Daming 1805

Chapter 401 The Cascading Effects of Basic Craft Upgrades

The development speed of Daming's large-scale electroslag remelting furnace exceeded Zhu Jingyuan's expectations.

It should be because it was already 60s when the electroslag remelting technology of Zhu Jingyuan's previous life was applied.

At that time, battleships had been eliminated, and there was no immediate demand for large tonnage for the production of large-caliber naval guns.

One or two tons of electroslag furnaces are enough for the army's artillery.

In the current Ming Dynasty, the direct purpose of the emergence of electroslag remelting technology is to solve the problem that the performance of large-caliber naval guns of battleships is not up to standard. From the very beginning, it went straight to large tonnage.

The key is to have the mature experience provided by Zhu Jingyuan, skipping a lot of exploration and trial and error.

From the beginning of the experiment to the present, a total of more than three years, the [-]-ton electroslag furnace has been completed
The [-]-ton electroslag furnace that is being researched is estimated to be completed in two or three years.

Zhu Jingyuan had already received the news when the stove and artillery experiments were successful.

When I finally saw the actual artillery today, I was quite emotional.

This new artillery has a caliber of 420 meters, and the barrel length is fifty times that of the caliber, which is 21 meters.

Ten adults can be stuffed directly into the barrel.

A gun barrel is 120 tons. The gun barrel uses a three-layer nested structure inside and outside, and one gun is made of three furnaces of steel.

The rifled inner layer, which wears the most in use, can be removed and replaced individually.

But also in the factory.

Heat the outer tube to expand, pull out the inner tube, replace it with a new inner tube, and tighten it again after cooling.

So naval guns still have spare barrels.

Using electroslag remelting steel that was not used by all battleships in Zhu Jingyuan's previous life, the performance of this gun far exceeds that of the same level of artillery in history.

With the weight of the 460mm Iowa-class naval gun, it has achieved the performance of the [-]mm Yamato gun.

Originally in history, Yamato's 460mm caliber main gun, the armor-piercing projectile weighed only 460 kilograms.

This 420 mm caliber gun can fire [-] kilograms of armor-piercing shells, and the shells fly out at a higher speed than the armor-piercing shells of Yamato cannons.

Just keeping this state will speed up the rifling wear rate of the gun barrel, reducing the life of the inner tube of the gun to the level of the drug-addicted gun of the Italian Veneto-class battleship.

Normal battleship gun life is usually 150 to [-] rounds, Veneto has less than [-] rounds.

If the same ammunition-to-weight ratio of the Iowa class is used, and 360 kilograms of shells are used, the barrel life will obviously exceed the design index, at least more than [-] rounds, and it may exceed [-] rounds.

After listening to Li Rui's explanation, Zhu Jingyuan asked subconsciously:
"What about a compromise? What kind of effect can be achieved by slightly reducing the weight of the shell?"

Li Rui hesitated for a moment:
"In fact, my subordinates have estimated similar data based on the existing experimental data. If the weight of the shell drops below 450 kilograms, the barrel life of the gun should be more than [-] rounds."

Zhu Jingyuan nodded subconsciously:
"Isn't that great? Why not test it as the main verification goal?
"Also, I see that Li Gong is still hesitating, is there any problem?
"We've been working together for such a long time, what are you jealous about?"

Li Rui is an official who was born as a craftsman, and his personality is relatively straightforward. When he first met Zhu Jingyuan, he still directly reported his family when faced with a slightly sensitive issue.

Now Li Rui didn't have much hesitation, so he directly talked about a small problem in his department:

"Some craftsmen questioned my decision-making, and I shouldn't have used the compromised 120 tons as the target tonnage.

"If you choose a target tonnage of 110 tons, it may be just right for a thousand 360 kg armor-piercing projectile.

"If you continue to zoom in and choose 130 tons, it may be just right for a [-]-kilogram shell.

"So some craftsmen asked to modify the indicators of the artillery and remanufacture this batch of artillery."

Even if a large-caliber battleship gun is manufactured with mature technical indicators, the pure manufacturing time will be calculated on a monthly basis.

If the indicators are revised and the production is re-tested, it will not be a problem to toss for a year or so.

The cost of additional waste can be a very high number.

More importantly, the design of Daming's [-]-ton battleship has been completed, and the shipyard has started construction of the hull.

The most important part of a battleship is the naval gun.

The size and weight of a naval gun are the most important indicators on a battleship.

At this time, the design index of the naval gun is modified, and the index of the turret is also modified and tested again.

In the end, it is not only a problem of cost waste, but more importantly, it may affect the ship loading schedule.

There are even additional requirements to modify the design of the warship, which will slow down the construction period of the warship.

This is a problem for Li Rui.

Zhu Jingyuan looked around and deliberately asked directly:

"Because Li Gong, you have been promoted to the sixth level in seven years, and you have directly worked as a servant from the principal, so is anyone jealous?"

Li Rui didn't answer, almost acquiescing.

There is no way to answer this kind of question, and neither the pros nor the negative can get real evidence.

So Zhu Jingyuan looked around, stood firmly for Li Rui, and continued quite loudly:

"The shell weight of [-] kilograms is just a direction I mentioned casually at the beginning.

"Actually, I didn't expect it to be realized at the time, and it was really possible to use shells of the level of [-] kilograms.

"I gave a direction for everyone to work hard based on the idea that those who seek the best will get the best.

"I think the weight of the gun body is quite appropriate at 120 tons, and I am very satisfied with the performance obtained so far.

"Next, the shell weight will be slightly reduced, and the shooting accuracy and rifling wear tests will continue.

"This time I will give an accurate figure, the armor-piercing projectile weighs [-] kilograms.

"Also reduce the muzzle velocity a bit, somewhere between 760 and 780 m/s.

"Under this tonnage, reducing the muzzle velocity may not significantly reduce the power.

"Even, the ballistic curvature of the shell will be greater, and the horizontal penetration at long distances should increase.

"We have 420mm naval guns, and the combat range of this type of battleship may start from [-] kilometers.

"At this distance, shells hitting the vertical main armor of the enemy ship's side will become very weak.

"On the contrary, it will be more effective if the ceiling hits the deck."

No one around said anything alone, everyone knew that Zhu Jingyuan was standing for Li Rui.

Li Rui himself understood it completely, so he was clearly agitated:

"Your Highness, if the muzzle velocity of the muzzle is reduced in this way and the weight of the shell itself is reduced, then according to the existing implementation standards for the life of the rifling of the inner tube, the life of more than 250 rounds will definitely be achieved.

"And your theory is completely correct. Lowering the muzzle velocity and long-distance lobbing can indeed increase the penetration ability of the horizontal armor of the enemy ship under the influence of the acceleration of gravity."

Zhu Jingyuan wasn't entirely out to give Li Rui a platform, it was a natural decision-making idea.

If the parameters have been adjusted and the trial production of the 120-ton naval gun has been completed, it must be replaced with a similar 110-ton or 130-ton naval gun, and the parameters and trial production must be re-set.

Whoever wants to rework for this indicator must be held accountable.

The point is that the power of this level of naval guns is actually quite sufficient, surpassing the world by ten to 20 years.

The two indicators given by Zhu Jingyuan are basically based on the historical Yamato 460mm gun.

Yamato's Type 46 [-]cm naval gun is the most powerful naval gun that Zhu Jingyuan actually served in his previous life.

Now that Daming's cannon is built, it directly matches the limit data of the previous life.

Moreover, the weight of the Yamato cannon is 160 tons, and Zhu Jingyuan's current cannon weighs only 120 tons.

If a ship was equipped with nine guns, the weight of the gun barrel itself would be directly off by [-] tons.

In addition, the barrel is a lot lighter, so the weight of the turret will also be reduced a lot.

In the case of approximately the same power, the weight of the artillery group can directly save one thousand to two thousand tons.

Zhu Jingyuan visited the artillery proving ground with his grandfather and watched the actual target shooting test.

The maximum range of this level of artillery is more than [-] kilometers, and the actual combat range is also more than [-] kilometers.

In fact, the target cannot be seen with the naked eye at all, and it is difficult to observe with a telescope.

Zhu Jingyuan and Zhu Zhongliang came to inspect to cheer up the workers and craftsmen.

During the actual test, Zhu Jingyuan was mainly discussing with Li Rui to understand the various indicators they had actually measured.

According to Zhu Jingyuan's understanding, the accuracy of this artillery also exceeds that of the battleships of World War II.

The fundamental reason is the improvement of the technological level, it enjoys the technology that no battleship in history has enjoyed.

After the test, Zhu Jingyuan and Zhu Zhongliang took a group photo in front of the displayed artillery barrel together with Li Rui, Wang Lai and other ordnance department officials and master craftsmen.

The next day Zhu Jingyuan and his grandfather followed Li Rui and Wang Lai to the equally important boiler and turbine factory.

Zhu Jingyuan was also a little surprised and moved by the situation here.

The role of electroslag remelted steel is widespread in the entire high-end industrial system, and it also plays a role in boilers and turbines.

The latest, fully enclosed supercharged small water tube split boiler, the power of a single boiler has reached [-] horsepower.

In this way, eight boilers can achieve a power of 20 shaft horsepower.

At the same time, comprehensive weight reduction has been achieved in all aspects of the power system such as pipelines, valves, gears, bearings, and spindles.

In the end, the total weight of the 20-horsepower power system expected to be used on a [-]-ton battleship is only [-] tons.

The unit power reached fifty horsepower per ton.

The key is that there is no downgrade to use the cruiser level indicator.

The reliability indicators of each design still exceed the standard of the [-]-ton battleship power group before the technology upgrade.

Zhu Jingyuan looked at those huge machines, and listened to Li Rui's introduction of these data, and recalled the data he saw in his previous life again.

Yamato's power system is 15 tons, with a total power of [-] horsepower.

Iowa's power system is 21 tons, with a total power of [-] horsepower.

Now Daming's boiler and turbine technical indicators have directly tied the United States in the late World War II.

In fact, it should be that the design level and experience have not yet reached, but the production process has already exceeded.

In the next decade or so, Ming's industrial level will experience leapfrog development, and it should be able to quickly rise to the Cold War era.

On the third day, Zhu Jingyuan and Zhu Zhongliang went to the armored steel factory again.

The steel mill is doing the final acceptance of the application of electroslag welding technology in the installation of armor steel.

Electroslag remelting steel and electroslag welding technology can be regarded as twins.

Since electroslag remelting steel is engaged in, it is a matter of course that electroslag welding technology should be pointed out.

Electroslag welding technology is also a technology that was industrialized after the end of World War II.

Although war can promote the development of technology, in fact it often promotes the upgrading of mature technologies, and at the same time restricts the verification and application of new technologies.

Electroslag welding can realize the welding of armor steel with large thickness.

Compared with traditional riveting and screwing, welding can significantly reduce the structural weight.

At the same time, the new battleship starting from now will also complete another new vision of Zhu Jingyuan.

"Full armor made of steel".

It is the battleship itself, not just where there should be armor, and armor steel is used for installation coverage.

The structural frame of the entire battleship is also built using homogeneous armored steel.

At the same time, not only battleships, but also cruisers, destroyers, frigates, and submarines are all built using this standard.

The cost of armor steel is of course higher than that of structural steel, but the effect of doing so is also obvious.

The structural strength of the battleship itself is of course higher.

At the same time, this effectively unifies structural steel and armor steel, merging two engineering materials into one.

Unified production and larger-scale production can of course reduce unit costs.

Perhaps the cost of structural steel alone has increased, but the cost of warship construction will not increase significantly in the end.

Most craftsmen and engineers in related industries understand this kind of thinking.

But not many people can make the actual decisions.

The point is, if you really do this, the only country that can actually benefit from it is Daming.

The key is to reach a certain order of magnitude in scale and quantity.

In the history of Zhu Jingyuan's previous life, only Americans did this during World War II.

American destroyers are not designed with armor, but the whole structure is made of armored steel.

However, the normal armor steel of the Japanese is not enough, and it is impossible to use armor steel to produce the frame structure of warships.

Zhu Jingyuan also had the experience of being an American in his previous life, so he very firmly asked his father to make such a decision.

Now it seems that the effect of technical verification is also very good.

Li Rui took a document and reported to Zhu Jingyuan very enthusiastically what he had confirmed:
"The welding interface in the butt joint form is very strong, and it can basically equal the level of the base metal...

"That is to say, the strength of the steel produced by welding and the steel produced in one piece is basically the same.

"The large-scale application of welding technology can significantly reduce the weight of the hull structure.

"It can also significantly speed up the speed of warship construction.

"In fact, we have known these two advantages before, but welding has never been used on a large scale in warship construction.

"The key is that the technology was immature at the time, and there was no way to achieve comprehensive welding assembly.

"Now with electroslag welding technology, it is possible to apply these technologies on warships.

"The battleship we have now designed and started construction can actually be said to use a full-load displacement of [-] tons, and have achieved performance that may not have been achieved before with [-] tons."

(End of this chapter)