African Nationhood

Chapter 428 Stainless Steel Research and Electric Furnace Steelmaking

Stainless steel is the general term for acid-resistant steel and stainless steel. Stainless steel is an alloy steel that is resistant to water vapor corrosion, and acid-resistant steel is an alloy steel that is resistant to acid corrosion.

From 1904 to 1906, French metallurgical engineer Guier took the lead in researching iron-chromium-nickel alloys, but his research did not yield results and there was no follow-up.

Later, some people continued to study this alloy, but eventually they all came to nothing.

During World War I, British metallurgist Henry Brearley received an order from the British War Department to study how to prevent gun barrels from rusting and to find new steel materials to make gun barrels.

While sorting out previous research, he created stainless steel.

Iron-chromium-nickel alloy is not hard enough to make firearms.

Brearley thought of using this rust-free steel to produce tableware, so Brearley became the "Father of Stainless Steel."

……

Because of Chairman Shi's announcement, Frenchman Guyet came to South Africa.

He was an independent researcher. After learning about Commissioner Shi's announcement, he wanted to get some funds from the Nanhua government to continue researching iron-chromium-nickel alloys.

It can be seen that the world is correcting its direction in the dark, and there will be no major deviations because of the appearance of Shi Jintang.

The investment is also quite large, and it is natural that the Nanhua government should take the lion's share.

But when he saw the contract, Guille immediately laughed.

……

Jiye will naturally not object to this. The research and development of new steel materials is time-consuming and labor-intensive, and it is still unknown when it will be successful.

Jiye followed people from the Nanhua Industrial and Commercial Department to the Shuangkui Steel Plant. He found that all the steel workers here were Chinese, and even the management was Chinese.

Therefore, there will be no need for the British War Department to ask Brearley to find new steel materials, and the discovery of stainless steel will be delayed for a long time.

Because of the emergence of Shi Jintang, the British War Department mastered the chrome plating process of gun barrels in advance.

He was told that the Nanhua government was willing to fund him to continue researching this alloy steel, but it only required a large share of the scientific research results.

When the Englishman Brearley applied for a patent for "stainless steel", he and several subsequent metallurgical engineers were upset, but it was of no use.

Wang Zhongyi has seen many arrogant white people, and he doesn't think it's strange.

Jiye was a little curious. He asked Minister Wang Zhongyi who came with him: "How is the Chinese technology here? Can it meet my requirements?"

……

The contract stipulates that he will be the main researcher in the research, and the Nanhua government will also equip him with a whole team.

In addition, the Nanhua government reserved 20% of the profit rights for him, as well as the naming rights after successful research and development.

When Boss Shi saw the iron-nickel-chromium alloy project, he immediately thought of "stainless steel", so he kept the project.

After Shi Jintang issued an announcement recruiting scientific research projects, he discovered the stainless steel project.

In the original time and space, he only accidentally discovered this alloy with a smooth surface and corrosion resistance. Because he did not find the use of this alloy steel, he slowly gave up on the new discovery.

Now with the emergence of Chairman Shi, the gears of Jiye's destiny have been deflected.

Guille was a recent college student majoring in metallurgy in France. After becoming a metallurgical engineer, he had little confidence in developing new steel materials.

……

"Don't worry, the technical level of us Chinese is no worse than that of white people. Now we also have new steel-making technology. This is our confidential project. You will have to sign a confidentiality clause here later."

Jiye was very curious about this, "Okay, I am willing to sign a confidentiality agreement and let me see your new steel-making technology."

After Jiye signed the confidentiality agreement with the steel plant staff, he followed the steel plant staff to find Minister Wang Zhongyi, and then they went to the newly built factory building of the steel plant.

When he got near the factory, Jiye discovered that there were many telephone poles erected nearby, and he also discovered a transformer.

"Do we need a lot of electric lighting here?" Wang Zhongyi smiled, said nothing more, and continued to move forward.

As they approached the new factory, they heard crackling sounds coming from the factory.

"What is this sound?"

Wang Zhongyi smiled and replied: "This is the sound of steelmaking. Our new steelmaking method uses electricity to make steel."

"Making steel with electricity? Oh my God, is that amazing?"

Wang Zhongyi ignored the Frenchman's surprise and continued to move forward.

Jiye followed Wang Zhongyi into the steelmaking workshop. A huge furnace appeared in front of them. Three black and red columns were inserted into the furnace, and explosive slag was constantly splashing out of the columns. At the same time, there was a continuous explosion in the furnace. Come crackling noise.

"How is this going?"

"We use the arc melting method of steel. The noise we hear now is because three graphite electric shocks are emitting arcs. This arc can instantly penetrate the steel plate and melt the steel into liquid."

Although he could understand every word Wang Zhongyi said, Ji Ye still couldn't understand the principle of arc ironmaking.

"Then you brought me here to study 'stainless steel'?"

Wang Zhongyi nodded slightly, "Of course, electric furnace steelmaking can quickly raise the temperature in the furnace to the required temperature, and the melting temperatures of the iron, nickel and chromium you are studying are all very high, so this electric furnace steelmaking is the fastest and most suitable. "

After listening to Wang Zhongyi's explanation, Ji Ye nodded.

"I probably understand, can we start now?"

Wang Zhongyi nodded, "Yes, you can at any time. In addition, the metallographic engineers of our steel plant will cooperate with you and assist you in completing the metallographic measurement of new steel at any time."

Jiye nodded, "Then let's start with the first ratio, with iron accounting for 70%, chromium accounting for 18%, and nickel accounting for 12%."

As Guille's order was issued, the steel staff immediately began to take action. They needed to weigh the weight of each material, and at the same time record the various characteristics of the alloy body obtained from each experiment.

Such an experiment cannot be completed in a short period of time. Wang Zhongyi accompanied the French here, mainly to support the French and prevent the failure of the people below to cooperate and cause delays and mistakes in the experiment.

The time for making steel in an electric furnace is relatively fast, after all, the efficiency of arc discharge is very high.

The first furnace of alloy steel was refined in just one hour, and the quenched alloy steel was very bright.

Everyone in the team performed their duties, first testing the hardness of alloy steel.

The steel ingot is placed under a tungsten ball for a pressure test. After the pressure is passed, the hardness of the alloy steel is determined according to the Brinell hardness scale based on the diameter of the tungsten ball on the steel surface.

Next, the strength of the alloy steel must be tested, which requires professional equipment to prepare the steel for three tests: tension, bending, and compression.

Results are difficult to come by in the short term.

Finally, the acid resistance and oxidation resistance of the new alloy steel need to be tested. The results of this test will not be available in the short term.

So Wang Zhongyi left after watching the alloy steel being smelted on site, and then watched when the stainless steel team could test out the best ratio of the three materials and a material with suitable hardness and strength.

Next, Wang Zhongyi will go to various places to inspect the implementation of aided industries.

Negotiating industrial aid for construction is a very energy-consuming matter, but fortunately he and Vice Premier Shi Jinyong have already reached an agreement.

Their negotiation team introduced a total of 127 industries from the British, most of which were heavy industries.

For example, giant shipbuilding, artillery industry, heavy mining equipment, non-ferrous metal smelting and processing, coking and coke, chemistry, chemical raw materials, cement, coal processing, machine tool processing, etc.

After the introduction of so many projects, the prices of personnel and raw materials in Nanhua did increase. Fortunately, Chairman Shi reminded them that they had made plans with the financial department, so no losses were caused.

The locations where the aided industries have landed have also experienced economic prosperity due to large amounts of infrastructure investment, which has promoted the upgrading of the local industrial structure and brought a lot of benefits to the local people.

To achieve such a positive promotion, I have to say that Chairman Shi’s reminder is very important.

(End of this chapter)