However, it is quite rare for the black water to converge into the "Underground River Styx", and according to the Iron Axe's report, the viscosity of the River Styx continues to decrease from the Choke Swamp to the Endless Cape, and the concentration of the dead fog is getting thinner. Among them, the Blackwater Valley is the confluence of several Styx rivers, and standing high in the valley, you can even hear the dull roar of the Blackwater crashing under your feet.

Roland speculates that the underground River Styx is constantly changing its composition as it flows—for example, the dead fog described in the report is likely to be a toxic gas volatilized by the black water itself, or the result of a reaction with something underground. This may explain why, over the centuries, the Blackwater Valley has not been transformed into a giant brazier by lightning or arson, and there are rumors of death in the choke swamp.

The dead fog that covered the River Styx couldn't help but stop the sandfolk's footsteps and also cut off the air, allowing the black water to flow steadily south. When you reach the cape, the underground river is nowhere to be found, and only a few will erupt from the surface due to the action of pressure, some form a burning pillar of fire, and some turn into a trickle and a shallow depression. At this time, the black water is no longer a suffocating dead fog, and it is suitable for mining.

In the face of such a strange crude oil, Roland didn't know how many kinds of oil it could decompose, so he could only instruct the chief alchemist to conduct an experiment first, and then make the next step after getting the results.

Looking at the separated samples today, the results are quite encouraging.

"Black water can be used to make terrible weapons, but it's so much more than that," Roland answered Kemo's question as he picked up the glass and looked at it carefully, "There's a lot to be done about the high calorific value of combustion, you'll find out later." ”

For the chief alchemist of this straight man, hanging him with unknown new things is the best way to drive him.

Seeing the other party's dissatisfied, he smiled secretly, "Let's talk about the test, if you really want to use black water, you can't just rely on a few curved neck flasks and condenser tubes." As with double acid production, you have to think of a way to produce it on a large scale. ”

The principle of petroleum separation is very simple, almost the most basic chemical knowledge - petroleum is converted into steam by heating, and then introduced into the fractionation column, and the boiling points of various oils in the mixed liquid are used to condense them in turn, so as to obtain gasoline, kerosene, diesel, heavy oil and other finished products. This process is completely physical, so it is easy to do under experimental conditions.

Although later refining technologies became more and more diverse, and the utilization efficiency of crude oil also increased significantly, the most classical distillation separation method can still be effective, and it is naturally the first choice without paying attention to production costs.

It's just that the complexity of any process increases exponentially as soon as it is scaled, and if you want to carry out industrial fractionation, there will inevitably be many more places to consider, and Kemo Stower should be well aware of this.

The old alchemist touched his beard, "Hmm...... I'll have to think about it for a few more days, and besides, I need the help of the Witch League. ”

It was a good sign that he began to take the initiative to use the power of witches to conduct scientific research experiments, Roland nodded, "If you have any requests, send someone to tell me, and I will arrange it." ”

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Kemo rolled his eyes, "and I have a small request. ”

"Oh? ”

"Can you show me when you make something new out of them?" he said with irrepressible curiosity.

Theoretically, the request was out of bounds for the sake of secrecy, just as the engineers responsible for refining uranium ore wanted to know about the entire Manhattan Project. However, after a little thought, Roland agreed to him, after all, this would increase his motivation to work, and at the same time, there was no opponent in the era who could compete with Wudong's technological level.

"Then you'll have to do a good job," he said, pointing to the glasses of fractionated liquid, "and the sooner you produce them, the sooner you'll know the answer." ”

"Wait...... Do you need all of these?" said Kemo in surprise, "Although they can all be burned, the black water from the lower fractionation is probably not as good as snow powder, the smell of smoke is very strong, and the fire is not big, so it is not too bad to use it to light the lamp." ”

Roland thought to himself, it is true that the light oil on the upper layer burns more violently, but it is much more difficult to actually use, and in the absence of additives, the slightest carelessness will cause an explosion accident, which is not a goal that can be achieved in a short time. On the contrary, he preferred diesel and heavy fuel oil in the lower classes.

Not to mention the former, excellent internal combustion engine fuel, even if the process is not in place, adulterated with impurities can be used, at most it is black smoke, polluting the environment - this is not a problem at present.

Heavy oil is of great significance for navigation and is the first choice for steam vessels. After all, the efficiency of burning coal is too low, and it is no problem to run in inland rivers, but it is a bit difficult to put it into the sea, and it is quite difficult to run from the fjord to the western shoals. This is one of the reasons why Roland established the port of Daqing at the Endless Cape: to supply the steamships on the route. If you want to cross the sea line and enter the depths of the ocean, you have to burn oil.

At the same time, it is also the one with the lowest requirements for secondary treatment, almost separated and ready to use, it does not matter if it is mixed with asphalt residue, it is the least refined fuel in the oil family.

Of course, Roland wouldn't tell Camo this in advance, and he wasn't sure if it would work until the finished product was made, and it would damage his omniscient image if he found out that it wasn't the case. So he just shrugged, "All the oil, including the residue and debris left over from the bottom, should be sorted and collected." I keep it useful for myself. ”

"Yes, Your Majesty," the chief alchemist said as he stroked his chest.

"By the way," Roland paused as he walked to the door of the lab, turning back and saying, "Let's have a tutorial class." ”

"What?" Caymo froze.

"The last time we held an agricultural conference, didn't I say that we should have an agricultural course in the secondary education curriculum, so that even if Golden No. 2 is extended to the whole country, there will be enough manpower to implement it. "In the same way, opening a new factory also requires more skilled people - after graduating from universal education, there are many people who want to join the chemical industry, so they should be trained first, so as not to be in a hurry and cause accidents after entering the factory." ”

This practice is equivalent to dividing the major after entering the university, starting in middle school in advance - he has long considered that the training of professional workers should be carried out as soon as possible in the absence of effort to cultivate all-rounders.

"Your Majesty, this ...... Shouldn't Lord Scroll be in charge?"

"She is responsible for recruitment, class assignment, assessment, and salary, but the tutor has to be from the Ministry of Chemical Industry, that is, you. ”

Kaimo breathed a sigh of relief, it seemed that as long as he was not allowed to give lectures, it was already his limit to go to great lengths to recruit a group of alchemy apprentices in order to exchange for "Medium Chemistry" from Roland. "I see, Your Majesty. I think those alchemists from the royal capital are very good, and they are good at giving speeches and making appearances, what do you think?"