smoky fire in front of the furnace for more than twenty years has smoked a bronzed ravine face.

Zhou Tienan, an assistant engineer of the Steel Research Institute, pried open a bottle of self-produced salt soda in the factory and handed it to the furnace manager: "Lao Meng, hard work, drink a bottle of soda to replenish salt and water." ”

"I just drank it, you drink it. The chief of the furnace wiped the sweat from his forehead, wiped the sweat from his hands on his chest, and strode back to the furnace.

"This old Meng doesn't want to die, his famous saying is that people only die of illness, not death. Zhou Tienan, 25 years old, with squinting eyes and thick lips, graduated from the Northeast Institute of Technology and worked at the Jianggang Iron and Steel Research Institute for three years. He handed the salt soda to the young man next to him and said, "Lao Meng doesn't drink it, you drink it, don't waste it." ”

The young man took the salt soda, his name is Zhao Qingshan, 22 years old, graduated from the Yenching Iron and Steel Institute more than two months ago, and is the assistant to the assistant engineer of the Iron and Steel Research Institute.

Zhao Qingshan is thin but not weak, tall at 1.82 meters, strong and masculine, his eyes are shining, he grunted soda and said: "Lao Meng and I live in the same unit, he is a good comrade, and he has followed the party for generations." ”

"Sometimes it's really hard for me to understand Lao Meng's generation, an oath, a small book, can make these old comrades selfless dedication for a lifetime. Zhou Tienan was quite touched, and said: "D340 is the eighth grade of silicon steel we have introduced from Nippon Steel, and it is also the last, keep an eye on it." ”

The production of silicon steel sheets in China is relatively backward, before the "one meter seven rolling mill system" of Jiangshan Iron and Steel was put into operation, the domestic basically only produced hot-rolled silicon steel sheets, and only TISCO and Anshan Iron and Steel produced a small amount of cold-rolled silicon steel sheets sporadically.

Jianggang's "one-meter-seven rolling mill system" includes three factories and one workshop, of which the equipment of the hot rolling mill and silicon steel mill is caused by Dongying. Nippon Steel sold the main equipment to Jianggang and also transferred some product patents.

"Staring. Zhao Qingshan nodded and said, today is the second day of his rebirth.

Zhao Qingshan, who worked in the steel industry for many years, fell in front of the furnace one day in the 21st century because he was too fat.

Back to 22 years old, the big belly is gone, only the abdominal muscles are left, it's good.

Lao Meng ran into the operation room again, and he shouted excitedly: "Okay, okay, manganese has dropped to 0.040!"

Zhao Qingshan immediately checked the composition of the sample, he said: "The content of silicon, manganese, aluminum, and carbon are all qualified, although the content of manganese and aluminum is slightly higher than that of the Hitohata plant, but within the standard, I think it can be steeled." ”

Zhou Tienan pondered for a moment, and then gave an order: "Old Meng, out of steel!"

Lao Meng was very happy, but he was also very vigilant. He understands that this is a key node in steelmaking, and if the situation in the furnace is not well mastered, the carbon temperature coordination will not reach the ideal value expected by the engineer, resulting in a longer smelting time, and it may even be possible to smelt an important steel furnace that the motherland urgently needs. He intently monitors the changes inside and outside the furnace in case anything happens.

The most anticipated moment of the day finally came, and the furnace elder Meng instructed his assistant to shake the furnace and make steel.

In an instant, a fiery dragon flew down and poured down the ladle, steel flowers flew, and flames bloomed.

The blazing red light wrapped the steelworkers in a layer of glorious armor, and Lao Meng and his assistants shouted happily: "We have won another battle in the No. 2 Red Flag Furnace of Second Steelmaking!"

After the molten steel in this furnace was lowered to a suitable temperature, it was immediately sent to the continuous casting workshop, and Lao Meng and his assistant stuck to the No. 2 converter and continued to smelt the next furnace of steel.

Where the molten steel flowed, Zhou Tienan and Zhao Qingshan followed.

The degree of automation of the continuous casting workshop is higher than that of the steelmaking workshop, only to see the molten steel injected into the mold to reach a predetermined height, the workers operate the tools to add the protective slag, and pull the billet according to the specified speed, the casting billet runs to the cutting area, and the cutting trolley automatically cuts, and then finishes. This series of processing is carried out under the hot transfer process, and the D340 silicon billet is freshly rolled off the production line.

The D340 silicon steel of this furnace belongs to the "patent assessment" trial product, and the responsible department is the Steel Research Institute. Zhao Qingshan concentrated on checking the surface quality of the silicon billet, and he keenly found the problem: "Master, there is a little surface defect, you can deal with the flame." ”

Zhou Tienan observed for a long time, and he said: "The surface is quite smooth and clean, where is the defect?"

Zhao Qingshan pointed to a part on the surface of the silicon billet: "Oh, here, defects." ”

The experienced flame master only glanced at it and came to a conclusion: "This little master has poisonous eyes, this billet is indeed defective, go away, I'm going to breathe fire." ”

"Xiao Zhao, are you still sharp-eyed?" Zhou Tienan quickly retreated to a safe distance, and Zhao Qingshan followed closely behind.

There are 20 workers in the first class of flames, 4 flame guns, and the workers are all strong, hot, powerful, and ingenious.

Holding a flame gun more than two meters long, they braved the high temperature of nearly 1,000 degrees Celsius and carefully cleaned up the defects on the surface of the billet.

The pillar of fire is white, the flame burns the steel, the fire of the workers, and the demons are destroyed. The flame workers worked for a while, sweating, covered with ash, and the labor intensity was extremely high.

"The little master of the Steel Research Institute, we have cleaned it up for you, do you think it will work?" The head of the Flame Class A smiled honestly, revealing the self-confidence and strength of the working class.

There's nothing that can't be solved by one flame, and if there is, then two. Zhao Qingshan gave a thumbs up and was very satisfied: "Master Liu's craftsmanship is amazing!"

With the concerted efforts of intellectuals and the working class, the trial casting billet of D340 reached the qualified standard and was loaded in an insulated car and sent to the hot rolling mill.

Zhou Tienan and Zhao Qingshan's work tasks are over today, Zhou Tienan rides a bicycle, Zhao Qingshan sits in the back, and the two return to the Steel Research Institute and report the results to the boss.

"Wages and wages. Zhou Tienan smiled and shouted to Zhao Qingshan to get the money together.

Today is payday, and the labor clerk picked up Zhao Qingshan's chapter and pressed it on the salary schedule, and threw Zhao Qingshan a wad of money, ninety-eight yuan and five cents.

Zhao Qingshan's salary is not high or low, he brought 100 yuan from home, plus two months' salary, and now he has saved 250 yuan.