Chapter 207: Hydrogen Gas Dilemma
Border Region Arsenal
Lao He walked over and said to Li Muzhi, “Factory Director, this new factory is being dug out, but once the factory is built, there’s a big problem.”
The Copper Refining Plant has been brought back, and the new factory will still choose to dig cave dwellings.
Cave dwellings are well concealed; even if Japanese aircraft drop bombs, there’s no fear.
But building the factory isn’t just about digging cave dwellings; it also needs supporting facilities.
“It’s the lighting issue, right.” Li Muzhi said directly.
“Yes, that’s right. We don’t have enough light bulbs.” Lao He nodded.
Due to the continuous expansion of production scale at the Border Region Arsenal, the factories have also expanded. Plus, the arsenal operates on three shifts, needing lighting at night too, so all the light bulbs in the logistics warehouse have been used up.
Even the light bulbs captured by combat troops from the Iron Smelting Plant and mines have all been used up.
“No problem.” Li Muzhi said calmly, “Didn’t the combat troops bring back tungsten ore? Once this tungsten ore is purified, tungsten filament can be made into lamp filaments. That way, we’ll have light bulbs.”
Tungsten filament has a very high melting point and is an excellent material for light bulbs.
Lao He was stunned upon hearing this: “This tungsten ore can also be used to make lamp filaments for light bulbs?”
“Yes.” Li Muzhi nodded.
Thinking of something, Lao He said, “But light bulbs also need glass, and we can’t produce glass here either.”
Li Muzhi smiled and said, “The glass on light bulbs is mainly to prevent dust and electrical shocks or short-circuit fires. We can use other things to replace glass. The lighting won’t be as good as glass, but we can install more of these light bulbs.”
“What to use as replacement?” Lao He asked.
“I’ll solve this later.” Li Muzhi’s biggest problem now is not finding a way to replace glass.
It’s to purify the tungsten ore as soon as possible.
“Factory Director, Old Qi and Old Lu are all in the meeting room.” At this time, someone came to report to Li Muzhi.
“Good, I know.” Li Muzhi nodded and said to Lao He, “I’ll figure out the light bulb issue. You go back to your work.”
“Factory Director, you’re meeting with Old Qi and Old Lu, but you should still rest early.” Lao He reminded him.
It’s almost dawn now, and Factory Director Li Muzhi still hasn’t rested.
Before, he would have rested by nine o’clock.
Today, he hasn’t rested until now, and Lao He knows why.
Factory Director Li Muzhi is waiting for news from the combat troops.
Five trucks of tungsten ore.
The Japanese invaders sent out airplanes for the tungsten ore.
Without waiting for this tungsten ore, Factory Director Li Muzhi probably won’t rest.
“I know. You go.” Li Muzhi nodded.
“Yes, Factory Director.” Lao He left.
Li Muzhi picked up the information on the table and went to the meeting room.
Old Qi, Old Lu, and the others saw Li Muzhi arrive and immediately stood up: “Factory Director.”
“Sit down, all of you.” Li Muzhi had them sit, then got straight to the point: “You all must know by now that the combat troops found five trucks of tungsten ore from the Japanese invaders. They’ve brought back part of it, and the rest will be brought back soon.”
“Factory Director, you called us together overnight. Are you going to study how to purify the tungsten ore?” Old Lu immediately asked.
If the tungsten ore is brought back but can’t be refined, what’s the difference from sand?
Old Gao also said, “Factory Director, our industrial strength isn’t up to it. In the past, tungsten ore was all exported and sold to the great powers. Factory Director, can you figure out how to purify tungsten ore?”
Since Old Gao and the others’ procedures have been completed, they are now key personnel at the Border Region Arsenal, so their address for Li Muzhi changed from “Factory Director Li” to “Factory Director.”
Li Muzhi said, “If we snatch back these five trucks of tungsten ore but can’t purify them ourselves, wouldn’t they be no different from waste residue?”
Old Lu, Old Qi, and the others looked at each other upon hearing this, their expressions filled with shock.
Is the Factory Director really that capable? Even The Bald One couldn’t do it—can he?
Old Gao quickly asked, “Factory Director, so how are you going to do it?”
Li Muzhi first took out a portion of white powder and placed it in front of them: “What do you think this is?”
They immediately examined it and quickly identified it: “This is soda ash used for steaming buns.”
Old Qi was skeptical: “Can this thing be used to purify tungsten?”
One is for steaming buns, the other is tungsten ore—how do they even relate?
Li Muzhi explained, “Mix tungsten ore with soda ash and roast it to produce tungstate, then extract tungstic acid with hydrochloric acid. Calcine the tungstic acid to get tungsten trioxide. Finally, high-temperature reduction with hydrogen gas yields pure tungsten.”
Old Qi and Old Gao were stunned again upon hearing this: “Factory Director, the way you put it, purifying tungsten seems really simple.”
In the mouths of those great power scientists, tungsten purification was a closely guarded secret—they wouldn’t reveal a thing.
We’ve studied how to purify the stuff too, but we were completely clueless.
And here the Factory Director has figured it out?
Li Muzhi’s expression was serious: “The combat troops snatched back plenty of soda ash, and we have hydrochloric acid. The biggest problem is still hydrogen gas. Without hydrogen gas, we’re stuck at the final step of purification.”
Old Qi, Old Gao, and the others also became serious: “Yeah, without producing hydrogen gas, we’re stuck. Factory Director, can you do it?”
Old Qi and Old Gao were no strangers to hydrogen gas.
On May 6, 1937, Germany’s Hindenburg airship suffered a massive disaster, burning up in just 32 seconds and killing 36 people.
And that Hindenburg airship was filled with hydrogen gas.
Hydrogen gas is so dangerous; if the purity isn’t high enough and it’s mixed with some oxygen, static electricity can cause an explosion.
“Hydrogen gas can be obtained through electrolysis of water,” Li Muzhi said. “But while it’s easy to say, it’s hard to do. We lack the related equipment, so I need you to help solve the difficulties together.”
After speaking, Li Muzhi distributed the several portions of information in his hand: “Take a look at this information first.”
Old Qi, Old Gao, and the others took the information and read it carefully.
This meeting went on until two o’clock in the morning.
Old Qi, Old Gao, and the others each offered their insights on the issues in the information, and finally, each took on one problem to solve.
After the meeting ended, Li Muzhi went to the arsenal courtyard to get some air.
Although Old Qi, Old Gao, and these people are Li Muzhi’s capable assistants, the saying still holds: even a skilled cook can’t cook without rice.
Solving the hydrogen gas production problem in a short time isn’t realistic.
Unless… think of a way from Officer Yan’s side.
See if among the equipment Officer Yan took away back then, there’s anything we can make do with.
If Officer Yan doesn’t have it, then think from The Bald One’s side.
Our Hell Cannon has made its name, so The Bald One must be coveting it too.
“Factory Director, why don’t you go sleep for a bit? When Minister Zhang and the others return, I’ll notify you right away.” The guard captain had brought back a message and saw Li Muzhi hadn’t rested, so he said.
“No problem, I’m not sleepy.” Li Muzhi waved his hand.
“Alright, Factory Director, then I’ll wait with you.” The guard captain said, then brought two portions of late-night snacks from the kitchen and handed one to Li Muzhi: “Factory Director, you eat some too.”
The Border Region Arsenal operates on three shifts, with mid-morning snacks at noon, afternoon tea in the afternoon, and late-night snacks at night.
“Good, I’m just hungry.” Li Muzhi took it and sat down to eat.
“Guard Captain, do you have any family left?” Li Muzhi chatted about family matters with the guard captain.
“There’s still a younger sister at home.” There was fondness in the guard captain’s eyes. “Factory Director, my younger sister is quite pretty, just turned sixteen.”
“Has she been promised in marriage?”
“A few were mentioned, but she didn’t like any of them. It’s worrying me to death.” The guard captain replied.
“No problem, wait a couple more years; maybe she’ll meet the right one.” Li Muzhi comforted him.
In later generations, one is considered adult only at eighteen.
Under eighteen is underage, and marriage is illegal.
This era is different from later generations.
Many girls marry at twelve or thirteen, and at sixteen, they’re considered grown women.
By marriage, they’ve often had two or three kids.
“Haha.” The guard captain laughed heartily and said, “She’s been practicing spear and staff with me since childhood; now she’s a guerrilla captain. Those prospective in-laws were actually beaten off by her, haha.”
“Haha.” Li Muzhi also laughed heartily: “Hero among women—you have a great younger sister. If she really doesn’t find someone later, I’ll help you solve this problem.”
Brigade Commander Chen of the 386th Brigade is an extremely capable matchmaker.
The Deputy Commander’s match was made by Brigade Commander Chen.
Before, when Brigade Commander Chen was in a good mood, he even wanted to make a match for us.
“Haha, Factory Director, alright, then I’ll thank you in advance for my younger sister.” The guard captain laughed again, and the air was filled with a happy, joyful atmosphere.
While Li Muzhi and the guard captain were chatting until late into the night, someone ran over to report excitedly: “Report, Factory Director, Minister Zhang and the others are back.”
Hearing the excitement in the other’s tone, Li Muzhi happily said, “Looks like the combat troops’ operation was very successful; all five trucks of tungsten ore have been brought back.”
The guard captain also said, “With this tungsten ore, and equipment later, Factory Director, you can make anti-aircraft weapons. We’re all waiting for you.”
Zhang Wanhe’s figure soon appeared in front of Li Muzhi.
Of course, Li Yunlong and Ding Wei were there too.
“Xiao Li, did you wait up all night?” Zhang Wanhe saw Li Muzhi’s dark circles and felt heartbroken.
This is our arsenal’s precious treasure. When I left, I told you to go to sleep after finishing work—you didn’t need to wait for me.
Yet you still waited all night.
Facing Zhang Wanhe’s concern, Li Muzhi smiled: “The five trucks of tungsten ore are too important. I couldn’t sleep without seeing them myself.”
Li Yunlong burst out laughing: “Younger Brother Li, rest assured, we’ve brought back every bit of the five trucks of tungsten ore without missing a particle. But the Japanese invaders tampered with the tungsten ore; it’s temporarily hidden outside and can’t be moved here directly yet. It’ll be ready after twelve hours.”
Not just the tungsten ore, the other supplies are hidden outside too, to be retrieved after twelve hours.
Then Li Yunlong asked, “Brother, including the previous Copper Refining Plant, how are you going to settle accounts with me?”
Ding Wei also smiled: “Factory Director Li…”
Before Ding Wei finished, Zhang Wanhe interrupted: “You two, can’t you wait a bit? Don’t you see Xiao Li hasn’t slept all night? He should go sleep now. Settle with you after he wakes up.”
“That’s true.” Li Yunlong nodded and said, “Younger Brother Li, your spirit is our army’s hope and future. Now that the tungsten ore is back, you go sleep first. We can settle accounts later.”
Ding Wei also said, “Once Factory Director Li you rest well, we can discuss it then. We’re tired too and need to hurry back to rest. We’ve still got work tonight.”
What work tonight?
It’s all because Old Zhang is so stingy.
He only gave three days’ horse feed.
Tonight we still have to go to Black Island Morita’s base to snatch horse feed.
Otherwise, when the Japanese invaders’ raid comes, there might be no opportunity.
Of course, if the brigade commander can locate Sato Jino in advance, we’ll definitely prioritize taking out Sato Jino.
