I was the emperor in the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 747 Small Steam Engine

Zhou Zhen said directly,

"There are some problems, but we can basically overcome them! There is no need to bother Your Majesty.

However, even with the output of the arsenal now, our steel is still far from enough..."

Li Tian actually thought of this question a long time ago.

The scale and output of Chenji Smelting Workshop are very limited.

In addition, hydraulic forging hammers always have great limitations, and there is no way to compare them with steam power.

It is also reasonable that it cannot meet the increasing needs of Tiangongyuan.

So Li Tiancai is going to let the third wife go to the south to find a suitable place to build a larger steel factory.

However, the construction of a large-scale steel plant is not something that can be completed overnight. If you want to start large-scale production, it will take at least the end of the new year to realize it.

Now they can only count on Chen Jihe Arsenal.

For this, Li Tian has nothing to do.

Comfort Zhou Zhendao,
"I'm already dealing with this matter, but there is probably no hope in a short time. You should try to save as much as possible, and you should be able to hold on for a while."

Zhou Zhen sighed,
"It can only be like this, we are currently trying to simplify the reminder of the steam engine as much as possible.

It is hoped that in February and March next year, a small steam engine weighing no more than one thousand catties will be built, so that several times the materials will be left over..."

Hearing Zhou Zhen's words, Li Tian was also very happy, and asked quickly,
"This small steam engine, how powerful is it, can it be applied to an ordinary forging hammer!"

Zhou Zhen nodded and said,
"Although there is no real thing yet, according to the pressure test we did some time ago, we estimate that the power of this small steam engine is still above five horsepower!"

Hearing this number, Li Tian clapped his hands excitedly and said,
"Okay, very good, Zhou Zhen, you have done a good job, keep working hard, I really look forward to your being able to make this thing as soon as possible!"

The reason why Li Tian was so excited was that after such a long wait, he finally saw the possibility of the steam locomotive appearing.

Although five horsepower does not sound very good to modern people, you must know that an ordinary car with a displacement of [-] liters can reach [-] horsepower.

It's not comparable to this five-horsepower garbage.

But Li Tian thinks this is still something worth celebrating.

The so-called one horsepower actually refers to the efficiency ratio of a horse increasing a thousand-pound thing to 1 centimeters within one minute.

Calculated according to this ratio, five horsepower is equivalent to the efficiency of raising a five-thousand-pound thing by 35 centimeters.

One thousand pounds is about nine hundred catties, and five thousand pounds can be equal to two and a half tons.

With such strength, whether it is pushing a small locomotive or lifting a forging hammer weighing several hundred kilograms, it is easy.

The Tiangong Institute already has the ability to compress the overall weight of this steam engine to less than one thousand catties.

Li Tian couldn't be dissatisfied that the steam engine had reached such an incredible level within half a year after its birth.

Compared with the original bulky steam engine weighing more than [-] catties, this kind of machine, which weighs less than [-] catties, can be called compact and powerful.

This kind of small machine is not worth mentioning for a huge ship, but it is enough for ordinary mechanical applications.

Once, this small steam engine can be mass-produced.

In the future, whether it is the general application of steam forging hammers, or mining, crushing, road building, and other aspects, semi-mechanization can be realized at the smallest cost.

I don't know how many times the efficiency will be improved.

But these are not the key points. The more important point is that the smaller the volume, the less steel used.

This can not only greatly alleviate the problem of insufficient production of Daming Steel, but with the addition of this small and compact machine, the production of steel is estimated to increase to a huge level.

Complementing each other, the promotion of industrial development is limitless.

Hearing that the two were talking so passionately here, Sophia couldn't help but get involved.

After Zhou Zhen explained to her the various benefits that the miniaturization of the steam engine could bring, Sophia was about to fall into it.

Li Tian had to add her to the research and development list no matter what.

Sophia was already shocked enough when she saw the huge monster that weighed thousands or even tens of thousands of catties.

Now that she heard that that miraculous machine could be shrunk down to less than a thousand catties, she couldn't restrain her thirst for knowledge even more.

After thinking about it for a while, Li Tian felt that it was no big deal for Sophia to join in.

Seeing that she was still so enthusiastic, she reluctantly agreed.

Some people may say, isn't Li Tian afraid of leaking secrets by doing this?

Of course he was afraid, but there was no need to be afraid.

Things like steam engines don't mean that you can build them with blueprints.

Without suitable steel and exquisite smelting technology, just a boiler tank would be difficult for most people.

Even if someone is lucky enough to produce a qualified boiler, there are still countless problems to be overcome in the sealing, piston, valve and other parts of the steam conduction process.

If there is no deep participation of Li Tian in the research and development process of the Daming steam engine, it is estimated that they will not be able to do it in five or six years if they study it on their own with a conceptual model.

That is to say, even if Li Tian handed over the complete blueprint to Sophia, after Sophia returned to China, she would mobilize the power of the whole country to start research and development.

It is impossible to create it in a few years.

By that time, it is estimated that Daming's steam fleet has already crisscrossed the seas of the world.

He is not afraid of others mastering this technique at all.

Moreover, not to mention, Sophia has become Li Tiannei's daughter-in-law, let alone whether she will betray her in the future.

Li Tian originally planned to sell warships all over the world to make money in the future.

At that time, it is inevitable that the machine will be hacked.

But as long as the craftsmen of Ming Dynasty can continue to improve the steam engine, even if they are allowed to catch up, it is estimated that they will not be able to catch up in ten or twenty years.

Besides, maybe five or six years later, Daming will be able to research even the internal combustion engine.

An internal combustion engine that burns gasoline and diesel is much more efficient than a steam engine.

It is not an exaggeration to say that it is hanging and beating, and Li Tian doesn't have to worry about it.

Let Sophia join in, Li Tian also has a deep meaning.

With a person who has a completely different idea and joins in the research and development, maybe, with mutual support, things can be developed faster.

This is what Li Tian really thinks.

After getting Li Tian's permission, Sophia turned around happily like a child who finally got her own toy.

It made Li Tian and the others laugh or not, making it very uncomfortable.

(End of this chapter)