Chapter 24

Many chemical raw materials need to maintain a specific temperature during synthesis to increase molecular activity, raise energy levels, and react with catalysts, thereby transforming into another substance.

Whether it's a reactor in a laboratory, not much larger than a pressure cooker, or a massive chemical plant, towering dozens of meters high and capable of processing hundreds of tons at once, this tool is indispensable in the chemical industry.

In Gangjie Chemical, the faulty reactor is a steam-heated reactor. This massive device is divided into two layers, and when high-pressure steam is injected into the middle layer, it can quickly raise the temperature inside the reactor.

Now, with the high-pressure steam pipe ruptured, a large amount of steam is leaking into the lake, and the temperature inside the reactor, of course, cannot rise.

"Professor Zhang, Professor Zhang," the boss Rong Wei anxiously called the expert over: "Do you think we can temporarily shut down the steam boiler?"

Professor Zhang, with his graying hair, walked over and rubbed his wrinkled forehead: "The synthesis of diethanolamine is now in the final step, entering the reactor and heating to 120 degrees to react with the catalyst and dehydrate."

"If the temperature doesn't rise, the dehydration step cannot proceed. The catalyst's active time is only eight hours. One hour has already passed. If the steam is cut off, the temperature inside the reactor will drop rapidly..."

"We have at most one hour. If the steam can return to normal heating, then by increasing the steam pressure to raise the temperature and the suction power of the raw material tank, we should be able to save it. Any later, and the hope is slim."

Adding the catalyst is an irreversible process.

Like a bullet that has been fired, if it fails to hit the target, the bullet is wasted.

The same goes for the catalyst; if the reaction fails, the batch of raw materials will be completely wasted, turning into unknown pollutants that must be destroyed at great cost.

Hearing that there was still one hour left, Boss Rong Wei was so anxious that tears almost came to his eyes. He grabbed the employee from Julong Underwater Infrastructure and shouted anxiously: "Prepare now, and as soon as you're ready, I'll cut off the steam."

"One hour?" The employee from Julong Underwater Infrastructure was unhappy: "Even if you offer a million, we can't fix the underwater pipe welding in one hour."

"I've seen your steam pipe; it's a double-layer steel structure. Now both layers are damaged, and we need to cut off the top layer and clean the fiberglass before welding."

"Five hours is too short, and we're not robots. Even if we could find a robot, it couldn't complete the task in one hour."

"I'll give you a million, I beg you, I'll give you a million." Boss Rong Wei wished he could put on a diving suit and go down himself.

"Do you know how difficult it is to start an arc in underwater welding?"

The diver from Julong Underwater Infrastructure patiently explained to this wealthy client: "When things go wrong, it can take dozens of attempts to successfully start an arc. A waterproof welding rod can only weld a few centimeters of a seam underwater, and you have to surface to change the rod."

"Of course, I know the difficulty, otherwise, why would I offer a million?" The wealthy client Rong Wei was almost driven to madness: "I don't care how you do it, if you can weld the pipe within one hour, I'll give you a million."

"Use more welding torches, weld together," a worker suggested.

"Two welding torches at most, the pipe is only so thick, and you can't crowd people like in a mahjong game."

A million is a small astronomical figure, and no underwater construction company could remain indifferent to such a sum.

As they were hesitating whether to take the job, a small Jianghuai truck arrived at the scene.

The truck was marked with "Qianjiang Underwater Engineering," indicating that it was another underwater welding company from Zhongyun. Now, both Zhongyun companies were present.

Chairman Li Huaxing immediately went to greet them, gave each person a cigarette, and introduced the artificial lake, explaining that if the pipe could be welded within one hour, the factory owner would offer a million as a reward.

"Welding should be no problem, but one hour is definitely not enough," the team leader looked at the fountain-like steam leak and patiently explained, similar to what the previous colleague had said.

Of course, a million in reward is extremely attractive.

The two rival companies, who usually treated each other like enemies, now gathered together, muttering about whether they could collaborate and try to earn this million.

"Let's take a chance, maybe a miracle will happen!" The two team leaders quickly reached an agreement.

Ye Qing didn't know how to speak up. Seeing the two teams of professionals arrive and move their equipment with excitement, he decided to wait and see.

If they couldn't do it, he would step in.

After all, they were professionals with a lot of equipment, and he was alone. If he just said, "I'll do it," no one would believe him.

Oxygen tanks, welding machines, specialized underwater welding guns with long pipelines, and cutting guns were quickly unloaded.

The workers from Gangjie Chemical had already laid the power lines, and there were two small boats specifically for cleaning the lake surface.

"Notify the steam boiler room to cut off the steam." Seeing all the preparations ready, Boss Rong Wei gave the order.

After about ten seconds, the huge mist column in the middle of the lake slowly dissipated, and bubbles began to rise.

On the small boats, two divers with breathing tubes first fixed the underwater searchlights and then slowly descended with the lit cutting guns.

The artificial lake was large, and although the steam had scalded some of the fish that couldn't escape in time, the overall temperature of the lake did not rise too much after the steam was shut off.

The lake water temperature was not high, but that didn't mean the temperature near the damaged pipe was not high.

Under the illumination of several high-power halogen lamps, everyone on the shore could see clearly that the two divers immediately jumped up like cats whose tails had been stepped on as soon as they entered the water.

"Why is the pipe still spewing hot water?" The diver spat out the breathing tube and shouted, gritting his teeth.

"Residual heat, residual heat!" Boss Rong Wei was sweating profusely: "This is a pressure pipe. The valves on both sides are closed, and we just need to wait for the pressure inside the pipe to leak out."

They waited for a full ten minutes, and the two divers, who kept testing the water temperature with their feet, still didn't go down.

Hearing the employees constantly report the temperature changes inside the reactor, Rong Wei was completely anxious: "What are you waiting for? Do you think I'm giving you a foot massage?"

"If you can do it, go ahead. I'm not made of iron. This pipe keeps spewing hot water; do you want to scald me to death?"

Without a word, Rong Wei had the security guard row a small boat to take him over.

At the leak, Rong Wei put his hand in to test the temperature and fell silent.

Five minutes later, the lake stopped bubbling. Rong Wei, like a wounded goose, suddenly stood up from the small boat.

The two divers also perked up, lit the cutting guns, and slowly descended.

How many people have seen underwater cutting operations?

A large crowd of workers gathered on the shore, more enthusiastic than at a celebrity concert. Even the two firefighters on duty stretched their necks to watch the center of the lake.

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