Nanming: I can build wonders

Chapter 103 Steam Engine Appears (Read More!)

Today is the day when Zheng Kezang observed Ming Zheng's first steam engine. If the steam engine test is successful, Su Laocheng can also be promoted smoothly and become the first craftsman since the reform of Ming Zheng's craftsmen.

Chen Yonghua, Zhongyongbo Qiu Hui, engineering officer Xie Xian, and right servant Lu Fan, the third-rank official of the Ministry of Industry, also came to observe the steam engine.

Lu Fan has built projects for Zheng Kezang many times, which won the trust of Zheng Kezang, and promotion is inevitable.

It can be expected that if Zheng Kezang continues to build miracles, this person will soon become the next official.

I forgot to mention it above. In the Ming Zheng official system, official positions such as engineering officer, household officer, and criminal officer were equivalent to the Shangshu of the Ministry of Industry, Shangshu of the Ministry of Households, and Shangshu of the Ministry of Punishment.

Dongning's craftsmen, under the command of Su Laocheng, have unloaded the three carriages and used various parts and metal pipes to form a metal "monster".

Thanks to the use of horizontal bore machines, the craftsmanship of Dongning Manufacturing Bureau has been greatly improved. Therefore, the steam engine built by Su Laocheng and the craftsmen is not huge. It is only one person tall, and the outside is glowing with metal, which looks a bit scary. .

Under the guidance of Zheng Kezang, this steam engine assembled the latest technology of the seventeenth century, adding a condensing system, cylinder, and piston technology, and it was almost the same as Watt's improved steam engine.

"Father-in-law, this thing is called a steam engine. As long as coal is burned under the machine to turn water into steam, the machine can be driven to run." Zheng Kezang said to Chen Yonghua and others who were curious.

"Qinshe, let's try it out." Chen Yonghua nodded.

Zheng Kezang had told him before that he was researching a machine that could move everything by water vapor, and he probably knew what was going on, so he didn't show any surprise.

Before Zheng Kezang had time to give the order, the guards on the side were very discerning, and immediately ordered the craftsmen to light the fire.

The flames gradually rose, and the craftsmen continued to add coal to the furnace, and the fire became more and more prosperous.

The water in the boiler began to gurgle and boil, and the water vapor rose, gathering more and more in the cylinder, and the piston slowly slid.

"It's moving!" Zhongyong Bo Qiu Hui exclaimed.

"Who is using force? Could it be some kind of magic?" Xie Xian, the worker on the other side, also expressed shock.

The two of them are old people and don't understand new technologies very well.

"Water vapor has such power?" Lu Fan murmured in a daze, he did not demonize the steam engine.

Zheng Kezang smiled mysteriously at them: "Don't panic, you three, the fun has just begun."

Seeing that the demonstration was almost done, Zheng Kezang gave Lao Su a gesture. Lao Su understood, turned his head, and opened the air valve to discharge a large amount of steam from the machine, and the steam engine began to run at full capacity.

Accompanied by the sound of "咻", a large amount of white mist rushed out from the gas valve, and the entire palace was shrouded in white mist, as if in a fairyland.

The two old men Qiu Hui and Xie Xian thought they had entered a fairyland, and laughed happily, as if they had taken drugs.

As the temperature in the boiler gets higher and higher, the water boils more violently, and more and more water vapor accumulates, the pressure in the cylinder rises, and the piston moves faster and faster.

The steel of this steam engine is at least [-] catties, and it runs on its own without external force.

Above the cylinder, the gears rotate faster and faster, like hot wheels, and everyone can't see the gears clearly.

Except for Zheng Kezang and the craftsman, the others looked at each other in blank dismay. The scene in front of them was beyond their understanding.

Such a steel "monster" can operate by itself only by burning coal, and it lifts the weight as if it is light, as if it is nothing.

With the continuous operation of the steam engine, the noise became louder and louder, and the sound of "clang clang clang clang" echoed continuously in the sky of Dongning Mansion. Under the sky, there was the roar of a machine.

"Success!" The craftsmen who had worked hard for many days clapped their hands and hugged excitedly, celebrating this unforgettable moment. Even Chen Yonghua couldn't help but applaud them.

Su Laocheng was the happiest. He was in charge of the steam engine project, and he felt a sense of accomplishment when it was done well.

Even Zheng Kezang was in a trance. Yizhou Island, Nanming, Tarqing, and steam engines gave him a sense of dislocation in time and space.

If it continues to develop, perhaps he will be able to enter the electrical age while he is still alive.

The first demonstration was almost done, and Zheng Kezang signaled Lao Su to close the air valve.

Soon, as the air valve was closed, the water vapor came and went quickly, but after a while, the piston of the steam engine stopped, and the surrounding white air quickly dissipated.

Everyone hadn't recovered yet, especially Lu Fan, his eyes were lost, he felt that it wasn't enough.

"Everyone, after we have the steam engine, we can save a lot of manpower in many handicraft industries, such as textiles, iron smelting, and cannon casting."

Zheng Kezang said that the artisans had already connected a mule spinning machine to the steam engine.

Su Laocheng, who was in charge of operating the steam engine, opened the steam valve, and a thick stream of steam white smoke rushed out violently from the chimney.

"Let's see how the steam engine drives the spinning machine. You see, with a steam engine, countless spinning workers can be replaced." Zheng Kezang's voice echoed in everyone's ears, as if they were still in a dream, a little Trance.

Before they came back to their senses, the spinning machine, driven by the steam engine, had already begun to run rapidly.

The efficiency of the mule spinning machine itself is very high, and with the help of the steam engine, the cotton yarn is formed in the spinning machine at high speed like a spider spinning silk, and is wound on the yarn shaft, forming a thick layer in just a short while. .

With this machine, there will be fewer and fewer spinning workers in the future, and manpower will be transferred to other industries. It will be of great help to Mingzheng, which has a sparse population.

"By the way, everyone, in addition to the above uses, if there is a combination of a steam engine and a boat, the boat will be able to move without relying on sails in the future, and the horse-drawn carriage will not need a horse if it has a steam engine!" Zheng Kezang said slowly. Tell everyone about the prospect of the steam engine.

"Okay! With this thing, China's revival is just around the corner!" Chen Yonghua said proudly, he hadn't been this happy for a long time recently.

Seeing that Chen Yonghua was so happy, the young Zheng Kezang also indulged for a while, and said something very secondary: "Let the whole world tremble in front of our steam engine!"

Although the trial production of the steam engine was a complete success, Zheng Kezang did not get carried away. There are still many problems in the prototype of the steam engine.

For example, it is still slightly bulky, with low heat conversion rate and average sealing performance. Many processes have been arranged, but they are not exquisite enough and still need the accumulation of technology.

This kind of big steam engine can only be placed in the factory, and if it wants to be used as propulsion power, the current prototype is far from meeting the requirements.

However, take your time, you can’t become a fat man with one bite. Zheng Kezang is already very satisfied that the first steam engine can be made like this. Next, as long as steam engines are promoted in all walks of life, Zheng Kezang’s steam era will be It's coming!
(End of this chapter)