To Four Thousand Years Later

Leonardo followed Lorenzo and Floros to the backyard of the villa.

This airship can't be called huge, it can even be said to be quite small - it is nearly sixty meters long, and its front diameter is nearly ten meters. Parked in Lorenzo's yard, it feels like that.

His yard is really big.

"I have a hunch, Leonardo. Airships will be the mainstream of this era. I intend to take this industry into our own hands.

Lorenzo said, leading Leonardo forward...while Floros smiled and followed Leonardo.

"So far, all the recorded wars of mankind have never involved the realm of the sky. But I think... such a day will not come too late.

Leonardo shrugged and followed behind: "You are right, Lorenzo. We must prepare early.

"So I bought it. The gas is hydrogen, powered by the most advanced steam engine, it can go thirty kilometers per hour.

Lorenzo sighed and paused.

He turned his head, put his hand on the tough airbag of the airship, and looked at Leonardo: "Sardinia does not currently have a company that manufactures airships, and the Teutons don't pay much attention to this aspect. They are more interested in metal, wood or other things. Shangxin. I didn’t have anyone willing to sell me such a small... well, it’s still a big airship.” He paused, and added: “But I’ve seen bigger airships from them. At least two hundred meters, it is said that gas is made of cow intestines.

"I think the Franks' sausages will go up in price.

Leonardo raised his eyebrows and made a joke: "Do you want to consider smuggling?" "Okay, I will consider it.

Lorenzo laughed, and Leonardo laughed too.

After laughing, Leonardo stepped forward and touched the airbag: "But this is not the feeling of cow casings.

Well, it is said to be new. An airtight cloth made of acetate cord," replied Lorenzo, "and I was going to buy another made of nitrocellulose cord. It was pushed by the Franks for me. It should be bigger, and it must be 80 meters long...but the teacher told me that it was not safe. Anyway, I don't understand, so I just listened to what the teacher said.

It's not safe, the teacher is right. You remember that person's face. Next time you can just shoot and crash.

Leonardo paused, and replied: "Nitrocellulose is very flammable. What's more, you are filled with hydrogen.

"What else can you charge without hydrogen?"

Lorenzo froze for a moment, and explained: "Leonardo, only gases much lighter than air can be used to lift the airship. Hydrogen is the only choice.

"No, it's not the only one." Leonardo said calmly: "That kind of airship with a distance of 200 meters probably doesn't use hydrogen.

...I don’t have to choose, brother,” Lorenzo waved his hands helplessly.

"Then don't worry about it, leave it to me.

Leonardo looked away from the airship, and looked straight at Lorenzo as usual: "I'm going to find a gas that is more stable and safer than hydrogen, and it is also lighter."

He said this as if he already knew what the answer was.

"Ok, I trust you.

Lorenzo hesitated for a moment, then added: "Pay attention to safety, and try not to cause international disputes. If you must do it, remember to call more people.

"Where did you go

Leonardo sighed: "Have some confidence in me, okay. And the Franks don't necessarily have a better answer.

"It's better that way, we'll come first.

Lorenzo spread his hands. Leonardo shook his head, walked in to observe the structure of the steam engine, and replied casually: "Of course we will come first. The limit of steam power is also approaching.

...do you even want to upgrade your steam engine?

"It's not an upgrade, it's just an optimization, my friend. An optimization."

Looking at the stunned Lorenzo, Leonardo raised his head. Slightly smiled: Have you ever heard of a gas-powered engine? "Hmm, a Teutonic gizmo. The original concept of the internal combustion engine has been around for a long time... as early as thirty years before the invention of the improved gunpowder and steam engines.

At that time, some scholars tried to burn a small amount of gunpowder in the cylinder to expand the air to make the balance piston do work, but he obviously failed.

Later, with the development of the gas industry, a horizontal internal combustion engine using gas as power was manufactured. Its main working principle is to make the expanding gas upwards to do single work by explosion, and then the piston in the process of doing work Pushed downward by atmospheric pressure. It was a small, low-speed engine, but powerful enough to replace the steam engine in many places. However, due to the inconvenient storage and transportation of gas, it is difficult to popularize and apply it in some remote places. Compared with a steam engine of the same power, its economic consumption is much greater, and only those local mining areas rich in natural gas will often use it. Due to the improvement and application of the steam engine generation after generation, the inventors of this so-called "gas-powered engine" logically positioned it as "a low-speed engine" and "the next-level replacement of the steam engine".

But Leonardo knew. Its path is clearly narrowed.

As far as he knows, some Teutonic scholars tried to design a new type of engine using kerosene, which is relatively easy to transport, as power in the past few years.

After that, they got stuck on the gasification of oil for two full years—they tried to use compressed air to separate the oil into smoke. However, not only does it emit thick black smoke, but it is also not very efficient.

So the focus of their work turned to how to turn kerosene into better combustion gas.

And that too is going astray.

In fact, this problem is easy to solve. The Brayton-type engine is a good example.

It is a two-cylinder, two-stroke cycle engine that repeatedly introduces this mixed gas into the working cylinder to ignite it, and the gas will expand and push the piston. During the return phase of the piston, the exhaust gases are expelled. This results in a very economical low speed engine.

However, scholars still haven't noticed that there is a problem with their thinking-that is, these engines are all running at low speeds. Their maximum speed per minute will not exceed one dry revolution, and there is no essential difference from steam engines.

Of course, they didn't dare to think about it. Thinking about running before learning to walk is another kind of illness.

However, what people really need should be a small and light high-speed engine. Because high speed can lead to an increase in power, and it will naturally occur after reducing the size. This is what the steam engine cannot bring, but the internal combustion engine may do.