Chapter 315 (2/2)
Although there are more people in the mines 40 miles away, the situation is much better. There are more than 100 earth kilns making iron, and more earth kilns are being built.
Iron ore is similar to coal mine. It is also an open-pit mine. Therefore, a piece work system of three people is adopted. Young men are responsible for mining and transporting ore, and strong women are responsible for cleaning, selecting and crushing ore.
In order to reduce transportation, the earth kiln for ironmaking is located by the river at the foot of the mountain. The knocking sound can be heard from a distance, and countless blacksmiths sweat in the straw shed.
Ten thousand blacksmiths and apprentices.
These people first beat the pig iron into long wrought iron bars, then pour the freshly baked pig iron water on them for secondary dissolution, forge and remove impurities after slightly cooling, and finally quench it with urine to turn it into steel.
This is the steel pouring method, but to Qin Huan, a modern man, it is time-consuming, labor-consuming and extremely complex.
But compared with the steel frying method, this is countless times better.
Indeed, the daily output of iron and steel produced by 100000 people has reached 200000 kg, including 100000 kg of wrought iron, 10000 kg of steel and 90000 kg of pig iron.
A month adds up to six million kilograms of steel output, a total of 3000 tons, more than 30000 tons a year, which has exceeded the steel output of Daming in one year.
Moreover, the number of earth kilns is not enough, and a large number of iron ores are piled up in time for smelting, otherwise the output will definitely increase several times.
”Is there no better way to get steel?”
Looking at the old masters, Qin Huan asked helplessly. He really didn't know much about steelmaking.
However, he knew that even if the blast furnace for ironmaking was brought out, it could directly produce wrought iron in large quantities, but it had little effect on steelmaking.
”Back to the king, I heard that there was a simpler way to directly integrate pig iron and cooked iron into steel in Jiangnan.”
”Oh? Do you know the specific method? ” Qin Huan was very happy. If pig iron and cooked iron could be directly integrated into steel, the efficiency would definitely be increased by more than ten times.
”Your Majesty, how can the little old man know this secret? The little old man only heard his father talk about it when he was young.” The old fellow was embarrassed.
”And you? Does anyone know a simpler way? If you know it, say it. Once it can greatly provide the benefits of steelmaking, the king will not only reward 10000 liang of silver and two beauties, but also make him an official. ”
Qin Huan was disappointed. Then he looked at the others and saw that they were silent, so he gritted his teeth and said.
”Your Majesty, I have a secret recipe...”
”King, there are small ones...”
”King...”
Hundreds of old fellow blacksmiths suddenly drew a breath of air. One eye was straight, and suddenly they jumped out of hundreds of people, pushing forward desperately, and the scene was chaotic.