Siheyuan works as a nanny for Shazhu

For two consecutive days, Zhang Jiacheng and Jiang Feng were studying the blast furnace problem with Master Wang. They checked records and compiled materials in the morning and went to the site to check in the afternoon. They emptied a furnace specifically for the technical department to do experiments. Jiang Feng had a certain understanding of the blast furnace in the past few days. The main problem now was that the furnace temperature was not high enough, so it could only produce molten iron. Molten iron and cast iron could only be used as raw material for steelmaking, and there was still a process missing.

Jiang Feng also combined the little industrial knowledge he had acquired in his later life and knew that there was a process that could directly produce molten steel. However, he only knew the names, such as top blowing, side blowing, and bottom blowing. However, they all involved oxygen and had to be mixed with some chemical substances. By increasing the furnace temperature and shortening the refining time, molten steel could be produced in one step.

Helplessly, Jiang Feng could only tell what he knew, but it was rather obscure, such as adding combustion aids to increase the furnace temperature and causing chemical reactions. Zhang Jiacheng also proposed several combustion aids such as oxygen, potassium chlorate, and manganese dioxide. Jiang Feng knew that later generations would talk about blowing oxygen, so he didn't dare to say it. He could only say to try them all, get some molten iron, and add it in to see the reaction.

Master Wang, along with the two brothers Zhang Dahu and Zhang Erhu, requisitioned another furnace. Seeing that there was not much molten iron in it, they added these chemicals into the furnace. When oxygen was injected, the molten iron reacted violently, and the temperature rose by more than 100 degrees above the original level. After several people discovered this, they immediately reported the news to Director Yang. Director Yang was shocked to hear that molten steel could be directly smelted. He dropped what he was doing and went to the workshop.

At the request of Director Yang, the workshop director planned to operate directly, but was stopped by Zhang Jiacheng and Jiang Feng. After inquiries, they learned that the blast furnaces in the factory can basically reach 1300~1500 degrees. When Jiang Feng pointed out that the molten iron had just been heated up by more than 100 degrees, whether the furnace body could still withstand it would be a big problem if something went wrong.

Director Yang broke out in a cold sweat. If the furnace cracked, he would no longer be the director. The best thing would be to step down. Jiang Feng also said, "According to conservative estimates, the molten steel can reach a temperature of at least 1500 degrees. We need to build another furnace to conduct experiments. It would be best if it can meet the temperature of 2000 degrees."

Director Yang was confused. Zhang Jiacheng said, "Director, we must find materials that can withstand high temperatures. Otherwise, these are just empty talk. Only when we have the materials can we do experiments."

Jiang Feng also suggested a solution: "It seems that a manufacturer is conducting a steelmaking experiment. I saw it in the newspaper. I don't know if it has been completed, but they must have high-temperature resistant materials. Get the materials back and then consider other things."

Upon hearing this, Director Yang made a phone call in his office and found a senior leader. When the senior leader heard that the steel mill had a way to increase the furnace temperature to over 1500, he was also very excited and promised Director Yang: "Don't worry about it. I will coordinate it. However, it is only enough for you to build two furnaces at most. You must seize the opportunity. If you succeed, your steel mill will be the technological leader in the steel industry."

Director Yang hurriedly assured them and asked when the goods would arrive, but was rebuked by the senior leader. Director Yang hung up the phone awkwardly and said to the others, "There is no other way. You should continue to improve the process and make it foolproof. There are only two furnace materials. If they are damaged or cannot be used after they are built, it will be difficult to find them again."

"Director, how big are the two furnaces? Are they the same size as the ones in our factory?"

"It should be about the same. Otherwise, the experiment won't work if there is any difference."

"That's enough, Director. We don't need to build it that big. During this period, we have been conducting inferences with Master Wang. We can first reduce it in proportion. It will be enough to hold the molten iron for two ladles. This experiment is mainly to test the addition of combustion aids to increase the temperature. As long as the temperature is raised, we can scale it up in proportion."

"That's a solution. Let's wait until the materials arrive. You can research several options and see which one is the best. Master Wang is here too. I won't get involved in the technical aspects. I'll go ask my acquaintances to see if other factories have these materials."

Several people nodded and started to study it in the workshop director's office. Jiang Feng led everyone to think in the direction of the converter. They could use the existing furnace to smelt molten iron, and then directly transfer the molten iron into the newly built furnace body to conduct experiments in the furnace body. However, to connect the molten iron, they could only make a flat furnace. Finally, after discussion, this was the tentative plan.

However, no one knew whether the flat furnace would be effective. Finally, Master Wang said, "If there is enough material, you can make a few more furnaces. You can consider vertical, horizontal, and even tilted ones. See which one heats up the fastest and highest, and then decide."

Zhang Jiacheng suddenly had an idea. Since they were going to make several styles, why not make the furnace body able to rotate? It could be laid flat to load the molten iron, and then stood upright again. In that way, one furnace would be enough. Jiang Feng was thinking about the converters of later generations. Based on his pitiful little knowledge, he knew that everyone was on the right track, so he hid behind and said nothing.

It took three days before a truck delivered the materials. Director Yang saw the materials arriving and organized the workers to unload the materials. Then the sand casting workshop stopped working and all work was carried out to cooperate with the experiment.

Those three days of waiting were not in vain. People were first assigned to make the frame of the furnace body. If it is to be flipped, a support frame is needed, and it can also be lifted and rotated mechanically. However, it is not big, so we are considering only making one furnace and conducting experiments on a 5-ton furnace body. Now the frame has not been completed yet.

Under the guidance of several people, the entire workshop took more than 20 days to complete the rack and furnace body and connect the lifting device.

As several people could not wait, the first batch of molten iron was put into the furnace, the door was closed, and air was blown into it through the reserved holes. During the blowing process, the furnace body was slowly turned vertically, and the temperature rose from 1350 degrees to more than 1500 degrees. The key is that it is still rising, and air continues to be injected until the reaction in the furnace slows down and steam appears. Then the oxygen injection is stopped, and the furnace body is turned horizontally to pour out the molten iron.

Several people stood aside and watched the workers operate. Now they only knew that the final temperature had reached 1680 degrees. In theory, it had been done, but they had to wait until the materials came out and were tested to know the result.

After the steel ingot was formed, Master Wang directed his two apprentices to drag it to the workshop. After a series of experiments, it had reached the level of ordinary steel and no longer needed to be processed or forged, and parts could be processed directly.

The workshop director hurriedly called Director Yang, but Master Wang was sitting on the ground with tears in his eyes. After decades, he could finally produce steel in one furnace. All of them were just iron before. Decades of hard work finally paid off this year.

Seeing Master Wang like this, Jiang Feng quickly said something to Dahu and Erhu. The old man was afraid of extreme joy or sorrow, so he took the master out to calm down first. During this period, Master Wang had been staying in the workshop with his body in his sixties, and he was also tired.

Da Hu and Er Hu quickly followed their instructions and let their master take a rest and drink some water. After Director Yang arrived at the workshop, he was also very excited when he saw the finished steel ingots. He said to everyone, "You are all meritorious officials. Wait, someone from above will be coming soon. You have made a great contribution this time."

Within an hour, several more cars from the steel rolling mill drove in and went straight to the door of the foundry. The senior leader inside came down without waiting for anyone to open the door and said to Director Yang, "Is it done? Is it really done? What requirements can it meet?"

Director Yang did not sit idle during this hour. He memorized all the processes and test data, and put them to use right away. The data came out as soon as he spoke. The senior leader listened attentively, looked at the finished product, asked someone to cut a few ingots and put them on the truck, and left a message: "Take good care of the equipment and wait for the reward."

The car drove away quickly. Director Yang was also happy. He said to the others, "You have all worked hard. Today is a day off. Go back and have a good rest. Where is Master Wang? Why can't I see him?"

Jiang Feng stepped forward and said a few words to Director Yang, who nodded and went outside. Everyone in the workshop cheered. They were exhausted during the past ten days, staying in the sand-casting workshop every day and drinking enough water.

Zhang Jiacheng gave a few people a break first and went out as well. He still wanted to go see Master Wang and provided everyone with a lot of ideas. Jiang Feng also followed him, until they saw Master Wang holding Director Yang's hand and Director Yang sent Master Wang back in his own car, the two of them felt relieved.

It is now September, and the courtyard received a notice from the street office that an urban people's commune will be established. Each household has taken out their own food rations, and the courtyard has been eating from a big pot. This has been going on for more than ten days. Jiang Feng has been busy during this period and has no time to take care of these things. He Yuzhu also said that he was too busy, after all, he was the deputy director, and did not agree to cook for the courtyard.

After a democratic election, the first, second and third aunts were responsible for cooking every day. Now the food in the He family has plummeted. He Yushui is complaining bitterly, and Jiang Feng has no choice but to send some snacks from time to time. They can only eat these when they are hungry. Only He Yushui and Li Xiaoyan bring He Xiao to eat something, but without oil and water, they still can't stand it.

Jiang Feng didn't want to go home so early today because it was a holiday. He thought that this was not a solution. He saw that it was still early and went to the street office. When he arrived at Huang Ming's office, Huang Ming said, "What's the matter? The senior technician is here. Your steel mill's technical department has been doing very well recently."

Jiang Feng listened to Uncle Huang's joke and said, "Uncle Huang, these are all the work of Director Zhang from the factory. We are just following behind to help, but we came here today to ask you for something."

"Oh, what's the matter? Tell me."

"Uncle Huang, I want to ask if there is any house for sale, preferably a small courtyard with one or two entrances, I plan to buy one myself."

"Houses can't be bought and sold now. What do you need a house for? It's big enough for your home, and it's close to where you work."

"Uncle Huang, now everyone in the yard eats in a big pot. You know, there are children at home, and there is no place to cook something delicious. I want to build a small yard by myself, so it will be more convenient to cook anything."