Zhu Yuanzhang in the cellar

Chapter 110: You can work at night in Daming

Grenades exploded one by one on the parade ground.

Although it is produced in a small workshop, the craftsmen do not cut the materials too much, so safety is guaranteed.

However, the power is a bit disappointing.

A grenade with aluminum-magnesium powder can easily blow a scarecrow to pieces.

A grenade without aluminum-magnesium powder can only cause a little damage from the fragments at most, and can't even blow down a scarecrow.

But this is expected.

This is how our border areas made grenades in the early days of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. Without nitroglycerin, TNT, and primers, we could only use black powder.

The result was that many times when grenades were thrown, they could not kill the Japanese, but at most they would injure them. It often took several grenades bundled together as a cluster grenade to cause casualties.

It was not until the middle and late stages of the War of Resistance that we had relatively more supplies and were able to make better grenades.

So it can only be said that pure black gunpowder is powerful, but not particularly powerful. Only grenades with the addition of aluminum-magnesium powder can be slightly comparable to the power of ordinary grenades in later generations.

But even so, Zhu Biao was already very satisfied.

After all, they didn't have grenades before, so now it's considered a technological breakthrough. Even if it's just a small improvement, it's still progress.

After watching the grenade test, Zhu Yunfeng asked, "How is the hydroelectric power station over there going? We got a lot of gun design drawings, they are pretty good. The only thing missing is that you can generate electricity."

"It's almost done, come and take a look."

Zhu Biao pointed to the Qinhuai River in the distance and said, "We built a cement house based on the small power station you found on the Internet."

"It's not enough to just have a concrete house, we also need a water channel and a height difference."

"All of them. Just follow me."

As Zhu Biao spoke, he walked down the hillside and slowly walked along the road in the wild.

Zhu Yunfeng and Ji He followed.

Behind the three men were several thousand guards.

After walking for more than twenty minutes, they arrived at the Qinhuai River.

At first glance, everything seems desolate.

There is a large area of ​​wasteland by the river, stretching as far as the eye can see.

The banks are covered with weeds, swaying in the gentle summer breeze.

Zhu Yunfeng had never been to the city of Nanjing in later generations to see what it looked like, but he had seen short videos online.

At that time, Nanjing had a population of more than 10 million. This area was near the later Nanjing University of Technology and had long been the city center.

There are high-rise buildings, park woodlands, and commercial pedestrian streets everywhere.

How different is it from the desolation of today?

Seeing this, Zhu Yunfeng couldn't help but sighed: "Grandpa, if you have time in the future, come with me to visit Nanjing over there."

"Well, I've always wanted to go, but..."

Zhu Biao shook his head: "Father can go, but I can't."

This is true.

The prince is the future of the country.

After Zhu Yuanzhang died, Zhu Biao became the first in line to the throne, and the subjects of the Ming Dynasty still had their monarch in charge of the overall situation.

If Zhu Biao died, the country might fall into turmoil.

Therefore, Zhu Yuanzhang could travel to the modern world without restraint and could also lead his army to gallop across the grassland, but Zhu Biao was the only one who could not do so.

"Our ancestors were really good. They built their own careers and left it to us to help them develop."

"You can't say that. We are all working for the future of Ming Dynasty."

Zhu Biao smiled.

When the group arrived at the river, they saw that a concrete house had indeed been built by the river.

Next to the house, there is a three-meter-wide cement canal that extends northward to the moat, diverting water from the moat into the Qinhuai River.

The river bank is about three meters high, and the huge drop causes the water to splash down like a waterfall.

"The craftsmen of the Ming Dynasty are really good. Can they really build a good one?"

Zhu Yunfeng was surprised.

Zhu Biao rolled his eyes at him and said, "How can you be a royal craftsman if you can't make such a simple thing?"

"Too."

Zhu Yunfeng nodded.

I bought a lot of cement and bricks when I renovated the warehouse some time ago.

To be honest, it was too much trouble to transport the bricks here, so we didn’t make many, just enough to build a small hydropower station house.

This kind of house can often be seen in some mountains and by rivers. Outsiders don’t know what it is, but it is actually a hydropower station.

However, it is not a large hydropower station, and is basically enough to provide electricity for some villagers in the mountainous areas.

As for cement, it's actually pretty good.

He moved dozens of tons of materials over, and it was not difficult to build a canal.

"This hydroelectric power station is operated according to the video. The spiral blades will be installed next to it and blocked by a grid. Soldiers will patrol around the imperial farm and no one is allowed to approach."

Zhu Biao pointed to the canal next to the cement house and said, "When the time comes, we have to lay out electric wires to bring electricity to the workshop over there. Then all the tools, lathes, stamping machines, cutting machines, etc. can be brought over and used directly."

"Don't worry, we have prepared it long ago. We also bought a lot of other tools, such as hammers, wrenches, vernier calipers, etc."

Zhu Yunfeng said: "Don't worry about the tools. The raw materials are ready for you. We can start the work as long as there is electricity. Now we are just worried that your craftsmen can't understand the drawings and can't make it."

The good thing about it is that it has modern support.

Nothing is missing.

Especially after opening a factory, there are plenty of reasons to buy tools and raw materials.

If Zhu Yunfeng had not been caught for making guns in modern times, he would probably have handed the task over to Ji Ming and other talented people if he had met them.

"So when will the generator be brought over?"

Zhu Biao asked.

"You can go now."

"Let's go."

Several people walked back after talking.

More than an hour later.

Everyone returned to the modern era.

Zhu Yunfeng, Zhu Biao, Zhu Di and Ji He stared at the turbine generator in the warehouse in a daze.

Strictly speaking, a hydroelectric generator is not very large.

The generator has a diameter of 3.56 meters, a height of 2.1 meters, a length of 5.14 meters, and a total weight of 1.37 tons. It can be welded to the ground and connected to the external turbine underneath.

When the water flow drives the turbine, the generator starts to generate electricity, and the electricity is sent to thousands of households through the transformer box in the machine room.

Moreover, the generator Zhu Yunfeng bought cost more than 30 yuan each and had a very high power, which is often the type of machine used in small and medium-sized river power stations.

Its power is 2000 kilowatts. How much electricity it can generate per day depends mainly on the water flow rate and water volume.

But considering that the maximum power is 2000 kWh per hour, even if we take half of that, as long as it is not so dry that there is no water, it is still easy to generate tens of thousands of kWh of electricity in hours.

If we install a few more units, we can generate hundreds of thousands of kilowatt-hours of electricity a day when it rains and floods.

But even so, it was still too big for them. Even after disassembling it, each component weighed several hundred kilograms, which was simply beyond their ability to move.

"Let's move."

Zhu Yunfeng sighed.

Then four people walked to the side and touched the small generator set next to the generator.

Just kidding, these days as long as you have money, of course you can make it to order.

While purchasing six large generators for factory electricity use, Zhu Yunfeng also ordered two small hydroelectric generators from the manufacturer.

Each of these two generators weighs more than 200 kilograms, and together with the turbine it weighs only more than 400 kilograms. They are also disassembled and can be cleaned at any time. Each one cost more than 5 yuan.

The only problem is that it is a little small and cannot generate enough electricity. The power is only more than 200 kilowatts, which means more than 200 kilowatt-hours of electricity per hour.

But it was enough for the Ming Dynasty.

Two machines consume about 500 kWh of electricity per hour, which is not enough for ordinary machine tools or stamping machines.

of course.

Steelmaking is probably not very realistic.

Zhu Yunfeng checked and found that the current electric arc furnace steelmaking technology is still very advanced.

However, electric arc furnaces are big electricity consumers. Even with the technology available in 2025, it takes more than 30 kilowatt-hours of electricity to produce one ton of steel.

A steel plant, even a small one, produces 200,000 tons of steel annually and consumes six to seven million kilowatt-hours of electricity in a year.

Theoretically, the two small generators purchased by Zhu Yunfeng can produce more than 4 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year.

But that's only in theory. In reality, there will be a discount, at most more than three million.

Even the generator can't generate that much smoke.

So even though the equipment is readily available, you can buy or customize it directly from the equipment manufacturer online.

You can buy it and install it and use it.

But if we really want to make steel, we still have to take it slow. Not to mention all the electrical and operating knowledge, just talking about power generation, we need at least a few more generators.

"I didn't expect such a small generator could generate so much electricity."

Ji He placed the second generator set in the Daming Underground Palace, wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, "I thought generators were all very large."

"That was in the past. What era is this now?"

Zhu Yunfeng smiled and said: "In the past, the technology was not mature, and the size of the generator must have been very large. Now they are all permanent magnet brushless motors, and the size is getting smaller and smaller. However, if you want to build a large hydropower station, you still need a big machine."

The most expensive and largest unit he saw online cost only about 40 yuan and had a power generation capacity of 5000 kilowatts.

The generators of large hydropower stations are often tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of kilowatts.

Compared with the national level ones, this small generator can really only be regarded as a small matter.

However, the industrial base itself needs to start from the basics.

At present, Daming’s power generation may only be tens of thousands of kilowatt-hours a day.

Let's buy more generators and get some electric arc furnaces to make steel. Now that we have the technology, are we still afraid that we can't develop?

Move the generator out of the underground palace.

Then he called the guards outside and lifted the two generators and turbines onto the carriage.

In addition, there are several distribution boxes, transformer boxes, instrument boxes, battery boxes, and wires used to transmit, control, and store electricity.

"It seems that generating electricity is still easy."

Ji He patted the dust off his hands. Just this little thing could generate electricity.

"It's not difficult to generate electricity. Don't forget how heavy the milling, drilling, grinding, punching, sawing, and lathes in our factory are."

Zhu Yunfeng poured cold water on him. "Hey."

Ji He thought of the equipment that weighed more than a ton, shuddered and said, "Why don't we let Lao Si move it? He has a lot of muscles."

Zhu Di rolled his eyes at him and said, "You come if you are stronger."

“No one can escape.”

Zhu Yunfeng looked at Ji He and said, "Chi Chi, have you learned how to operate the console?"

"I learned it a long time ago. I studied with my fourth uncle for a whole day."

Ji He is like an eggplant hit by frost.

There is also division of labor among brothers.

Zhu Yunfeng learned some chemistry knowledge and studied dangerous substances such as nitroglycerin.

Zhu Di learned agricultural knowledge and some basic mechanical operations, and for this reason he went to the factory every day in recent times.

Ji Heze studied electrician, and Zhu Yunfeng has hired his fourth uncle as the manager of the hydropower station. The hydropower station over there is also under construction, and will be officially installed tomorrow.

"Then remember to teach them."

"okay."

"Then let's go and install it."

A few people got on the carriage again and headed towards the imperial farm outside the south city with the gentle breeze.

It was already evening after all the wandering, so everyone had lunch and was a little hungry now.

But there were already a large number of people living in the imperial farm, so there was no shortage of food.

When they arrived at the place, Zhu Biao had some braised beef and rice brought over. While eating, he watched the guards put the generator equipment into the cement room.

Since Zhu Biao, Zhu Yunfeng and others had come, Mao Xiang and Jiang Li naturally followed them.

The two of them brought a large number of Luan Yi Si and personal guards.

When the vortex blades were moved to the side of the canal, the two guards whispered, "What is this?"

"I do not know."

"It also says Shandong XX Instrument Factory."

"Can you read?"

"I know a little bit. Do you think there is such a place in Shandong?"

"I do not know."

"What is this for?"

"I do not know."

"You don't know anything no matter how I ask you."

"you know?"

"I do not know either."

"."

Mao Xiang, who was commanding nearby, rolled his eyes at them and said, "Stop talking nonsense and just follow the arrangements of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wu."

Zhu Yunfeng held a bowl in his hand and poked his head out from the upper riverbank and asked, "Do you want to know what this is for?"

Mao Xiang smiled and said, "Your Highness's arrangement has its own profound meaning."

"Of course, watch out."

Zhu Yunfeng finished his meal in a few bites, walked down the river bank and entered the cement house.

There is a hollowed-out space under the cement house, connected to the water canal outside.

He first fixed the lower lever shaft, and then shouted to the outside: "Ji He."

"All right."

Ji Hyuk responded from outside.

The canal has not yet been filled with water.

Ji He had already placed the turbine blades into the cement platform built earlier.

The cement platform is built according to the size of the turbine blades.

It fits in almost perfectly.

They connected the turbine blades to the generator via a lever shaft at the bottom.

In this way, when water falls from a high place, it creates a huge impact force, driving the turbine blades to rotate, and the small wheel in the lever shaft will also rotate rapidly with the engine.

After installing the turbine blades and lever shaft, Zhu Yunfeng took out a cordless electric drill from his tool bag and drilled a few holes in the wall.

Then he directed the guards to lift the generator to the wall and secure it in place with screws.

This is how the first generator is done.

Then comes the second one.

As the two of them were busy, only a little afterglow of the sunset remained.

After an hour and a half of installation, the generator and the turbine blades outside the cement room have all been completed.

And the position is perfect and fits perfectly.

The dimensions were made according to the installation dimensions sent by the merchant. Apparently, the craftsmen of Daming were quite skilled and there were no mistakes.

"call!"

Only after all the distribution boxes, instrument boxes, battery boxes and other equipment were installed and the lines were plugged in did Zhu Yunfeng wipe the sweat from his forehead.

"Damn it, outside I'm Mr. Ji, but here I'm just a beast of burden."

The fat on Ji He's face was all greasy and sweaty, and his body seemed to have lost a few pounds. He squatted beside him and gasped.

This kind of rough work is too tiring.

But they are the only ones who can do it, after all, the people of the Ming Dynasty don’t know how to install it.

"Uncomfortable."

Zhu Yunfeng raised his head and looked at the sky outside which had already darkened. He took a long breath and said, "We can start now."

"Old Four, open the floodgates."

Ji Hyuk yells to the outside world.

"okay."

Zhu Di found a torch and waved it towards the distance.

Then the torch began to be passed upstream.

Zhu Yunfeng was still a little nervous and said, "Chichi, is it reliable?"

"Don't worry, unless the line is not connected properly, there will be no problem."

Ji He had already walked to the dashboard and said, "I have practiced with my fourth uncle many times."

"That's fine."

Zhu Yunfeng then plugged a socket board into an output device and pulled the wire out.

Today's power supply equipment is indeed simple and easy to buy.

But basically, these are just ordinary small power supply equipment. Large-scale high-voltage electricity is not something they can get.

What's more, this kind of thing requires professionals, and it's useless without decades of experience in the power industry and equipment.

However, this basic power equipment is enough.

This is ancient times after all.

Zhu Yunfeng pulled the power strip outside.

To test the electricity they prepared an LED light for use on a construction site.

Plug in the power supply at this moment.

"Whoosh, whoosh."

The water in the canal was rushing in rapidly.

In an instant, it flooded the fields and then surged towards the Qinhuai River.

"Clap clap clap!"

Below the canal is a reservoir, which is hollow and houses two vortex blades.

The leaves are covered with a mesh to prevent stones and grass leaves from falling in.

At a height of three meters, the water hits the turbine blades with a splash, and the vortex caused by the water flow makes the turbine blades rotate rapidly.

The rotation of the blades drives the lever shaft, which has a metal tube on the outside and a motor belt inside, driving the generator above to move.

"It's bright, it's bright."

Inside the room, Ji Hyuk saw that all the lights on the dashboard began to light up, and said excitedly, "I can control it now."

Hearing the sound coming from the house below, Zhu Yunfeng, who was standing on the ridge above, looked around.

Zhu Biao, Zhu Di, Mao Xiang and Jiang Li were all looking at him.

He smiled and said, "Lao Mao, Lao Jiang, were you curious about what we were doing before?"

Jiang Li said: "I am indeed curious. Besides, we have never seen these things before."

"Then let you see it for yourself."

Zhu Yunfeng pressed the light switch.

All of a sudden.

LEDs emit brilliant light.

"So bright, what is this?"

"Oh my god, this is magic, magic!"

"Your Highness the King of Wu and the Duke of Chu have shown their magical powers again."

Everyone was caught off guard, even the guards who were a little further away were blinded by the light and instinctively covered their eyes with their hands.

Under the dazzling light, the rice fields of the imperial farm not far away were clearly visible, and the area within a mile seemed to have turned into daytime.

Zhu Yunfeng sighed: "Now do you know what this is doing?"

Mao Xiang quickly flattered him, saying, "Your Highness is so majestic. This is to make all the people of the Ming Dynasty bathe in its glory."

"wrong."

Zhu Yunfeng said with emotion: "This is to allow the people of Ming Dynasty to work at night."

"???"

Mao Xiang and Jiang Li were full of questions.

Zhu Yunfeng laughed and patted their shoulders and said, "Just be your cattle and horses, and you will understand later."

There will be many more days of working overtime late at night in the future.

(End of this chapter)