diskusbooks Chapter 512: Making an Airship
Chapter 512: Making an Airship
In the workshops in Jing County mining area, busy scenes can be seen everywhere.
Some mature products are being transferred to the Luancheng Workshop New District in an orderly manner.
This is a hotbed of technology and innovation, and every achievement is the result of everyone's hard work.
In his spare time, Mr. Zhao always comes to the workshop to carefully check the production status of various products.
His requirements for craftsmanship were almost harsh, especially in the production of piston steam engines, which he pursued for perfection.
The copper piston and cast iron cylinder liner seemed like a match made in heaven, working perfectly together.
Zhao Sheng stood aside, his eyes focused, looking at the exquisite structure, his heart filled with satisfaction.
It is this ingenious design that has increased the power by 30%, bringing the production efficiency of the entire workshop to a new level.
On this day, sunlight shines through the workshop windows onto the neatly arranged equipment.
Mr. Zhao came to inspect the work as usual, and he turned his attention to the latest research on combustion method.
At this time, workers were adding water to coal powder and carefully making it into coal cake.
Zhao Sheng came closer to observe, carefully checking every step.
The improved combustion method greatly increased the utilization rate of coal. Looking at the smoke rising from the chimney, Zhao Sheng suddenly had an inspiration.
He turned to look at Chang Sun Zhan standing beside him, his expression serious yet tinged with excitement. He said, "Chang Sun Zhan, I'll give you a blueprint later. You'll use it to produce a new type of furnace. I have other important things to do later."
When Chang Sun Zhan heard this, a hint of anticipation flashed in his eyes. He knew very well that every time Zhao Sheng proposed an improvement to the drawings, he would always come up with something new and surprising.
So, he walked forward with a smile, his eyes full of curiosity, and asked, "Sir, are there going to be new products coming out?"
Zhao Sheng looked at Changsun Zhan's eyes that seemed to see through everything, and knew in his heart that he probably guessed what he was thinking.
He raised his hand, pointed his finger at the sky, and said mysteriously, "Build something that can fly into the sky, but this matter must be kept strictly confidential."
When Changsun Zhan heard this, he thought Zhao Sheng was joking and thought that the young master had a new idea.
But since Zhao Sheng specifically asked him to keep it secret, he agreed: "Don't worry, sir, I will absolutely keep this matter a secret."
I thought to myself, "I can't say anything about this. If Mr. Zhao finds out, he'll think I'm spreading rumors and causing trouble."
In fact, what Zhao Sheng was thinking about was the hot air balloon.
Not long ago, he accidentally discovered the method of making water gas, which gave him the idea of making something that could go to the sky.
The process of manufacturing water gas is not simple. First, coal must be placed in the furnace and ignited with fire. Then, air is blown into the bottom of the furnace with a blower to make the coal burn extremely fiercely.
Then stop the blower and spray water vapor from the bottom and top of the furnace in turn.
The injected water vapor reacts miraculously with the hot coal to produce a large amount of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, which are the main components of water gas.
Although Zhao Sheng could not make a blower for the time being, he thought that the heated air flow and the exhaust gas produced by the steam engine could be used as power sources for the blower.
So, with hydrogen and heated carbon monoxide, it seems not difficult to make a hot air balloon.
The first thing that came to Zhao Sheng’s mind was the appearance of the Shuangliu airship.
The airship he carefully designed was a sandwich structure with an inner and outer layer, equipped with a small steam engine that could produce water gas.
This steam engine not only provides power for the propeller, but also cleverly controls the spread of the wings and tail through connecting rods.
However, the biggest challenge facing him was finding a suitable material.
This material must be strong and durable, able to withstand various pressures during flight, and light enough not to affect the flight performance of the airship, but this material is really hard to find.
Coincidentally, during an undercover mission, Zhao Sheng accidentally learned about a magical technology.
It is said that the non-metallic materials produced by this process are lighter than road alloys and extremely strong.
The production process is very simple. First, soda ash and crushed quartz sand are mixed in precise proportions and then carefully fed into the kiln.
Under high temperature, the mixture gradually melts.
The high-temperature molten product slowly flows out from the kiln outlet, passes through the rollers on the mold, and is pressed into blocks or water-quenched into granules.
Next, pour the mixture into a special container, add some additional water and methanol, then add concentrated ammonia and mix thoroughly again.
Finally, place the prepared liquid in a container and wait for it to slowly be poured into the mold to solidify into shape.
Fortunately, all the required materials can be obtained in Luancheng.
Zhao Sheng immediately ordered people to conduct experiments secretly. After many attempts, they actually succeeded in producing this material.
After getting the blueprints drawn by Zhao Sheng, Chang Sun Zhan and his workers spent more than half a month and finally succeeded in making one.
It was a small, self-pressurized furnace equipped with a small steam engine.
In order to maintain strict confidentiality, the location for assembling the airship was chosen in a hidden corner of the Jing County mining area.
After careful construction, the airship finally took shape.
It was built into a double-layer structure, with the steam engine placed at the bottom and two heating devices installed at the front and back.
The device in front is specifically used to produce hot hydrogen, while the steam engine in the back can also produce hot hydrogen when it is in operation.
The cargo area of the entire airship is about two zhang long and one zhang wide. It is equipped with a huge airbag made of newly developed materials, which is twice the size of the airship.
Inside the airbag, the heat distributors are evenly distributed and the whole is in a sealed state, but a lever breathing valve is provided to ensure the pressure inside the airbag is stable.
Finally, the day for the flight test arrived.
The sky is blue and the sun is shining brightly.
Mr. Zhao knew that there were certain risks in this experiment and he valued his life, so he gave Zhao Yongzhu and Gongmen Yijue strict training in advance.
Not only did they become familiar with every structure of the airship, but they were also taught how to fly it.
Gongmen Yijue originally studied manufacturing. When he learned that a test flight was going to be carried out, he volunteered, hoping to repay Zhao Sheng for raising him.
At this time, Gongmen Yijue was standing next to the airship, his face slightly pale, his brows furrowed, and he looked worried.
Before boarding the airship, he kept telling his friends about his final arrangements.
Zhao Sheng saw this and felt a little sorry for him. He stepped forward and gently tried to persuade him:
"Don't be so sad. This airship needs to be parked for a while before it flies to check its airtightness.
Then comes the ascent. It won't fly very high; both the up and down altitudes require testing and training. Today, I'm just checking your operational proficiency."
Gongmen Yijue raised his head, a hint of nervousness and uneasiness in his eyes, and said to Zhao Sheng with a sad face:
"Sir, I know there's no danger. You've explained it to me for a long time, but I still feel a little uncomfortable."
Zhao Sheng smiled and patted Gongmen Yijue's shoulder, comforting him:
"If you're afraid, keep the altitude to 20 feet. When you're brave enough, fly higher. You'll also need to bring two people who know how to operate the boiler with you today."
Zhao Yongzhu, who was standing by, couldn't stand seeing Gongmen Yijue being so cowardly and shouted:
"We're all men, why are you so timid? Look, I'm not afraid."
As he spoke, he patted his chest vigorously, looking fearless.
As the airship began to heat up, soon, the heat rose, and the airship slowly began to rise, and the hemp ropes tied to the airship gradually became tighter.
Perhaps the heat supply was a little too high, the breathing valves at both ends automatically sprayed air out, making a "hissing" sound, as if announcing the start of this flight test.