Whoever masters coal and iron will master the times.

It can also be said that whoever masters the steel will master the times.

But in fact, in this era, although they relied on hindsight to smelt better iron, it was only "wrought iron", not steel.

In a large classroom in Jinling Lecture Hall, on the podium, on the table in front of Zhao Hong, there was a piece of pig iron and a piece of wrought iron.

Iron with a carbon content of more than 1.7% is called pig iron;

Pig iron is hard and brittle compared to steel and wrought iron due to its high carbon content, making it difficult to process.

Iron with a carbon content of less than 0.2% is called wrought iron;

Wrought iron is very soft, plastic, malleable, can be drawn into wire, has low strength and hardness, is easy to forge, and is also easy to deform.

At present, Shaoxing Zhengshi Iron Works and Jiangnan Ordnance Manufacturing Division produce pig iron and wrought iron most of the time, and there is very little low-carbon steel that is lucky.

Under the podium, hundreds of craftsmen and officials from Lin'an Mansion and Jiangnan East Road were sitting in their seats, listening to the emperor's "everyone" explain the knowledge of "steel" in detail.

And on the table in front of each of them, there was a piece of wrought iron, a piece of pig iron, and a roll of drawings.

"Listen, steel has stronger tensile strength and is more resistant to corrosion than wrought iron. Therefore, our next priority is to smelt the steel out. ”

Zhao Hong took the trouble and pointed to the drawings on everyone's table.

"This is a new steelmaking method that I painted, and since it is an converter, not an open hearth, I call it the converter steelmaking method."

The converter steelmaking method is a steelmaking method that does not require an external heating source and mainly uses liquid pig iron as raw material. The main characteristics of the converter steelmaking method are: relying on the physical heat of the liquid pig iron in the converter and the heat generated by the chemical reaction between the components in the pig iron (such as carbon, manganese, silicon, phosphorus, etc.) and the oxygen sent into the furnace, the metal can reach the composition and temperature required by tapping. The charge material is mainly molten iron and slag material (such as lime, quartz, fluorite, etc.).

Converter steelmaking was popularized in the late 19th century, and information is widely available on the Internet. Zhao Hong also learned about it because he had a lot of free time and often went online.

Of course, all he knew was fur. How to cast the specific "converter" and how to transform the furnace still need the collective wisdom of craftsmen and officials.

"Your Majesty, can this "converter steelmaking method" make a large amount of good steel? ”

Hu Mengyu asked on behalf of the craftsmen and officials.

"Good question!"

Zhao Hong faced everyone and pointed to the drawings.

"You see, after the air is blown in from the bottom of the furnace, the temperature of the furnace will rise to a very high temperature, and you can make a furnace of steel without adding any fuel. The furnace was changed from a fixed open-hearth furnace to be dumped to one side so that the melted steel could be easily poured out. Making the steelmaking furnace a rotatable furnace makes it possible to make large quantities of steel. ”

Zhao Hong said solemnly, in fact, he himself was not sure at all.

Using the converter steelmaking method, the same quality and quantity of steel is smelted, and the time required for the converter is only 1/5 of that of the open-hearth. Unfortunately, there is no technology to obtain oxygen, otherwise the converter steelmaking method can be 1/10 of the open-hearth steelmaking speed using oxygen blowing technology.

However, 1/5 is enough to make cheap and large quantities of steel.

"Let me remind you again that the furnace lining required to build an iron plant in Daye is alkaline rather than acidic. In acid converters, the phosphorus in iron ore is difficult to oxidize and remove. ”

He picked up a piece of white marble, which was actually dolomite.

"Alkaline refractory bricks are made by mixing dolomite with tar from burning mature material at high temperatures. Tar can be made by dry distillation of charcoal or fierce fire oil, which everyone already knows. With alkaline refractory brick lining, in the converter steelmaking process and at the same time as the wind is added, good steel can be made. ”

Zhao Hong knows that the "alkaline converter" stems from a famous story in history.

In the late Qing Dynasty, Zhang Zhidong, the governor of Huguang, needed to buy a British steelmaking furnace when preparing for the construction of the Hanyang Iron Works. But according to the British owner to buy a copy can also. As a result, the two acid converters purchased were not suitable for Daye Iron Mine, which was used by the Hanyang Iron Works, and production was in a difficult situation.

Later, Zhang Zhidong learned that the refining furnace he bought from England was in an acidic configuration and could not remove phosphorus. As a last resort, he borrowed money from Japan and bought back the alkaline smelting furnace, and finally succeeded in producing steel.

"Daye? Is Your Majesty going to build an iron factory in Daye? ”

Minister of Politics Jin Deok-so asked in surprise.

Isn't there a Jiangnan Ordnance Manufacturing Division? Why build another iron factory?

"Yes, Jiangnan West Road is going to implement a new policy, in addition to the implementation of the meridian law, Daye Iron Works is the top priority. The Jiangnan Ordnance Manufacturing Division is too far away from the iron ore and coal production areas, and the scale is not large enough. Therefore, Daye Iron Plant is imperative. ”

In addition to the Daye Iron Works on Jiangnan West Road, there is also the Lizhou Ordnance Manufacturing Division in northern Sichuan, which are the focus of the next step in the implementation of the new policy.

He wanted to launch the five-year plan immediately, but the technology for steelmaking was not yet mature, and he didn't want to rush it. In the first year of his ascension to the throne, he still had to lay a good foundation before trying.

The five-year plan, the invention of the steam engine, and the promotion of the first industrial revolution, these ideas made him nervous, itchy, and at the same time dizzy.

"All the craftsmen here will be transferred to Daye to prepare for the construction of Daye Iron Works, and know that good steel will be smelted. Everyone's income will be doubled, and good steel will be refined as soon as possible, and I will be greatly rewarded. ”

Compared with many inactive officials, these craftsmen are the most valuable technical talents of this era.

In addition to these technical talents, he also plans to transfer two to three hundred interested young people from Jinling University Hall to join the preparation and production of Daye Iron Works.

The next group of officials and craftsmen came in, uneasy, not knowing what was going on.

"Do you know blue and white porcelain?"

Zhao Hong asked directly.

Blue and white porcelain began in the Tang Dynasty, matured in the Jingdezhen kiln of the Yuan Dynasty in the early 14th century, and flourished in the Yongle and Xuande dynasties of the Ming Dynasty in the early 15th century. Zheng He made seven voyages to the West, and blue and white porcelain spread throughout Southeast Asia, the Persian Gulf, India, the Near East, North Africa and the coast of East Africa.

In later generations, blue and white porcelain was the fanatical pursuit of European royal families and nobles, and a large number of exports were exported to Europe during Jiajing and Wanli, carrying out two-way cultural exchanges. At the end of the 17th century, the end of the Ming Dynasty and the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, millions of pieces of Chinese porcelain were sold to Europe every year, especially the "blue and white porcelain", which became a symbolic furnishing of the court rooms of the European upper class, and a symbol of wealth and taste. By the 18th century, blue and white porcelain had been collected and passed down on all continents.

In the surprised eyes of the officials and craftsmen, Zhao Hong explained seriously.

Jingdezhen, named "Jingdezhen" in the first year of Zhao Heng Jingde in the Northern Song Dynasty, is under the jurisdiction of Fuliang County, and only produces pure white porcelain and blue and white porcelain.

Since I have come to this era, why not let Jingdezhen blue and white porcelain come out earlier? With so many painters in the imperial court, shouldn't they make the best use of their talents, show the beauty of Chinese culture and painting on porcelain, spread it to the world, and earn high foreign trade income by the way?

"Ma Yuan, Xia Gui, you are all members of my Great Song Dynasty, if you can combine Chinese painting technology with porcelain art, wouldn't it be a great achievement?"

Two royal painters from the Southern Song Dynasty Painting Academy saluted Zhao Hong together.

Combining painting and porcelain was a challenge.

"Jingdezhen set up a blue and white porcelain research and development site, sent craftsmen from the Ministry of Industry and painters from the painting academy to go together, and sent a competent official to take charge of this matter."

The Jiangnan East Road system made Wang Gang hurry up to the order.

Jingdezhen is the location of Jiangnan East Road, and the emperor named the direction of development, of course, it is the best.

In addition, Jingdezhen also tried to produce bone china. It is to add bone meal from cattle and sheep and other animals to the raw materials of white porcelain, and the dosage is from 35% to 45%, and it must be fired twice, once for plain firing and once for glaze. It is required to be as white as paper, as white as jade, as bright as a mirror, and as sound as a chime. It's up to you to try how to do it. ”

Relying on the era of the explosion of knowledge in later generations, coupled with his extensive dabbling and experience, he also became proficient in bone china and blue and white porcelain.

However, when it comes to glass production, he can only provide basic advice.

Raw materials: quartz sand, soda or miscanthus salt, limestone, dolomite, feldspar, etc.

Decolorizing agent: soda ash, etc.

As for what else is needed to make the glass more transparent and of better quality, he doesn't know, so he can only try it out.

Chenghai Lake in Yunnan can be used to refine soda ash directly, but it is now part of Dali's territory and can only be made from salt and limestone.

Zhao Hong handed the written list to the ignorant Wang Gang, and said carefully to him and the craftsmen:

"Quartz sand is the main component of glass, accounting for about 60% to 70%, as for the composition of other raw materials, you can try it yourself. There is also soda ash, plus more and less to try. I'll leave it to you. ”

The float production of glass, tin pools and conveyor belts should not be difficult for these craftsmen.

As for products such as glasses and bowls, it seems that it is not difficult to produce them with molds, and they are much simpler than ceramics.

Science and technology can also be developed by promoting overall economic development through a few key projects. That's what he wants to achieve.

Before the Five-Year Plan, we should first lay a solid foundation for economic development and build momentum for the overall start of the economy in the future.

Large-scale steelmaking, blue and white porcelain, bone china, and glass, let's start with these basic industries.

It seems that it is possible to add two majors, steel manufacturing and industrial manufacturing, to the study of Jinling University Hall next year.

After the arrangement was completed, the officials and craftsmen dispersed one after another, Zhao Hong's head sank out of the classroom, and a gust of autumn wind blew, making him shiver unconsciously.

Half of the students graduated, and the bustling and lively lecture hall on weekdays seemed a little deserted, and he was not used to it.

"Your Majesty, the Jiangnan Ordnance Manufacturing Division has created another batch of artillery, as well as more than 50 catties of short-barreled artillery. Q: Your Majesty how to deal with it? ”

Wei Liaoweng asked softly on the side.

"Half of it will be given to Sichuan Road, and the remaining half will be given to Huaidong and Jinghu. As for short-barreled artillery, equip the warship as soon as possible. ”

Zhao Hong quickly made arrangements and added a sentence.

"Give Cao Youwen and Yu Jue them, and bring some tea, honey, dried fruits, and soap by the way. The bitter cold on the side can't be a bad treat for the soldiers. Tell them to train well, otherwise, if we find a mistake in our private visit, I won't be able to spare them. ”

Grace and power are both, and it is not enough to have power, but also to make people feel comfortable.

I just don't know, what does the northwest border look like?