System: Build My Own Territory

Chapter 115: Chapter 114: Iron-Making Blast Furnace (3K)

After all the linen was unloaded and a few sacks of fine salt were loaded onto the carriage, Boer left.

He left with an expression of excitement and surprise.

Even frequently tugging the reins, urging the carriage, making the draft horse accelerate continuously.

Because before leaving, Master Lynn told him that he could transport any goods to this territory.

To trade them for processed fine salt!

For a small traveling merchant like him, this was undoubtedly a way to make a fortune...

No.

To be precise, it was an opportunity to change destiny!

The market demand for fine salt has always been high and has consistently been on the rise.

As long as he returns to Morgan Town to sell these fine salts.

The profits earned would be more than enough for him to exchange all his carriages for dual-horse drawn carriages!

Then purchase various goods from different places and bring them to Lynn’s territory for barter.

Just like a snowball, growing bigger and bigger!

Thinking of this, Boer smiled even more happily...

...

After watching Boer leave, Lynn retracted his gaze.

Boer’s arrival was good news for him.

He needed many local traveling merchants like Boer.

Because local traveling merchants only acquire and sell goods locally, which means primarily agricultural products.

He needed slave labor, but he also needed many crops just the same!

Grain crops, vegetable crops, cash crops, and fruit crops, etc...

He needed them all!

The territory is just getting started and is completely starting from zero.

Naturally, there would be many shortcomings in planting.

This is inevitable.

Before these shortcomings were addressed in the territory, he can completely purchase from other merchants!

As for the existence of fine salt, whether this information would be exposed.

Lynn would worry, but he also didn’t need to worry.

Because, as long as a competent merchant learned that a territory was selling fine salt, merchants would all choose to keep it confidential without prior agreement.

Even if relying on his own ability, he cannot consume all the fine salt the Lord sells.

Merchants are also unwilling to disclose this intelligence information.

Otherwise, wouldn’t it just increase market competition?

...

Suppressing his thoughts, Lynn looked towards Kuisi.

He spoke, ”Arrange for a few people to start retting those four thousand pounds of linen.”

Turning linen into Linen Cloth is not just about directly weaving it; several steps are required.

Firstly, the seeds need to be removed from the flax; flaxseeds can be used for oil pressing and retained for next season’s planting.

Secondly, retting, soaking the flax in water and waiting for the pectin and other substances in the flax stems to gradually decompose under the action of microorganisms in the water, allowing the fibers to separate.

Only the flax fibers are needed for weaving.

This process takes about a month.

After that, the fibers need washing and combing to make them straight and uniform.

Finally comes the weaving into Linen Cloth!

Even though the process is lengthy, Lynn still instructed Kuisi to start preparing.

The textile industry is an essential industry for the development of a territory.

Kuisi responded, ”Okay, Master Lynn.”

Many people in the territory are villagers, so retting flax is not difficult for them.

After giving instructions, Lynn strode towards the Blacksmith Shop.

Ehrelo saw Lynn and quickly came out to greet him, ”Master Lynn? Is there a new task?”

Lynn responded, ”Yes, call out your idle apprentices.”

Hearing Master Lynn’s words, Ehrelo did not immediately comprehend.

But soon.

He answered twice, hurried into the Blacksmith Shop, and called out thirty Blacksmith Apprentices.

Lynn looked at the puzzled faces of Ehrelo and the apprentices.

Thirty laborers were enough.

Ehrelo curiously asked, ”Master Lynn, you are going to...”

Lynn explained, ”Build a blast furnace for iron smelting!”

Ehrelo still looked puzzled and confused.

Though he is a blacksmith, he had never heard of the term.

For iron smelting?

Without waiting for Ehrelo to continue asking, Lynn divided the thirty people into three batches.

Ten people went to the vacant wasteland beside the Blacksmith Shop, clearing the ground of weeds, roots, stones, and other debris to ensure the ground was level.

Then, dig a two-meter-deep, twenty-square pit as the foundation pit for the blast furnace!

Ten people went to the kiln and lime pit to transport Red Bricks, lime, and sand as bricklaying materials.

The last ten were responsible for building the blast furnace for iron smelting.

The members of the Blacksmith Shop were naturally brawny and of excellent physique.

Because they needed to rush to make various iron products every day, Lynn even had the cook prepare an extra meal of meat for them separately.

Otherwise, they wouldn’t have the continuous energy to work.

Within an hour, a pit had already been excavated.

Materials for constructing the blast furnace were also delivered.

Under Lynn’s leadership, the blacksmith apprentices began building the walls.

[Construction Experience +1]

[Construction Experience +1]

[Construction Experience +1]

...

The knowledge of building a blast furnace continuously emerged and quickly integrated in Lynn’s mind.

A properly functioning blast furnace for iron smelting reaches temperatures of over a thousand degrees and can be dangerous with the slightest mistake.

Therefore, the foundation for constructing the blast furnace is extremely important.

This is why Lynn instructed the apprentices to dig a two-meter deep pit until they reached the hard soil layer.

Using a mixture of lime and sand as an adhesive, the red bricks were laid using overlapping seams to build the lowest foundational platform, raising it above ground level.

During this process, Lynn kept a close eye on the levelness of the foundation platform.

After confirming there were no abnormalities, Lynn then allowed the apprentices to begin constructing the furnace body.

The construction of the blast furnace body involves shaping the inner layer of the furnace walls, the tuyeres, reinforcing the outer walls, constructing the furnace top, connecting the blowing equipment, and creating both the tap hole and slag hole.

The concept in Lynn’s mind for the furnace wall’s thickness was to build up to half a meter with red bricks and then layer by layer ram down clay.

The thicker the furnace wall, the more effectively it can prevent heat loss and the leakage of harmful gases.

The clay extracted from the Acadia River is rich in alumina, eliminating concerns about the high heat of anthracite causing the clay to detach or burn away.

As Lynn was constructing a medium-sized blast furnace, he allocated ten tuyeres at the base on land.

Ensuring anthracite can burn thoroughly...

Time flew by, and in no time, it was afternoon.

The apprentices were already working on reinforcing the outer layer of the blast furnace with clay.

Because the entire construction utilized red bricks, there were virtually no gaps in the furnace body.

Until nightfall arrived.

Despite Lynn’s guidance and the collaborative effort of thirty apprentices,

the ten-meter-high blast furnace had only completed a main structure.

Further construction is needed for the furnace top, blowing equipment, and both the tap hole and slag hole...

One can see the difficulty and complexity of constructing a blast furnace.

And that’s with Lynn possessing the complete construction memory and knowledge of a high-quality blast furnace.

If it were someone else, it’s unimaginable.

The iron smelting technology in this world truly is too backward.

The next morning, bright and early.

Lynn, after having breakfast, arrived at the Blacksmith Shop.

Ehrelo was already there with thirty blacksmith apprentices, waiting.

Upon seeing Lynn, they all bowed in salute.

Lynn nodded, ”Let’s continue. Next, we’ll be constructing the furnace top!”

Constructing the blast furnace top is not easy.

A special charging opening, observation ports, and exhaust vents, among other things, need to be present.

Lynn decided on a dome-shaped furnace top, which can leverage support so that no matter how high the temperature inside, it won’t cave in.

Because it was a medium-sized blast furnace, manual blowing would be impossible to ignite the large amount of anthracite efficiently, even if the blacksmith apprentices exhausted themselves.

Lynn’s idea was to use a water-powered waterwheel-driven blowing device!

This is the advantage of having a territory near a medium-sized river.

There is an inexhaustible source of water and unending hydropower!

Finally, the most important aspects are the tap hole and slag hole.

Of course, the tap hole is for releasing the refined molten iron and can only be set at the very base of the furnace.

The slag hole is also at the base.

The slag and molten iron naturally layer, needing only periodic cleaning.

Until dusk again.

A blast furnace ten meters tall with an internal diameter of four meters and a half-meter thick wall stood beside the Blacksmith Shop.

Because it was dusk, the golden sunset enveloped the entire blast furnace.

The golden hue also held a faint grayish-white tint!

This medium-sized blast furnace, when calculated based on the density of piled iron ore, can accommodate one hundred thousand pounds of iron ore at once!

The only thing missing now is the waterwheel blowing.

However, with the experienced Colin in building waterwheels, everything is not a problem.

Compared to Lynn’s casual and calm demeanor, excitement filled Colin’s face behind him.

Has it finally been completed?

During the construction over these days, he listened as Master Lynn described it.

With this blast furnace, the efficiency of iron smelting would double!

As a blacksmith himself, he naturally knows how low the yield of normal iron smelting is.

A small iron workshop often needs days or even weeks, using the bloomery process, to get only one to two hundred pounds of malleable iron from a thousand pounds of iron ore!

This is assuming the iron ore has few impurities.

If the ore contains many impurities, the amount of malleable iron might not even reach a hundred pounds!

Ehrelo also understands that the yield of iron isn’t just this simple...

The method of smelting, fuel temperature, and iron content in the ore all limit iron output.

But Master Lynn said this blast furnace could double the output!

If it truly can, then Master Lynn is set to revolutionize the entire forging industry!

Ehrelo is filled with anticipation!

...

The next morning.

Lynn arrived at the riverside of the Acadia River.

Colin was already there with dozens of apprentices, completing the final touches of the dock.

Upon seeing Lynn, Colin quickly bent and said, ”Master Lynn.”

Lynn nodded, ”The Blacksmith Shop has established a blast furnace. I need you to construct a waterwheel for the blowers’ operation.”

Colin turned his head and glanced into the distance.

Though the dock is some distance from the Blacksmith Shop,

the ten-meter height of the blast furnace is clearly visible at a glance.

Colin had no hesitation, ”Of course, Master Lynn, the final touches on the dock can be completed today.”

Lynn nodded in satisfaction, ”Then construct two pulley system supports.”

The pulleys left from constructing the city wall can be directly used at the dock.

Using iron hooks and ropes, crates of iron ore can be hoisted from barges onto the dock!

Moreover, only need to construct a wooden pulley system support.

It both saves effort and changes the direction of force, making it easier for iron ore to be brought ashore.

Now the only thing to consider is the connection of the blowing equipment and the blast furnace through pipes!