Electric Arc Steelmaking Method

After Hans's little episode ended, let us shift the scene to just after trade had begun.

The trade brought by commerce drew many people here. Lynn's Aningsbe could now purchase minerals such as iron ore, coal mines, and copper mines.

The output and feel of Slime cloth, along with how especially hard-wearing it was, also attracted human caravans. Lynn had accomplished his plan: commercial trade.

This allowed Lynn to exchange goods through commerce for the supplies he needed.

Once trade was underway, Lynn could not wait to begin researching muskets and cannons.

The only reason he had not researched them before was that he simply had no resources and no money.

Now, however, he did. Slime cloth had a high output—three hundred bolts a day—and with the intake of population, the purchase of Magic Beasts as power sources, and the construction of waterwheels as alternative power sources, production was still increasing.

The technology behind muskets and cannons was simple in some ways and difficult in others.

Lynn took the lead in establishing a research department dedicated to studying such things.

Though Lynn claimed not to understand technology, it was not as if he knew nothing at all.

For instance, he knew the Blast Furnace Principle for mass-producing steel, as well as how to obtain Low Carbon Steel, High Carbon Steel, and the like.

He also knew how to strengthen muskets and cannons. For example, using a single solid steel block and then machining it through cutting processes could greatly increase its strength.

Cannons could be cast from bronze. Through trade, some Demi-humans had already begun selling Copper Mines.

Not every one of these problems was solved by Lynn alone. He merely provided a line of thought and had them research in that direction.

Inside the research department founded by Lynn, he spoke as he wrote on the blackboard, "We need to make steel—refine steel. Does anyone have any ideas?"

The Dwarves were somewhat confused. Smith raised his hand and asked, "Grand Commander, we already know how to forge steel. Why are you calling it steelmaking now?"

Lynn shook his head and sketched the steelmaking method he remembered on the blackboard. "The steel we want to make must be formed directly, and made in large quantities."

"I have a steelmaking method in mind called the Blast Furnace and Converter Steelmaking Method."

"It goes like this. First, we need to obtain coke. Then we use the gas produced by the coke to melt iron ore and Pig Iron, obtaining Molten Iron. After that, we add it to a converter and continue heating it, while injecting oxygen into it so it reacts with the carbon. Then we can obtain Low Carbon Steel and High Carbon Steel."

"Melt it into Molten Iron and add oxygen?" Russ tilted his head. "Does the converter need to spin?"

Lynn nodded. "Yes, more or less."

"When you Dwarves forge steel, you repeatedly hammer it to drive out impurities. But there is actually a better way: drive out the impurities directly while it is still Molten Iron. In other words, mix the carbon with oxygen."

"Even if you do not fully understand it, I can guarantee that my idea is correct. What I want to ask everyone here is whether you have any good methods for making steel."

"Making large quantities of steel in a short time."

Lynn was the sort of outsider who knew a little bit about everything. What he remembered was a layer of coke, a layer of Pig Iron, then melting it into Molten Iron. He had already drawn it out; it was roughly that method.

"Oh, and Refractory Materials are also a key part of these techniques," Lynn added.

Smith raised his hand. "Grand Commander, do we only need to melt it completely into Molten Iron?"

Lynn nodded.

"Grand Commander, Refractory Materials are not a problem. We all know how to make them."

"But what exactly is coke? We really do not know. Could we use Magic Runes instead?"

Standing to one side, Dania pointed out, "Master, Magic Arrays can only withstand limited temperatures as well. How are we supposed to develop High-Temperature Resistant Magic Array Material?"

"Magic Arrays really cannot be used for this. I still remember the technique for making coke: put coal into a Coke Oven and heat it to one thousand degrees—the temperature used to melt bronze." Lynn began explaining the coke-making process.

"Then I also remember a method of making steel: one layer of coke, one layer of iron, then heat it, and you can obtain Molten Iron."

"I called you here mainly to think of a good method for making steel more simply and efficiently."

Lilim looked at the steelmaking method above and said, "In that case, why not use electricity to make steel?"

Having grown familiar with everyone and gotten along with them for so long, Lilim was already having trouble keeping up her act. Every so often, she would do something airheaded.

When Lilim and Lynn first met years ago, Lynn had thought he had encountered an angel. As it turned out, she was a disappointment-type character.

Lynn was somewhat speechless. "I cannot make Graphite Electrodes, though generating electricity can be solved with magic."

Lilim took out a magic wand and inscribed Magic Runes onto it on the spot. Then she casually grabbed a sword, stuck it into the ground, and ran several meters away.

"If it needs to withstand high temperatures, then we can buy expensive magic wands and inscribe Protective Magic and Output Runes on them."

Lilim directly discharged electricity from several meters away. Crackling lightning burst into sparks, frightening everyone into taking a step back.