Siheyuan: Craftsmen of a Great Country

Chapter 387 High Speed ​​Steel, Electric Furnace [Chapter upload error, adjusted]

When he heard the term high-speed steel, Lu Yuehua was stunned: "Isn't this something developed in the West?"

"So, Director Jiang, did you get this recipe from the West?"

Chen Tongshan glanced at Lu Yuehua: "If Director Jiang doesn't say anything, it means you shouldn't know about this matter."

"Don't ask about things you shouldn't know."

When it comes to speaking, Chen Tongshan is indeed much better than Lu Yuehua.

Lu Yuehua nodded: "Okay, okay, if you don't ask, I won't ask."

"By the way, the problem of adding materials has been solved, but the problem of temperature control cannot be solved either."

"We can achieve this temperature increase by accelerating heat release and adding materials, but what should we do to lower the temperature from high temperature?"

"Add cooling auxiliary materials? Add quicklime? Add too many things, and no one can guarantee whether it will affect the quality of the steel."

Lu Yuehua said: "This is not simple. Just follow this method and try it."

Lu Yuehua's eyes widened: "Ah? Is that so?"

Chen Tongshan frowned: "This refining method requires too high temperature control."

Then, before Jiang Chen had time to speak, they started discussing.

"So, we just discussed it for a long time, and what we said is all nonsense, and the method is not right at all."

"What I saw before was the smelting method of high-speed steel, but I don't know if this formula is for high-speed steel."

"After quenching, the internal structure still retains about 30% retained austenite, which will affect the performance of high-speed steel. In order to further improve the hardness and wear resistance, tempering is generally performed 2 to 3 times. The tempering temperature is 560°C. Each time Keep warm for 1 hour.

Jiang Chen didn't hold anything back this time and directly told Gang about the refining process.

"Is it possible that we can only let it cool down naturally? This takes too long, right?"

"The heat treatment process of high-speed steel is relatively complex and must go through a series of processes such as quenching and tempering before high-speed steel can be made into high-speed steel."

"I remember that it seems that we need to preheat it at 800 to 850 degrees Celsius first to avoid causing large thermal stress."

Jiang Chen said before that their method was unreasonable, but these two guys immediately felt that it was more reasonable to start with high temperature and then low temperature.

Previously, they used converters for experiments.

The two guys started to discuss each other one by one.

But after talking for a long time, he didn't even get to the point.

Jiang Chen said: "Of course, this must be high-speed steel!"

Jiang Chen couldn't help it anymore and said: "If it is high-speed steel, I roughly know some refining methods. I don't know what information I have seen it in a long time ago."

"Then it is quickly heated to the quenching temperature of 1190-1290°C, and then oil-cooled or air-cooled or the gas-filled body is cooled before subsequent smelting."

"Especially when there is no external heat source, it is even more difficult to control the temperature at low temperatures through a limited number of variables."

“Make a batch first, compare the quality, and you’ll know right away.”

It's a showdown, I won't pretend anymore.

The converter has no external heat source and relies entirely on its own reaction.

Generally once started, the temperature will not drop below 1300 degrees.

The current temperature of several hundred degrees is really difficult to control.

Lu Yuehua nodded: "Well, my old classmate is right about this. It is really difficult to perform quenching and tempering at low temperatures through a converter."

"If you're not careful, the temperature will get too high."

Jiang Chen was good at tempting: "Since the converter is not easy to use, is there any other steelmaking method that can control the temperature more easily?"

Lu Yuehua scratched his head, he didn't know.

Chen Tongshan said slowly: "It is easy to control the temperature in electric furnace steelmaking, but we have very few electric furnaces now, and they are also very small."

Jiang Chen said: "This is not a problem. We are making special steel and we don't need the same large output as ordinary steel."

"Special steel, its quality is far more important than its output."

The flower grower had experimented with making steel in an electric furnace before, and it was successful.

But there were very few alloy steels at that time, and the requirements for ordinary alloy steel were not so high.

In addition, the production capacity of electric furnaces is too low and is rarely used.

So it's normal for Lu Yuehua not to know.

After all, Chen Tongshan is a professional in this, so he naturally knows something about it. Lu Yuehua said: "Then what are you waiting for? Let's quickly build an electric stove."

Jiang Chen asked: "Can you make an electric stove?"

Lu Yuehua shook his head: "I've never heard of it. I've never seen what it looks like."

Obviously, he was responsible for rushing.

As for other issues, they were not considered at all.

Chen Tongshan said: "Shijingshan Steelmaking Plant has two sets of converters, we can take them over and use them."

Lu Yuehua said: "Borrow, can I still borrow this thing? Why not go to Shi Jingshan to do experiments."

Jiang Chen shook his head: "No, this thing needs to be kept strictly confidential, otherwise interested people will be able to find problems just by looking at our materials."

"On the other hand, once the high-speed steel is exposed, it will bring danger to our comrades."

Chen Tongshan said: "The electric furnace is not as big as you think. You can just find a larger car to transport it."

"Anyway, the whole country knows that we are researching alloy steel. If we borrow an electric furnace to use it, it won't arouse others' suspicion."

Jiang Chen nodded: "Okay, I will go to Shijingshan later and ask them to find a car to deliver the converter."

Chen Tongshan said: "With your relationship with Shi Jingshan, you don't even need to report this matter to the Ministry of Industry. You can just handle it directly."

Jiang Chen said: "Then I'll go first and let them support one or two workers who are good at electric furnace steelmaking."

"But please be careful. When the workers are here and you are discussing, you'd better be a little more careful and don't reveal too much."

Chen Tongshan said: "Don't worry, we know it."

Jiang Chen said: "Okay, I'll go now."

After saying that, he turned around and left, got in the car and headed straight to Shijingshan.

At the steelmaking plant, he found Xie Ruyu, who was supervising the converter steelmaking: "Director Xie, we meet again!"

Xie Ruyu laughed: "Director Jiang, the training is over, but you haven't been here for a while!"

Since the converter was officially put into operation, Shijingshan's steel output has reached a new high every day.

He was so happy.

Jiang Chen said: "How is it? Is this converter still easy to use?"

Xie Ruyu said: "It's so useful. The steelmaking efficiency is incredible. With just two converters, the output is much higher than that of multiple open-hearth furnaces."

"There is only one drawback. This converter saves too much manpower, causing our workers' workload to be seriously unsaturated."

"It would be great if the higher authorities approved two more converters."

Jiang Chen said: "Yes, when the converter steelmaking work across the country is on track, the number of converters will definitely be gradually increased."

"Because our country's demand for steel is too great."

Xie Ruyu said: "You are the master who does not go to the Three Treasures Hall for anything. Tell me, what happened this time?"

He would not go to the Three Treasures Hall for anything, this is what many people say about Jiang Chen.

Jiang Chen said: "Then I'll be polite and tell you directly."

"The people we went out to investigate have all come back and brought back all kinds of abnormal steel. Now our laboratory is carrying out a lot of research on alloy steel."

"But now we have encountered a problem. Many medium-alloy steels have relatively high temperature requirements, and whether it is a converter or an open-hearth furnace, temperature control is not easy."

"So, I want to ask Factory Manager Xie if you can lend me the induction cooker in your factory."

Xie Ruyu said: "Oh, congratulations, I guess it won't be long before various special steels will be born from the laboratory."

"As for the electric stove, you can use it as you like. It's a waste for us to leave it idle anyway."

Jiang Chen said: "Thank you. In addition, the people in our laboratory are not very good at using electric furnaces."

"Director Xie, I might ask you to support two workers who are good at operating the converter."

Xie Ruyu laughed: "This is even simpler. Didn't I just say that the workload of workers is not saturated. Let alone two people, even two hundred, I can support you."

"Sure, I'll communicate first and determine the candidate for you as soon as possible."

Jiang Chen said: "Director Xie should know the importance of the laboratory and try to find skilled and reliable workers."

Xie Ruyu nodded: "Don't worry, Director Jiang, I promise there won't be any problems."

(End of this chapter)