Siheyuan: Craftsmen of a Great Country

Chapter 231 Converter Steelmaking Project

The next day, as soon as Jiang Chen went to work, he received news of an explosion:

Liang Yue escaped from the small house where he was imprisoned in the middle of the night, escaped from prison and disappeared without a trace.

The takeoff who brought this news looked haggard.

After a series of previous mistakes and this incident, my future was completely over.

Jiang Chen patted Qi Fei on the shoulder: "Chief Qi, you said this matter is causing trouble.

Qi Fei said: "Yesterday Qi Fei told everything about you and several other comrades. There is also a confession signed by him, which can clear your unfair grievances."

"As for Liang Yue's absconding, the fault lies with the security department, and I am willing to take full responsibility."

Jiang Chen said: "Just run away, as long as the matter is investigated clearly."

Qi Fei said: "Now that the No. 3 Steel Plant has grown in size, my abilities are limited and it is really difficult for me to be qualified for the position of Chief of the Security Section."

"I have applied to the organization to resign from this position and be transferred to the police station as a police officer."

Jiang Chen was stunned: "Why are you doing this? Even if you really have too many things to worry about and are too busy to handle, just let a section chief come over and you can still be your section chief. Why do you have to leave?"

Jiang Chen nodded: "Well, Teacher Lu has to pay more attention to the experiments here."

This is wrong discipline, and the general security office cannot do it.

After entering the laboratory, Jiang Chen went straight to the steel-making furnace.

Indeed, it was a bit difficult for Qi Fei to manage the security department.

Su Changming said: "Director Jiang, what kind of research do you want to do with me?"

Seeing that Qi Fei was determined to leave, Jiang Chen stopped trying to persuade him.

As for Lei Jie, his qualifications are far from enough and he still needs more polishing.

Moreover, as the scale of the laboratory expanded later, the research items became more confidential, and the responsibilities of the security department became heavier.

Even though everyone has recognized Jiang Chen for a long time, they still have to check what should be checked.

Lu Yuehua nodded: "You are busy with your work, leave it to me here, don't worry."

The laboratory area is now a controlled area, and documents must be checked when entering or exiting.

If there is no space, perhaps no one will ever be able to come up with the truly optimal ratio.

Qi Fei shook his head: "Forget it, I have already decided. Director Jiang, we will see you later."

The ratio is based on the ratio calculated from previous experiments and fluctuates up and down to strive for the best.

"I want Su Gong to research something else."

Starting today, tungsten and chromium elements will be added together to conduct experimental work on tungsten-chromium alloy steel.

There should be a capable and responsible person in charge here.

Lu Yuehua was a little excited: "I hope we can get the best ratio in the shortest time."

This word is too extreme, and it is really difficult to achieve.

Jiang Chen said: "This work cannot be rushed. We can reach a relatively suitable ratio in a short period of time, which is infinitely close to the best."

"But the real best may take a very long time, and may never be achieved."

Jiang Chen said: "Didn't I tell you when I visited before that converter steelmaking is the future."

"What you and I are studying is the study of converter steelmaking methods."

Su Changming was stunned: "Converter steelmaking has obvious shortcomings."

“This bubbling and the low quality of the steel indicate that this method will not work.”

Jiang Chen said: "I have been thinking about this issue during this time."

"The biggest problem currently in converter steelmaking is that the nitrogen content in the air is too high, resulting in insufficient steel quality. So what if we blow in only oxygen?"

Su Changming was stunned: "It's just oxygen? Where can we find oxygen?" Lu Yuehua interjected: "Oxygen, our laboratory has many methods to recommend. But if it is used to make steel, the first is to measure it. The second reason is that the cost is too high.”

Jiang Chen pointed in the air: "The biggest oxygen resource is right here!"

Su Changming looked in the direction of Jiang Chen's finger and saw nothing.

Lu Yuehua was stunned: "You mean to separate oxygen from the air?"

Jiang Chen nodded: "Yes. There is more than 20% oxygen in the air, and there are raw materials everywhere. Using it to achieve large-scale oxygen production is the best solution."

Lu Yuehua was stunned: "But, how do we obtain pure oxygen?"

Jiang Chen said: "In fact, it is not difficult, because the boiling points of various types of air are different. The boiling point of nitrogen, which is relatively easy to volatilize in the air, is minus 196°C, and the boiling point of oxygen is minus 183°C."

"We first remove impurities such as moisture in the air, then compress the air and cool it at low temperatures to become a liquid. Then we use the different boiling points to evaporate the nitrogen and obtain relatively high-purity oxygen."

"If there is a ready-made device in our country, then use it. If not, importing it will also work."

"In the early stage of experiments, pure oxygen can be produced in a more expensive way. Once the converter steelmaking experiment is successful, we will determine how to solve the problem of pure oxygen."

It will still be more than 30 years before flower growers produce the first oxygen concentrator, and even with the current industrial base, it will be difficult to produce it on their own.

Even if Jiang Chen wanted to manufacture, he would have to do it bit by bit. Industrial development is not something that can be achieved overnight.

He has not jumped out of the steel industry yet. There is still a long way to go before he can produce oxygen concentrators on his own, so importing is the best option.

Some cutting-edge product machinery may be difficult to obtain under the blockade, but the blockade for oxygen concentrators is not so strict, and you can still get it with a little effort.

Lu Yuehua said: "But if pure oxygen is used, the reaction will be very violent. If it is not operated properly, our steel-making furnace will turn into a bomb, and it will be very powerful."

Jiang Chen said: "I know there are definitely risks, but now our steel production is stuck in a bottleneck. We are blindly using manpower to pile up steel production, regardless of cost, and we will do whatever it takes. Sooner or later something big will happen."

"At times like this, someone always needs to stand up bravely. As a flower planting engineer, this is my responsibility and my mission."

Jiang Chen spoke righteously, and Lu Yuehua and Su Changming were moved inexplicably.

Su Changming said: "Originally, I was not very optimistic about converter steelmaking, but Director Jiang has said so, and I have no reason to refuse."

Lu Yuehua, who has never been afraid of risks and is only afraid of having nothing to do, said, "Okay, then count me as the one and do it."

Jiang Chen said: "Are you sure you don't need to ask the leader for instructions? You can make your own decision?"

Su Changming said: "Of course I still have to report it, but I believe the leader will support me."

Lu Yuehua said: "There is no problem on my side, just say it."

"If they don't agree, I will resign."

Jiang Chen was stunned: "That's Qingbei, can you just say goodbye?"

Lu Yuehua said: "Wherever my stage is, my work is there."

Several projects submitted by Lu Yuehua before were rejected by Qingbei, and he had some objections in his heart.

Moreover, he also carefully checked Jiang Chen's resume during this period, and found that this young man was not an ordinary man, and had already accomplished several major things in succession.

The alloy steel was about to be completed, and he felt that working with Jiang Chen would give him more space than staying at school.

Jiang Chen nodded: "Okay, you guys will take time to report each other first. I'll ask Wan Li to draw a sketch of the converter I envisioned."

His goal has been basically achieved.

The reason why I talked so much with Su Changming and Lu Yuehua is that I feel it is more pleasant and easier to work with these two.

Of course I want to keep such useful talents around.

Even if you can't keep them for a long time, you should at least fully tap their residual value before letting them go.

(End of this chapter)