Chapter 356 The Problem Is that I Don’t Want to Waste Time!

As the person in charge of a super project like controlled nuclear fusion, Xu Chuan still has to make at least two preparations when considering some key issues.

As for the actual control test of the plasma turbulence numerical control model, he also considered different situations.

If the EAST device in Luyang can be successfully applied for, it would be the best.

After all, the EAST device is very complete and can complete the entire test process to the greatest extent.

If Luyang refuses, at least some other methods are needed.

Of course, relatively speaking, it is definitely not as perfect as using the EAST device in Luyang, and the time will be delayed.

On the sofa, Peng Hongxi sat up straight after hearing what Xu Chuan said: "What do you think?"

Xu Chuan smiled and said: "I have several ideas, but I don't know which one is more suitable."

Aside, Gao Hongming asked: "Academician Xu, you said that if we can help, we will do our best."

Xu Chuan thought for a while, organized his words and said: "The first method is still to 'borrow' a controlled nuclear fusion reactor to complete the experiment. This is the fastest way."

Hearing this, Peng Hongxi and Gao Hongming both cast puzzled eyes.

They have read the previous information. In fact, the only device in China that is capable of completing the actual measurement experiment of the numerical control model of plasma turbulence is the EAST device in Luyang.

Other experimental reactors are either too old and can only be used as test reactors, or they are still under construction and have not been completed.

Xu Chuan glanced at the two of them and continued, "Although only the EAST device in Luyang can complete the ignition and plasma operation experiments in China, there are more than one country in the world that is researching controlled nuclear fusion reactors."

"Maybe we can try to find other countries to trade."

After a pause, he added, "If this method succeeds, it should be the fastest, but it also has disadvantages."

"The control model of high-temperature and high-pressure plasma turbulence is very important in controlled nuclear fusion technology. If we apply for control experiments in other countries' experimental reactors, it will expose our fusion progress to a certain extent."

Hearing this, Peng Hongxi and Gao Hongming frowned slightly.

The first method proposed by Xu Chuan is indeed feasible. If it succeeds, the speed should be the fastest.

However, the disadvantage is just as he said, it will expose the research progress of controlled nuclear fusion in China to a certain extent, which may attract the attention and vigilance of other countries.

After thinking for a while, Peng Hongxi asked: "What about other methods?"

Xu Chuan said calmly: "Buy!"

"Buy a complete controlled nuclear fusion reactor directly from abroad!"

"The Tokamak device was the mainstream route of international research before. Many countries have studied it. It is not required to buy the latest equipment from other countries. It is enough to buy their retired equipment."

"As long as we can carry out ignition experiments and plasma turbulence control, we will make improvements after buying it back. This is also a relatively short-term method, but it costs some money."

Peng Hongxi thought for a while , said: "This is indeed a feasible method, but the cost will be a bit high, and it may not be available."

"After all, it is a controlled nuclear fusion reactor. Even if it is retired, it has a high research value. If you just use money, you may not be able to buy it."

Xu Chuan smiled and said: "Then what about adding technology? For example, use high-temperature copper-carbon-silver composite superconducting materials as trading objects."

Peng Hongxi glanced at Xu Chuan and whispered: "But isn't this material your own technology?"

For controlled nuclear fusion reactors, superconducting materials are also very critical core materials.

High-temperature superconducting materials with excellent performance can not only save a lot of money, but also improve the control performance of controlled nuclear fusion reactors to a certain extent.

If high-temperature copper-carbon-silver composite superconducting materials are used as one of the trading technologies, I believe that many countries will be tempted.

After all, although retired controlled nuclear fusion reactors are precious, they are not something that cannot be sold at all.

The high-temperature copper-carbon-silver composite superconducting material is different. At present, all the superconducting materials on the market can be said to crush other high-temperature superconducting materials in terms of critical temperature, critical magnetic field, or critical current.

If this material is used as a magnetic field confinement generator for a controlled nuclear fusion reactor, the most direct change is that the superconducting material that originally needed to be frozen with liquid helium can be replaced with liquid nitrogen.

The price of liquid helium is more than a hundred times that of liquid nitrogen.

This alone can save a lot of money.

The key is that the magnetic field confinement device made of high-temperature copper-carbon-silver composite superconducting material can generate a stronger confining magnetic field. This is also very important for controlled nuclear fusion.

However, the Qixia controlled nuclear fusion project is a national project, while the high-temperature copper-carbon-silver composite superconducting material is the private property of the young man in front of him.

If it is sold, the amount of high-temperature superconducting materials required for a controlled nuclear fusion reactor is at least hundreds of millions of dollars, or even more.

Peng Hongxi had never seen such a practice as trading one's own private property in exchange for a decommissioned controlled nuclear fusion reactor to advance the development of a national project. At least he had never seen such a large-scale contribution.

For others, it is good enough not to find ways to put the country's things into their own pockets, let alone use their own assets to subsidize the country.

On the side, Gao Hongming didn't think about this, or he did, but he knew that the country would definitely not let this person suffer.

"Well, Academician Xu, isn't high-temperature copper-carbon-silver composite superconducting material very helpful to controllable nuclear fusion? Will this transaction also significantly improve the development progress of other countries?"

Compared with Peng Hongxi, he is more concerned about whether the domestic controllable nuclear fusion industry can lead other countries.

Xu Chuan smiled and said: "Although the performance of high-temperature copper-carbon-silver composite superconducting materials is excellent enough, it is not without alternatives."

"Controllable nuclear fusion reactors are different from large strong particle colliders. The latter pursues ultimate magnetic field control. For the former, it is enough to restrain the high-temperature plasma turbulence in the chamber."

"And it's meant to be sold to the outside world, so it doesn't have much impact. Don't worry, this relationship isn't very big."

Hearing this, Gao Hongming thought for a while and nodded, then said: "In this case, it is indeed feasible to purchase a piece of equipment."

Xu Chuan said with a smile: "In fact, it doesn't have to be foreign, domestic ones can actually be used. I have seen that the performance parameters of some tokamak devices under construction can also meet the requirements. I just said that there is no hope of buying from abroad. Buy big.”

To be honest, there are actually a lot of domestic tokamak devices, but half of them are experimental research types and cannot be ignited and can only do some experiments; the other half are under construction.

Although most of these projects under construction meet the requirements, it is impossible for him to dismantle other people's project equipment to solve his own problems.

As for retired old equipment, there is currently no equipment that meets the requirements in China. After all, the development of controllable nuclear fusion in China is still relatively short-lived.

What's more, the person in charge of the tokamak field in China is still Chen Mingji of Luyang. If he doesn't nod in agreement, he probably won't be able to buy it.

There's no way he could go directly to the top for this matter, right?

If we really get into trouble, the higher-ups probably won't agree to it, so I'll try to help find a way to see if we can cooperate with other research institutions.

But this brings the problem back to its original point.

The right to speak in the field of domestic controlled nuclear fusion is almost entirely in the hands of Chen Mingji. If he disagrees, or if he does some damage during cooperation, subsequent experiments will not be carried out.

So instead of struggling domestically, Xu Chuan thought it would be better to buy directly from abroad.

Peng Hongxi thought for a moment, frowned slightly and asked, "It's okay to buy one, but is it really necessary to be in such a hurry? Maybe we can take our time and make one ourselves?"

Xu Chuan shook his head gently and said, "It's not urgent."

After a slight pause, he continued: "If you don't believe me, our current research has just started, but in my opinion, our research is actually at the forefront of the world."

Hearing this, Peng Hongxi and Gao Hongming were stunned for a moment and looked over in surprise.

Xu Chuan smiled lightly and said: "The control model of high-temperature plasma turbulence is the most critical technology for controllable nuclear fusion."

"In this regard, I can guarantee that no country in the world or any laboratory researching controllable nuclear fusion technology can compare with us."

"As long as I have a reactor, I am sure that I can break the world's operating record in a short time!"

"So I don't want to waste time on building an experimental reactor. Two years is enough for us to do many, many things."

“The money and time saved is totally worth it in my opinion.”

After hearing these words, Peng Hongxi breathed a long sigh of relief. He knew that persuasion would definitely fail, so he asked: "Do you have a purchase target?"

Xu Chuan thought for a while and said: "The Tore Supra superconducting fusion device in France, the T-15 fusion reactor in Tsarist Russia, the old ASDEX device at the Max Planck Institute of Plasma Physics in the German country, and the Albanian fusion device at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States. Carter C-Mod Compact Fusion Reactor."

"Currently, I am considering negotiating one of these four. Among them, the Alcatel C-Mod compact fusion reactor and the ASDEX fusion reactor are the two that I am more optimistic about."

"They each have their own unique advantages. The former is the world's only compact high-magnetic field nuclear fusion tokamak device, and the latter is because of the profound foundation of the Planck Institute of Plasma Physics. The equipment is relatively more complete and easier to transform. ”

"And since both of them are currently in full retirement status, it will be easier to negotiate."

"Of course, if you have other considerations and choices, you can also discuss it."

Peng Hongxi thought for a while and asked: "It's not a problem to buy one. It's a trivial matter to spend some money. It's just that we are also building a fusion reactor ourselves now. Although it will take two or three years to be completely completed, but for For a project like controllable nuclear fusion, two or three years is not a long time. Will two fusion reactor equipment be a bit redundant by then?”

Xu Chuan smiled and said: "It doesn't matter. If we want to purchase the fusion reactor device, then I will make adjustments to the project on Qixia Mountain later."

"Huh?" Peng Hongxi hesitated and looked over.

Xu Chuan continued: "If the equipment is purchased successfully, I will modify the plan for the fusion reactor at the Qixia project base and directly design it into a large demonstration reactor!"

"If everything goes well, this will also be the first commercial reactor! At that time, it can directly transform itself into a power supply for Jinling and even the entire Sujiang Province."

Hearing this, Peng Hongxi and Gao Hongming couldn't help but take a breath and were shocked.

This change, even for them, can be said to be extremely crazy.

Although the four terms "test reactor", "experimental reactor", "demonstration reactor" and "commercial reactor" all refer to controlled nuclear fusion reactors, the concepts are completely different.

Test reactors can generally only conduct phased or fixed types of research.

For example, most of the old equipment in China, such as the HL-1 tokamak 1, mainly studies auxiliary heating and drive systems, as well as projectile injection systems and ultrasonic molecular beam injection and feeding technology.

The experimental reactor is relatively complete, such as the EAST device, which can carry out a full set of fusion experiments and has a full set of equipment except for actual power generation and operation.

Of course, experimental devices that can meet the most basic experimental needs of plasma experiments are actually called experimental reactors. In theory, experimental reactors and experimental reactors are actually similar. However, they can still be distinguished according to the degree of perfection.

As for demonstration reactors and commercial reactors, they are equipment of another level.

The standard of demonstration reactors is "equipment that realizes a series of links of controlled nuclear fusion, from plasma confinement to fusion reaction to power output."

The world's first controlled nuclear fusion experimental reactor is the Williams Hampton Nuclear Fusion Laboratory (WIFER) in the United States. Since its completion in 1956, the research on controlled nuclear fusion has gone through more than 70 years.

As of today, various experimental reactors in various countries have emerged in an endless stream, from magnetic confinement routes to inertial confinement routes, from tokamaks to stellarators, and then to laser fusion devices.

The total number of experimental reactors in the world exceeds three digits.

But whether it is the United States, China, or the European Union, no country or institution can complete the construction of a demonstration reactor for controlled nuclear fusion.

The arrangement of the demonstration reactor is currently only in the PPT and schedule.

So for Xu Chuan's idea of ​​directly building the Qixia controlled nuclear fusion project into a demonstration reactor, both of them couldn't help but feel shocked and crazy.

Swallowing a breath of air, Peng Hongxi asked with a hint of hesitation and concern: "Is it a bit too fast to directly change to a demonstration reactor? We haven't even finished the experimental reactor yet."

It has to be said that the young man in front of him is really courageous, or crazy.

When the experimental reactor has not been completed and no breakthrough results have been made, he directly thinks about going all the way to the demonstration reactor.

If he didn't know his character and academic character, Peng Hongxi would even directly doubt whether he was crazy.

After all, this arrangement and plan sounded too crazy.

Xu Chuan smiled and said, "It's a little fast, but I'm sure I'm confident."

"And it's not that urgent now. The park is still under construction, and the relevant equipment is still being purchased. This is just a temporary idea. If it doesn't work, we can change it at that time."

"The key now is how we can test the plasma turbulence model in our hands. This is a very critical step in the controlled nuclear fusion project. If we can take this critical step, we are not far from the demonstration reactor."

"As for other problems, we can also conduct them on the purchased experimental reactor, just as if we spent some extra money to save the original construction time."

Hearing this, Peng Hongxi nodded. If you think about it this way, buying a device is indeed a good idea.

After thinking for a while, he said: "If this is the case, then the arrangement of purchasing equipment should be put on the agenda. For us, the sooner we get the equipment, the better."

Xu Chuan thought for a while and said: "In addition to the fusion reactor, the numerical control model of plasma turbulence requires a large supercomputer to drive it, and the daily construction of the supercomputer center should also be advanced. Then this time arrangement is about half a year to a year. It is more appropriate."

"As for the time in between, we can first build the optimized devices such as the superconducting plasma running track and superconducting coils of the modified reactor after determining which equipment can be purchased."

"As long as the equipment is delivered, we can conduct assembly and rotation tests as soon as possible."

"Now according to the lunar calendar, it is the end of 2019. If everything goes well, then the plan to start the first round of ignition experiments in early 21 should be about the same."