"It's moving, it's really moving, this iron lump is moving..."
"Get the coals ready, be careful not to let the fire go out..."
"Give way to the people next to you. Don't push in here. This boiler can burn people..."
In mid-January, it was sunny after the snow, the cold air had subsided a little, and the snow on the ground had not completely melted away. The yard of the Yan family's blacksmith workshop was already in full swing and bustling with people. A large number of people surrounded the blacksmith workshop. With wide eyes, he watched the "iron lump" flywheel slowly turning in the open space in the middle of the yard.
Yan Dechang, Zhou Tiezhu, dozens of apprentices in the blacksmith workshop, a bunch of stewards from the Yan family, plus Yan Liqiang, Shi Changfeng, Shi Dafeng, Shen Teng, Lu Pein, and Qian Su who came from Huanglong County Manufacturing Together with several old craftsmen and head craftsmen from the blacksmith workshops, and finally Wen Zhaolun and a group of disciples from the Lingshan sect, everyone gathered around the yard and watched the "iron lump" sent by the Lingshan sect being slowly lit and watered. started to move.
Except for a few people such as Yan Liqiang and Wen Zhaolun, everyone was in an uproar when they saw the "iron lump" moving. Zhou Tiezhu's excited shouting voice was trembling.
Yan Dechang, who has been playing iron all his life, was dumbfounded when he looked at the flywheel that was rotating faster and faster. He was mumbling to himself, "I have been playing iron all my life. I didn't expect that the fire and water can make the iron bumps move on their own." stand up… "
Qian Su and several old blacksmiths and headsmiths who came from the manufacturing bureau were staring at the rotating flywheel and couldn't say a word, as if they had seen something incredible. As for others like Shi Changfeng The expressions on the faces of the others are basically the same at this time.
Yan Liqiang stood next to the steam engine that had just been started and assembled, looking at the rapidly rotating flywheel. His eyes swept over each component of the steam engine, with some amazement in his eyes - at first glance, this one The steam engine is like a stove over one meter high. Below the steam engine is a metal seat and frame. On the left side of the frame is a stove-like boiler for making fire. The boiler is made of iron. Above, there is a bright yellow cylindrical water tank made of brass. The water tank is about one meter long and the bucket is thick. On the top of the water tank, there are several copper pipes, some for adding water, and some for adding water. The copper pipe is for air outlet and deflation. In the middle of the air outlet copper pipe, there is a manual valve that can adjust the air intake. This air intake pipe is connected to the most important cylinder of the steam engine. Above the cylinder are the piston and crankshaft. The connecting rod, a circular rotating flywheel about fifty centimeters in diameter, is on the other side of the connecting rod of the crankshaft. As the piston in the cylinder moves, the flywheel also rotates rapidly under the action of the connecting rod.
But what really amazed Yan Liqiang was not these, but the device located under the steam engine that condensed the steam input into the cylinder. You must know that in the previous life, this condensing device was invented long after the steam engine. , created by Watt, the original steam engine had two obvious shortcomings. One was that the piston movement was discontinuous and slow, and the second was low steam utilization and a waste of raw materials. The most important reason for this problem was steam. Condensation in the cylinder. Watt's greatest contribution to the steam engine was to change the condensation method of the traditional steam engine from condensation in the cylinder to condensation outside the cylinder. After Watt completed this improvement, the basic mechanism of the steam engine was completely stabilized and then became popular. .
Yan Liqiang originally thought that the steam engine built by Zhang Yourong for the first time would not think of out-of-cylinder condensation, but what he didn't expect was that the steam engine sent by Lingshan sent already used out-of-cylinder condensation. In this way, The reliability and stability of this steam engine have been greatly improved, and it can definitely reach the standard for practical use.
Yan Liqiang secretly marveled in his heart. Zhang Yourong was indeed Zhang Yourong, but after being exposed by himself, after one year, the steam engine built by Zhang Yourong was already very complete. The steam engine in front of him was built by Qianjitang of the Lingshan School. The steam engine is very close to the structure of the mature single-cylinder steam engine in my mind. Although some details are a bit rough at first glance, the basic mechanical structure and usage functions are fully present.
The steam engine in front of him was operated by two disciples from the Qianji Hall of the Lingshan Sect. Wen Zhaolun was standing next to him, looking with some pride at the iron lump made by the Qianji Hall of the Lingshan Sect. Zhang Yourong had returned to the Qianji Hall before. At that time, he highly admired Yan Liqiang, and once told Wen Zhaolun that Yan Liqiang's skills in the art of detecting objects with mechanisms were unfathomable, and that he might be even better than him. Although Wen Zhaolun had always admired Zhang Yourong's ability, he praised Yan Liqiang for Zhang Yourong. He had some reservations in his heart. Before coming to Ganzhou, he didn't believe that a teenage boy could be as accomplished as Zhang Yourong, the number one master of the mechanism in the Han Empire. But after coming to Ganzhou, After Zhouzhou, he saw Yan Liqiang's skills in archery at Canglong Mountain Tianchi. Wen Zhaolun was indeed impressed by Yan Liqiang and was a little shocked. But when it came to the way of detecting objects with mechanisms, he still felt that Yan Liqiang could not be more powerful than Zhang Yourong. Zhang Yourong said that the machine in front of him The idea of Tie Liao Da was thought up by Yan Liqiang. Even after meeting Yan Liqiang, Wen Zhaolun always felt that Yan Liqiang might just be a blind cat encountering a dead mouse. An idea flashed in his head. The truly powerful people are of course their Qian Ji. Hall Master Zhang.
The expressions and shock on the faces of the people around made Wen Zhaolun, the deputy head of Qianji Hall, very satisfied. I remember that he had almost the same look when he first saw this thing that Zhang Yourong made. The stunned expressions on the faces of all the people In Wen Zhaolun's opinion, it was like a silent compliment to Lingshan Sect and Qianji Hall, which was very useful to him. When Wen Zhaolun's eyes turned to Yan Liqiang's face, the deputy head of Qianji Hall He was slightly stunned, because the look on Yan Liqiang's face did not show the slightest shock, but looked at this "unprecedented" machine made by Qianjitang of the Lingshan Sect with a playful and somewhat scrutinizing look. .
When you see something like this that no one can create, shouldn't you look at it with shock and admiration, looking at it? what does that mean
Wen Zhaolun felt slightly unhappy, "Cough... cough... Mr. Yan, what do you think of this water-fire machine made by our Lingshan Sect Qianjitang?"
The name "water and fire engine" that sounded a little strange to Yan Liqiang was the name given to this steam engine by the Lingshan sect. To put it simply, it was a machine that could be driven by the power of water and fire.
"Brother Zhang is indeed the number one machine master of the Han Dynasty. This... water... water-fire machine built by Qianjitang is definitely the first in the Silver Continent. I admire it, I admire it!" Yan Liqiang praised with a smile.
Hearing what Yan Liqiang said, Wen Zhaolun finally showed a smile on his face, feeling that Yan Liqiang was quite modest.
"Li Qiang, how can I slow down the rotation of this flywheel..." After staring at the steam engine for a long time, Yan Dechang couldn't help but ask a question.
"Oh, it's actually very simple to slow down the flywheel. Look, dad, you can control the valve on the copper pipe. Pull the valve up a little, and the flywheel will slow down. Open it wider, and the flywheel will rotate faster. Some..." Yan Liqiang said as he walked over and did it himself, pulling the steam valve connected to the boiler copper pipe to demonstrate.
Seeing Yan Liqiang's move, Wen Zhaolun and several disciples of the Lingshan Sect beside him were stunned for a moment. They hadn't even said how to control the water and fire machine. How could Yan Liqiang know it at a glance
"Then why can this valve control the speed of the flywheel?" Zhou Tiezhu also scratched his head and asked.
"That's because after the water in the copper water tank is heated, the steam generated will enter the cylinder from the copper pipe. This valve controls the size of the steam in the copper pipe. If the steam is small, the flywheel The speed is slow, the steam is high, and the speed of the flywheel is fast!" Yan Liqiang pointed at the steam engine and explained, "Just be careful when using this thing. If the boiler under the water tank is still burning, the valve cannot be completely closed. After the ventilation valve is closed, a vent switch here must be opened. If all the valves are closed to burn water, the water tank will explode over time, which is very dangerous. If there are people nearby, there may be death or injury... "
"Oh, this thing can also explode?" Zhou Tiezhu asked in surprise.
"certainly!"
Wen Zhaolun was already surprised, because when Qianjitang started researching and manufacturing this thing, as Yan Liqiang said, an accident happened. Fortunately, no one was hurt in that accident. When the boiler exploded, At that time, there was no one around, and he just made a mess in a workshop. From then on, Zhang Yourong thought of installing a vent for the boiler...
"I heard from the hall master that Mr. Yan's attainments in the art of detecting objects with mechanisms are extraordinary. Then Mr. Yan looked at this water and fire machine. Can you guess where our hall master spent the most effort in making this thing?" Wen Zhaolun was a little bit undead. He asked again carefully.
Yan Liqiang smiled slightly and pointed to the inconspicuous condensing device under the cylinder, "The earliest water-fired machines made by your Qianjitang did not have this thing. This thing must have been made by Brother Zhang last, and it was also Zhang. I’ve experimented countless times and spent a lot of time and energy on it, I don’t know if I’m right!”
"Ah..." Wen Zhaolun stared at Yan Liqiang dumbfounded. The disciples of the Lingshan Sect next to him looked at Yan Liqiang, as if they had seen a ghost. The so-called expert can tell if there is anything when he reaches out his hand. Yan Liqiang just said a simple sentence, Wen Zhaolun and several Lingshan Sect disciples were instantly restrained.
"Uncle Qian, do you think the Manufacturing Bureau can also build this thing?" Yan Liqiang turned to Qian Su...
(End of chapter)