Nanming: I can build wonders

Chapter 92 The Steam Engine

It turned out that with the boring machine, the cylinder of the steam engine was a matter of course.

Therefore, Zheng Kezang wanted to give Su Laocheng a chance to develop the steam engine semi-independently.

"Your Highness, please tell the villain about your inspiration." Su Laocheng was very curious.

"Old Su, have you ever observed that the kettle boils water?" Zheng Kezang asked.

"Reporting to Your Highness, Xiaomin just observed occasionally, and didn't take a closer look." Old Su shook his head hastily.

"Then let me ask you, what happens when the water boils?" Zheng Kezang continued to inspire him.

Old Su recalled it for a while, and then said: "If the water boils, the lid of the pot will be pushed open by the water vapor."

"Yes, then I was thinking, if we can use water power to weave and water power to smelt iron, then can we use water vapor to replace water power." Zheng Kezang explained the principle of the steam engine.

Su Laocheng was lost in thought.

"We can make a device to use water vapor, and let the water vapor drive ships and carriages to run. In the future, ships will no longer need sails, and carriages will no longer need horses!" Zheng Kezang said the bright future of steam engines.

It's just that boiling water in a kettle can produce such a strong power, which really surprised Su Laocheng.

But Zheng Kezang's words still made him feel unbelievable. He couldn't figure out how to use the power generated by boiling water in a kettle to run a boat or a sports car.

But it's not surprising, after all, throughout the ages, I don't know how many people have boiled water, but after thousands of years of human civilization, the steam engine appeared. It would be strange if Su Laocheng could immediately think of the joints.

The steam engine is extremely important to Mingzheng today. Now Mingzheng is short of a source of power. It used to barely survive with water power. Now it is time for the steam engine to enter the stage of history.

Zheng Kezang laughed, it seems that Lao Su still didn't understand his deep meaning, and said with a smile: "Old Su, you may not have noticed it at ordinary times, it is just a kettle to boil water, maybe it is useless, but if we use a sealed iron stove , fill in a large amount of water, and then let all the water vapor flow into a pipe, how powerful will the force it generate be?"

Su Laocheng didn't dare to imagine that he had some clues now, but he just missed the door.

Zheng Kezang decided to give him another hint, then took out a pen and paper, and drew a rough picture.

Zheng Kezang drew a classic structural diagram of a steam engine. The steam generates power to push the piston, and the piston drives the regulating valve to convert the kinetic energy generated by the steam into mechanical energy.

Although this picture is unheard of by Su Laocheng, it is not difficult to understand the remaining mechanical structure after removing the steam boiler, but it seems superfluous at first glance.

But if the power source of the entire structure is not people, but the boiler, then this extra part of the structure appears to be extremely delicate.

Su Laocheng stared round his eyes, unable to believe what he saw.

He swallowed, his palms trembling slightly, having been a craftsman all his life, he knew too well what changes this steam engine would bring.

If the power of the steam engine is strong enough, it doesn’t need to be too strong, as long as it can be compared with manpower, it can replace a lot of manpower, and it is even easier to use than manpower.

After all, people always have ups and downs, and the power is not always balanced, but the steam engine can continue to work with the same power.

"Your Highness, this... is this what you came up with?"

Su Laocheng's voice was trembling, if the content on this picture can be realized, what will the world be like that day!
"You know both the inspiration and the sketch. If you can't make it, let alone a craftsman, I will directly demote you to a third-level craftsman!" Zheng Kezang laughed.

The predecessor of the industry is the handicraft industry. It is not an exaggeration for Su Laocheng to say that they are all top-notch existences in the handicraft industry. Naturally, their sense of smell is more acute than ordinary people. After seeing this blueprint of the steam engine, he immediately realized that this will be a new era. An epoch-making invention.

It will be the greatest honor in his life to be a part of it.

Su Laocheng didn't even have time to thank him, so he happily ran away holding the blueprint.

You know, the person Su Laocheng admires the most is Zheng Kezang, who can make him so excited that he loses his composure in front of Zheng Kezang, which is enough to see how excited he is in his heart.

"Old Su, don't run away, build a steam engine, remember to use today's boring machine!" Zheng Kezang hastily instructed.

"I know, my lord!" Old Su replied, and went into the workshop without looking back.

Zheng Kezang shook his head, his enthusiasm for creation was very high, and he really hoped that he would succeed, so that he would not have to waste his brilliant points.

In fact, the steam structure is not a tall thing. The ancient Egyptians have already used steam engines to open and close the temple gates.

But miniaturization is the problem.

The early steam engines were very rough, and the power was not enough. Watt’s improved steam engine added many other things, such as condensation system, "latent heat" and "specific heat of cylinder material", and then piston technology and sealing technology.

Zheng Kezang also read many novels in his previous life. Regarding steam engines, the most controversial thing is whether to use rubber seals.

In fact, Watt’s first steam engine was not sealed with rubber at all, and the cylinder block was not made out of a boring machine. It was only sealed with sackcloth soaked in oil.

The simplest truth is that Watt’s steam engine was in the middle of the 18th century, but vulcanized rubber was invented in 1839. Before that, what did Watt use?
Of course there were seals in ancient times, but those sealed things are basically static, and the pressure and temperature they need to withstand are also very ordinary.

As for the steam engine, the sealing material has to face high temperature and high pressure, but these are not necessarily rubber.

Moreover, there is no natural rubber in China, but if Zheng Kezang really wants it, he can directly exchange it for rubber trees in the system.

Then promote planting in Luzon.

The climate in Luzon is very suitable for rubber tree plantation, and in later generations, it is a major rubber producer, known for producing various high-quality rubber products to meet customer needs, with an annual output of 54.7861 metric tons.

Among them, Zamboanga and Mindanao are the most suitable for growing rubber.

So Mingzheng is not worried about the sealing problem at all.

The difficulty of early steam engines was never the sealing, but the cylinder block.

It must be able to withstand high pressure, and the machining accuracy is very high.

At that time, in the 17th and 18th centuries, iron pipes were generally knocked out of iron sheathed logs, and the best and most efficient way was to drill them.

Travelers in the novel need to find a solution, one is to smelt fire-strength steel as the material for the cylinder body, and the other is to smelt higher-strength steel as the material for the knife head.

Zheng Kezang has all these, so there is no need to worry.

The most important thing is that Yizhou Island and Luzon are particularly rich in coal resources, which are very suitable for the arrival of the steam age.

Zheng Kezang is gearing up, waiting for steam engines, will trains and ironclad ships be far behind?
(End of this chapter)