Chapter 224: Chapter 220 New Steam Turbine
The issue with the transmission shaft of the Flying Airship made Perfikot realize that without the industrial strength support of the Victor Empire’s mainland, the Airship, which seemed beautiful and powerful, also faced many problems.
Although alchemy could be used to make up for the lack of machining precision, mechanical processing involves more than just solving the problem of processing precision.
"Perhaps I should contact the Empire’s mainland and have the Navy set up the shipyard they promised?" Perfikot thought about this question while having a not-so-plentiful dinner.
According to the discussions at the Privy Council meetings, the Empire will try its best to establish a complete industrial system in the Northern Territories this year, with the Navy promising to move part of the Royal Shipyard there.
This part was originally scheduled for the latter half of the entire plan, according to which the related supporting industries would be set up in the Northern Territory first before moving the shipyard there, but now it seems Perfikot may need to set up a maintenance factory in the Northern Territory first.
However, this is not a big problem; just adjusting the order of some projects can solve this issue.
And after understanding the progress of related projects in the Northern Territory, Perfikot also intends to adjust the sequence of some plans because she wants to apply large-scale autonomous machinery in the Northern Territory, and if she wants to build the shield machine, certain supporting industries do need to be set up first.
After all, without the relevant mechanical processing capabilities, she couldn’t make many large-scale autonomous machines just by handcrafting them.
Thinking of this, she couldn’t help but look at Professor Archibald beside her and asked him, "Professor, I heard from Grandpa Fu that you completed the improvement of the new steam turbine this winter, is that true? Can you tell me more about it?"
"Yes, Count!" Professor Archibald was pleased when Perfikot inquired about the project progress and put down the utensils in his hands cheerfully. He took a sip of his drink to clear his mouth before saying to Perfikot, "During this winter, I mainly completed the improvements in materials and structure of the new steam turbine as you instructed, Count.
The formula adjustment of the new materials has been completed. The adjusted nickel-chromium alloy can now perfectly meet the usage requirements, and the prototype previously tested can now run continuously for over 128 hours."
Running continuously for 128 hours, which is almost five days, is not quite up to Perfikot’s ideal state, but it is already very good.
So Perfikot nodded with satisfaction and praised Professor Archibald, "That is an impressive figure, Professor, you truly deserve the credit."
"You flatter me, Count. I have merely made some improvements upon your research results, which do not deserve your praise," Professor Archibald did not get conceited because of this.
He is well aware that the formula for the new nickel-chromium alloy material was given by Perfikot, and the prototype design of the new steam turbine was also completed by her. He just made some improvements.
Although Perfikot can certainly praise him for his significant contributions, admitting so himself would be somewhat naive and shameless.
"No, no, although these projects were proposed by me, I really didn’t have enough energy to complete them. Your realization of them is inseparable from your hard work this winter, Professor, so you don’t have to be so humble." Perfikot, not overlooking Professor Archibald’s contributions, thanked him again and then asked, "Then how much is the output power of the new steam turbine now? What can it do?"
Completing the predetermined design goals is just one part; whether it can meet the power requirements is what Perfikot cares about the most.
Although she had opened a new page in the Jade Record by mounting the new steam turbine on the Steam Knight armor, the significance of the new steam turbine is much more than that.
Moreover, the new steam turbine she applied to the Steam Knight armor was a smaller model with reduced output, much smaller in power compared to the prototypes Professor Archibald was responsible for, and naturally different in application scope.
Therefore, Perfikot was very concerned about how much improvement Professor Archibald’s modifications achieved and whether they met her expectations.
"The latest prototype can now achieve an output power of 220 horsepower. We tried installing it in a coal mine shaft, and its working state is excellent, with very good results." Professor Archibald mentioned this with a very proud expression on his face.
Perfikot was surprised to hear this. Although Professor Archibald had said before she left the Northern Territory that he could make the new steam turbine achieve an output power of 200 horsepower, that was only theoretical data. The prototype at the time only had an output power of 50 horsepower, a significant gap from 200 horsepower.
Now, seeing Professor Archibald manage to improve the output power so much, it was clear that he put considerable effort and diligence into this winter’s work.
"Thank you for your efforts, Professor," Perfikot raised her glass in gratitude to Professor Archibald.
Professor Archibald, somewhat overwhelmed, hurriedly raised his own glass and gently clinked it with Perfikot’s.
"Professor, could you give me a copy of the blueprints for the new steam turbine? I’d like to see if there are any areas that can be further improved." Perfikot put down her glass and then requested the design drawings from Professor Archibald.
She intended to use the Eye of Omniscience to optimize the blueprints and then apply it to large-scale autonomous machinery.
Originally, Perfikot wasn’t planning to do this because she wanted to optimize the design of large-scale autonomous machinery. Given that this technology is somewhat ahead of the current era, without the Eye of Omniscience, even Perfikot didn’t have enough confidence.
However, when she heard that the damage to the Airship affected her territory’s food supply, she suddenly realized that the industrial base in the Northern Territory was too weak. Before the entire industrial system is established and the Northern Territory possesses adequate industrial strength, large-scale autonomous machinery is merely a beautiful vision.
Even if she managed to create it, it would face the same awkward problem as the Airship: being unrepairable after damage.
It’s important to remember that large-scale autonomous machinery has a far more complex structure than the Airship. If even the Airship’s transmission shaft couldn’t be repaired, how could they manage large-scale autonomous machinery?
Perfikot is not someone who believes in having equipment that can be used eternally without maintenance and repair; she is acutely aware that the more precise the equipment, the more attention and care it requires in maintenance and repair.
So, building a solid industrial base should come first before considering anything else.