African Entrepreneurship Record

Chapter 37: Chapter 33: Searching for ”Light

Berlin Power Company.

Located in the east of Berlin, the position here is not prominent. It’s a transitional area between bustling city and suburb. A gray-white building is the office of Berlin Power Company.

After the completion ceremony of the castle, Ernst returned to Berlin because the first outcome of Berlin Power Company had come out.

At Ernst’s suggestion, Berlin Power Company had been focusing on one thing—experimenting with the materials for electric lamp filaments.

Ernst remembered Edison’s example of improving the electric lamp, experimenting with many materials, finally choosing carbonized cotton fibers, and later switching to bamboo fibers, which provided some convenience to the staff.

Ernst walked into the company, inquired with the employees, and learned that Karl von Linde was in the laboratory. Ernst went to the lab door and pushed it open.

The laboratory was filled with tangled wires, and various experimental equipment was scattered about. Ernst carefully stepped over various apparatuses and saw Karl von Linde sitting in a chair, drawing on a blueprint.

Ernst dared not disturb Karl von Linde, as the imagination of a genius is most valuable. If he interrupted Karl von Linde’s precious thoughts due to carelessness, it would be a great loss.

Ernst quietly found a chair, sat down gently, and waited for Karl von Linde to finish his work.

In the tranquil laboratory, only the ticking of the clock and the scratching sound of pencils on paper could be heard.

No one knows how long passed, but Ernst was about to fall asleep. Suddenly, he heard the sound of paper being organized as Karl von Linde stretched lazily and yawned.

It was then that Karl von Linde, having completed his work, noticed that there was another person in the laboratory.

”Your Highness Ernst, why have you come? I’m really sorry; I was too focused on work and didn’t notice your arrival!”

Ernst stood up, stretched his muscles, and said, ”Mr. Linde, why don’t you call someone to clean up? The laboratory is too messy; wouldn’t that affect your research?”

Karl von Linde explained, ”Well, the thing is, I can only better organize my thoughts when I’m alone, so I usually don’t let others enter my room. Moreover, these instruments and tools are part of the experiment, and there are too few people in the company skilled in this area, or not professional enough. I’m worried they might mess with the instruments and disrupt some of my experiments.

Of course, I also want to work in a neat environment, but scientific research work is like this—sudden bursts of inspiration and some experimental validation make more and more instruments and wires accumulate, so I simply gave up the thought of tidying the laboratory.” Karl von Linde explained.

”I see!” Ernst suddenly realized that the world of a genius is indeed extraordinary, while some people are simply lazy.

”Mr. Linde, if there’s anything you need, just tell me in advance. Of course, the main reason I came today is to check on the electric lamp!” Ernst said.

Upon hearing Ernst say this, Karl von Linde began to show Ernst the results.

”Your Highness Ernst, please follow me!”

So, under Karl von Linde’s guidance, they passed through the stairs and turned into a laboratory on the first floor, where several staff were refining something using a furnace, which Ernst guessed was material processing.

Karl von Linde came to the shelf, took down a box filled with oval glass balls, with peculiar hand-crafted filaments inside.

”Mo Gengsi, come over and demonstrate!” Karl von Linde called a staff member over.

The employee demonstrated the operating principle of the bulb to Ernst.

”Boss, this is the socket. The bottom of this bulb is a plug. We directly plug this bulb into the socket, and the current passes through the internal filament, emitting light...”

As he spoke, he plugged the bulb into the socket, and the bulb immediately lit up, the filament glowing red, emitting a glaring pale yellow light.

Waiting for a moment, as there was no abnormality in the light, the staff breathed a sigh of relief.

Ernst asked, ”How long can this lamp last?”

”About six hours!” the staff replied.

Karl von Linde explained, ”Your Highness Ernst, it’s like this. After you provided the right direction, we’ve indeed produced a finished product. But certain hardware is difficult to achieve with current scientific developments.”

”For example, the filament of this bulb requires a completely vacuum environment to function effectively, but current era’s vacuum technology can’t achieve this. There are no instruments or patents available on the market meeting this purpose, so we have to make do.”

Ernst asked, ”Is there a solution?”

”That’s what I wanted to mention. Currently, I’m specializing in improving the existing vacuum technology, researching for it these days, although there hasn’t been much substantive progress yet.”

Rubbing his chin thoughtfully, Ernst considered. While Karl von Linde had many achievements in the field of electrical applications, when it came to sophisticated instruments, the team of Leno researched internal combustion engines daily, which required extreme airtightness and reliability, leaving no room for error, making their mechanical research more specialized.

So, he proposed, ”How about this, Mr. Linde? Vacuum technology demands high precision on the devices. You know I own another energy power company. Their researchers have long engaged with machinery and require very high precision and quality. We could ask if they have any solutions!”

Karl von Linde agreed, as it was difficult for a single person to handle this matter, especially in a less familiar area.

Thus, Ernst and Karl von Linde took a carriage to the nearby Berlin Energy Power Company headquarters. It was now afternoon, and Leno and others had not yet left.

”Mr. Leno!”

Ernst called over Leno and others.

”Your Highness Ernst, what instructions does the company have today?”

”Well, it’s like this...”

Ernst explained the situation Karl von Linde encountered to Leno and others, while introducing the senior management of the two companies to each other.

”Is that so?” Leno, after listening, took out a sheet of paper and started drawing. After a while, he asked, ”Mr. Linde, could you lend me your blueprints for a look?”

Fortunately, Ernst and Linde had brought Linde’s research documents with them, and they handed them to Leno.

As the time ticked by, Leno suddenly had an epiphany.

”This idea is great, Mr. Linde, it’s feasible, but we need to adjust the focus. The breakthrough point in the problem now isn’t in structure but material development. I happen to have some experience here.”

Thus, the heavyweights from two different fields happily discussed the matter, joined by Benz and others. In the heat of their discussions, the blueprints were repeatedly overturned and redrawn.

Unconsciously, the group talked until night, with the moon high in the sky. Ernst, less adept academically, could only order a cup of coffee, waiting for the bigshots to finish their discussion.

”...This solves the final issue, Mr. Linde!” Leno said excitedly.

”Great! This solves the biggest obstacle on the path to improving the electric lamp. Thank you so much, Mr. Leno!” Linde also said excitedly.

Finally, Leno, Linde, and others concluded that the improved vacuum technology would require at least three months of experimentation to turn the principle into reality, and both parties agreed to a temporary collaboration.

The patent for the new technology would be jointly applied for by all researchers, with ownership residing in Heixinggen Bank, which could enjoy a twenty percent share in the future.