Chapter 388 Steampunk Romance

The technical analysis meeting on the General Fusion accident was held just to avoid repeating the same mistake, but after reading the report, Kang Chi felt that there was nothing left to discuss.

This can no longer be described as radical and risky. In order to complete the ignition of the magnetized target line before Kangchi, they were simply crazy...

But how to put it, if you look at it from their perspective, it’s not incomprehensible.

After all, since the birth of science as a discipline, any experiment attempted by a scientist has been somewhat risky.

Even many experimental accidents occurred when the experimenters persisted in carrying out the experiments even though they knew they were extremely risky.

For example, in the field of aerospace exploration, Country M's space shuttle exploded three times.

To put it nicely, this is called the spirit of scientific exploration; to put it worse, it means that I have a gambling addiction and want to turn my bicycle into a motorcycle, and I also feel that I must be the winner.

Even in nuclear accidents like Chernobyl, it is actually the same. Some people know that there is a problem with the design of the control rods, but they just want to take a gamble, thinking that nothing will happen.

After Kang Chi came to Luzhou Plasma Research Institute, although the progress of the Jinwu-1 project was affected by some experimental accidents of general fusion, it was generally on track as planned.

Especially when Kang Chi proposed the experiment and asked the Reaper humanoid robot to act as the operator at the experiment site, and then moved the experimental command room five hundred meters away, all safety issues seemed to be non-issues...

In this case, even if it does explode, no one will be injured.

The only drawback is that researchers need to be familiar with robot control in advance.

However, compared to going all out to strengthen the main control room to resist nuclear strikes, this is considered the safest, most convenient and quickest option.

Time soon came to February 9th, with only ten days left before Kang Chi issued the four-month military order. After many debuggings, Jinwu-1 finally completed the final assembly work.

[Item: Magnetized Target Fusion Reactor]

[Manufacturer: Hua Guo (participation rate 32%)]

[Item level: 1 (participation below 50% cannot be upgraded)]

[Item status: intact]

[Item parameters: Maximum operating speed 120 times per minute, energy released per reaction up to 1500 megajoules]

[Analysis items: no analysis items]

[General experience: 2043345]

[Mastery Points: 133 (+120)]

When Kang Chi saw the system pop-up panel, he felt like he had received a piece of reassurance.

Golden Crow No. 1 is stable!

Unfortunately, this time Jinwu No. 1 was created through the cooperation of multiple parties, so the manufacturer was determined to be from China. Moreover, the system clearly marked that Kang Chi's personal participation was only 32%, so it could not be directly upgraded.

But it's not a big problem. Kangchi has used all the best materials for it. In addition, the system's inability to upgrade large items, even if it can be upgraded by one or two levels, the performance improvement is not likely to be large.

In other words, as Kangchi's engineering design capabilities become stronger and stronger, there is limited room for improvement in what he creates when there are obvious bottlenecks in materials and wiring.

After the thing was built, it was natural to give it a try. After a meeting and discussion, Kang Chi finally decided to conduct an ignition experiment on the 12th.

After receiving the experimental report from the Luzhou Plasma Research Institute, the Luzhou Municipal Government immediately attached great importance to it, quickly mobilized various departments to cooperate, and reported it at all levels.

On the 12th, with the Luzhou Plasma Research Institute as the center, a two-kilometer radius was blocked by traffic police, special police, and the military.

The Luzhou Plasma Research Institute was originally located in the suburbs, and it was also located on the Science Peninsula next to the Dongpu Reservoir. It was surrounded by water on three sides. Normally, as long as the only way in was blocked, it would be enough.

However, due to the experimental accident of General Fusion, the local and Yanjing leaders were not very reassured, so they not only set up cordons on the three opposite banks of the reservoir, but also patrol boats were patrolling the reservoir. Row across to prevent people and ships from approaching.

Not to mention the area near the research institute. In addition to military vehicles, police cars and ambulances, the most exaggerated ones are fire trucks.

The Luzhou Fire Department directly mobilized two fire squadrons. A total of 12 fire trucks were parked in a row, and a fire helicopter was hovering in the sky...

Kang Chi, who was sitting in the car, saw this posture and couldn't help but complain: "This battle makes it seem like we are really building a nuclear bomb..."

Zhong Weijian immediately smiled: "There is no way, the General Fusion accident has only been over a month, so it is normal for leaders to respond excessively."

After passing many checkpoints, the vehicle finally stopped at the experimental control room, which was more than 500 meters away from the reactor.

As soon as Kang Chi got out of the car, he saw several reporters carrying cameras interviewing the director of the Energy Bureau who came from Yanjing and a group of local leaders from Luzhou at the door.

"Why are reporters still here?"

"This is what Chief Lu means." Chen Hai, who was following Kang Chi, immediately explained, "What he means is that if the ignition can be successful today, it will be a major moment of epoch-making historical significance. It is best to be able to carry out all-round Record it with video data, but don’t worry, there will be no live broadcast today..."

"Okay." Kang Chi nodded thoughtfully, "So there is no live broadcast... is it because you are afraid that we will overturn, right?"

Chen Hai just smiled and did not answer the question.

"Academician Kang is here!"

While the two were talking, a reporter quickly spotted him and called the photographer carrying the machine to run over with him.

"Hello, Academician Kang, I am Susan Shan, a reporter from Huaguo News. Could you please give me a few minutes to conduct a simple interview with you?"

Kang Chi nodded: "Hello Reporter Su, I didn't expect us to meet again."

Hearing Kang Chi's words, Susan Shan couldn't help but said with a surprised expression: "So you still remember me."

"Of course I remember." Kang Chi smiled, "The first time I was interviewed by Huaguo News was your interview. How could I not remember it?"

Susan Shan also smiled and couldn't help feeling a little emotional.

When Dahan Silicon launched the floating-belt monocrystalline furnace, she felt that Kangchi was already very impressive.

However, who would have thought that that was just the beginning of the myth...

Knowing that Kang Chi was about to host an important experiment, Susanshan also knew that now was not the time to reminisce and express emotions, so she took out her notebook and looked at the photographer.

After getting an OK look, she looked back at Kang Chi and asked the question she had prepared in advance: "On December 31, 2025, that is, a month ago, an incident occurred at Maple Leaf General Fusion Company. Serious nuclear fusion experiment accident.”

"This accident not only makes people worried about the prospects of controllable nuclear fusion, but also makes people talk about the safety of the magnetized target nuclear fusion device. I would like to ask Academician Kang, what do you think of this matter? Magnetized target device Is it really a very dangerous hydrogen bomb as the outside world says? Is there any difference between Jinwu-1 and LM-26?”

Susan Shan asked three questions in one breath, but in fact they can all be summarized as a safety issue.

This is what everyone is most concerned about.

"Strictly speaking, the reaction principle of the magnetized target device is indeed very similar to that of a hydrogen bomb. If the device loses control, an accident like universal fusion will occur. It is not wrong for everyone to understand it as a hydrogen bomb."

After hearing this, Susan Shan hesitated and seemed to want to interrupt Kang Chi, but fortunately Kang Chi quickly gave her an answer that satisfied her.

"However, the reason why controllable nuclear fusion is called controllable nuclear fusion is because it is 'completely controllable'. If it cannot be completely controlled, it will be no different from ordinary nuclear fusion experiments."

"Everyone has actually seen that even if General Fusion's LM-26 explodes, its power is much less than a real nuclear weapon, and even less power than most conventional bombs."

"At the same time, if a nuclear leakage occurs in a nuclear fusion reactor, not only will the amount of nuclear radiation leaked be very low, but it will also be a one-time event. It will not carry out continuous nuclear reactions for more than ten years or even decades like a nuclear fission reactor, emitting a steady stream of radiation. Nuclear radiation.”

"This is mainly because the magnetized target device burns very little nuclear fuel each time, usually only a few milligrams, and it is gone after it is burned, so we don't have to worry about serious nuclear leaks after an accident in the nuclear fusion test reactor, even if everyone Don’t worry, as long as you keep a distance of more than one kilometer, it is absolutely safe.”

"At the same time, because each reaction uses very little fuel, the energy released by the fusion reaction is limited, which gives us the possibility to control it, and the performance of the device determines our ability to control the fusion reaction."

"In fact, the magnetized target device is like a car engine. If the material and design are not good, the cylinder may explode. The reason why the LM-26 accident occurred is not only that their experiments were too radical and the operation was not smooth, but I think the most fundamental reason is The reason is that the performance of the device is far from being able to completely control the fusion reaction.”

Susan Shan couldn't help but ask: "What about Golden Crow No. 1?"

"You will know this after the experiment."

——

An hour and a half later, the experimental command room.

After receiving the device pre-operation analysis report handed over by Zhong Weijian, Kang Chi immediately read it carefully.

Although the system pops up the panel, the required procedures and cautious attitude are still required.

History always tells us that waves never end well.

While Kangchi was reading the report, Zhong Weijian also reported verbally: "The errors in the temperature, pressure, time and other data of the ten nitrogen experiments did not exceed 0.0001%, which is in line with the device design standards."

Kang Chi nodded, put down the analysis report and said, "Then let's officially start the experiment."

After hearing this, Zhong Weijian couldn't help but look up at the device monitoring on the big screen.

The laboratory that originally housed the Oriental Hyperloop has turned into a large-scale device with a much more complicated structure than the Oriental Hyperloop. Its style is quite rough, with various dense lines and pipes crisscrossing it, and around the device. , and three humanoid robots walking around.

The whole picture gives people a sense of déjà vu, as if they have entered a steampunk world full of violent aesthetics.

In fact, the principle of the magnetized target device is indeed a bit steampunk...

But Zhong Weijian, as the main participant in this device, knows very well that this device is much more powerful than the Oriental Hyperring in terms of material performance and precise mechanical structure design, and it is not the same species as the traditional steam engine. .

At the same time, the Jinwu No. 1 steam hammer designed by Kangchi is not a simple steam hammer, but a combined steam + motor hammer.

When working under pressure, the motor plays a role in fine-tuning the speed. When the fusion reaction needs to reduce pressure, the motor can not only buffer the pressure, but also make the pressure curve more linear and gentle.

This design not only solves the problem of inconsistent steam hammer speed caused by air pressure deviation, which is the same problem as the general fusion LM-26, but also generates some electricity, further improving the future power generation efficiency of the entire device.

Although the number of people mobilized in the entire project is at least tens of thousands, Zhong Weijian still feels like a dream at this moment. It is hard to imagine that under the leadership of Kang Chi, they only took less than four months to build this big guy with ridiculous performance in all aspects.

If Jinwu No. 1 can be successfully ignited, it will undoubtedly become the greatest engineering miracle in this century, no doubt!

To be honest, if possible, he really hopes to be able to stand on the scene and witness this great moment with his own eyes.

The screen made his sense of unreality even more obvious...

Zhong Weijian took a deep breath, then slowly turned on the microphone and said: "All departments are preparing for the first official ignition experiment, and the fuel is set to 0.1mg deuterium-tritium mixture."

"Received!"

With Zhong Weijian's order, all departments immediately took action.

In fact, from the 0.1mg starting fuel test, it can be seen that the performance of Jinwu No. 1 is completely different from the order of magnitude of LM-26.

Although for the safety of the experiment, the fuel used in the initial test must be as little as possible, but less fuel means that in the same space, the number of deuterium-tritium atoms is less, and the probability of fusion reaction caused by collision is lower. At this time, the device needs to create more ideal reaction conditions.

This puts higher requirements on the performance of the device. Similarly, this will also lead to higher input power, but low output power, so the Q value will be lower.

In order to make Jinwu No. 1 achieve the most economical and safe combustion efficiency, 3.5mg of deuterium-tritium mixture needs to be injected for each reaction, and the Q value can be as high as 23 at this time.

The limit fuel is 4.42mg, and the Q value will be further increased to 28. However, if it is operated at the limit for a long time, the loss of equipment will be relatively large and the safety will also decrease.

However, this limit actually corresponds to the highest single energy output of 1500 megajoules. Although the system panel says this is the highest, in fact, in Kang Chi's calculation, the limit should be 1800 megajoules, so the system is likely to give a relatively safe and conservative data.

Of course, Kang Chi is not going to die, and he has to test how much fuel it needs to explode...