Of course, physics is still there.
This is the gap in information.
It seems that Chu Lansheng on the side knows a little bit of news, so when faced with this situation, besides being shocked, he can only be amazed.
Others like Cao Xu, who had no information at all, were just confused at this time. For example, several other people from Western Institute of Physics were holding their heads in their hands with disbelief on their faces. They were exactly the same as Cao Xu.
Just when the entire control room was filled with joy, Xiao Yi, as Chief Designer, finally spoke, "Ahem, okay, don't be happy now, the 300 seconds have come."
Everyone was talking and immediately turned to look at the big screen. Sure enough, they found that the timer was still more than two hundred seconds. At this time, the number in the hundreds place had changed to 3, and the following numbers were still rising.
This means that they can still continue!
Judging from the current situation, let alone 300 seconds, even if it is 500 seconds, or even 1000 seconds, there is no problem at all!
Someone couldn't help but shouted to Xiao Yi, "Chief Designer Xiao, can we just try to hit 1000 seconds?"
Everyone else also looked at Xiao Yi expectantly.
You know, among the researchers on site, EAST has the most researchers. To reach 1,000 seconds in this current state is itself one of the three major scientific goals of EAST.
EAST has three major scientific goals: first, to achieve a plasma current of 1 megaamp; second, to achieve 100 million degrees Celsius; and third, to achieve an operating time of 1,000 seconds.
Prior to this, they had achieved all three goals of EAST.
However, they were all achieved independently, not jointly.
Just like a continuous operation time of 1000 seconds, they completely failed to achieve it at 100 million degrees Celsius and 1 megaamp plasma current.
However, now, the goal that they originally dreamed of was so close to them that they almost couldn't reach out to get it.
Moreover, if they really hit 1,000 seconds, it is estimated that the whole world will focus on them, and they will become the people the whole world pays attention to.
How could this not make them excited?
However, Xiao Yi shook his head, precisely because it might attract too much attention and be too high-profile, so he did not intend to complete it now.
He said, "There is no need to rush after 1000 seconds. The goal of 1000 seconds will wait until next time."
Everyone could only sigh with regret.
"However, next, we have another goal."
Xiao Yi said, "Verify the power generation efficiency of MHD generator."
Although UOmini has an external cooling cycle, it is not equipped with a turbine generator. This purpose is mainly to hide the true level of UOmini. Otherwise, if it really achieves its ultimate goal of boiling water to generate electricity, it will probably be more shocking than burning water for 1,000 seconds.
However, if you just verify the operation of MHD generator, it will not be as strong as the vibration caused by turbine generator power generation.
After all, MHD generator only utilizes 20% of the energy generated in the nuclear fusion reaction. Even if the energy conversion efficiency of MHD generator can reach about 70%, it is only a conversion rate of about 14% at most.
The real big deal is still above the boiling water.
Therefore, the verification of magnetic fluid power generation may make the nuclear fusion community a little surprised, but it will not be a complete shock.
"Magnetic restraint team, prepare now, prepare to switch magnetic restraint mode to B mode."
Xiao Yi immediately took out the walkie-talkie and gave the order.
"Yes! The magnetic restraint team is preparing... the function has been debugged and is ready!"
Soon, the voice of the head of the magnetic restraint team came from the intercom.
The people present immediately held their breath and looked up at the screen in front, waiting for the results.
At this time, Xiao Yi also said again, "Okay! Start B mode!"
The next moment, the magnetic field lines displayed on the other screen suddenly changed slowly.
Considering that the trajectory of the plasma will also change during the change of the magnetic field, and when these high-temperature plasmas enter the U-shaped tube from O-type tube, improper control may cause part of the plasma to hit the intersection, so in order to avoid this, the change of the magnetic field is also relatively slow.
So, as the magnetic field changes, it can be observed through the infrared observer that the high-temperature plasma has smoothly entered the U-shaped tube.
At this time, the MHD generator that hit the curved surface of the U-shaped tube also started up immediately. The superconducting wires on both sides immediately passed through the current, forming a magnetic field of the positive and negative poles. Then, the charged high-temperature plasma was attracted by the magnetic field and directly hit the positive and negative poles, and the current flowed in immediately!
"Detected that MHD generator is starting to generate electricity!"
In the control room, everyone immediately observed the data displayed on the big screen.
In almost an instant, the efficiency of MHD generator immediately soared to over 30MW.
"Damn it! 30MW!"
"Awesome!"
The entire control room suddenly burst into exclamation.
Of course, the power generation power of 30MW is not very high.
A common thermal power plant can generate power of several hundred MW per unit.
But you must know that they are just a small fusion device. The upper limit of power generation itself is relatively low, and when converted to MHD generator, it becomes even smaller.
Moreover, if you compare the quality of the fuel they input, thermal power generators are really beyond their reach!
That's a gap of millions of times!
Applause suddenly sounded throughout the control room.
Xiao Yi also smiled slightly.
This time, it can be said that it is the first time that China has achieved nuclear fusion power generation, and it can also be said that it is the first time that nuclear fusion magnetic fluid power generation has been achieved in the world.
In the past, China had basically never achieved power generation, mainly focusing on experimental feasibility.
After all, generating electricity before feasibility is realized is basically just for fun.
Now, they finally achieved power generation after achieving other previous goals step by step.
Completely different.
However, when the next ignition is performed, it will be even more different.
The next ignition will probably not be called verification or experiment...
When the power generation time reached 50 seconds and the entire machine running time reached 370 seconds, Xiao Yi said, "Okay, this is the end of this ignition test. Each unit group, be prepared to shut down."
"Yes!"
Responses from each group came from the intercom, but most of the responses had a sense of loss.
Probably because they have never been so close to success.
But no matter what, you still have to shut down when it's time to shut down.
First, the fuel group starts to stop injecting fuel. This is the most convenient way to stop nuclear fusion. This is also one of the reasons why nuclear fusion power generation is very safe.
Even though nuclear fusion is related to "nuclear" and needs to be maintained at a temperature of more than 100 million degrees, in fact, its safety is safer than thermal power generation, not to mention nuclear fission power generation.
In terms of fuel, the deuterium and tritium required for nuclear fusion are non-toxic, non-radioactive isotopes and will not pose a direct threat to the environment and human health. The helium ultimately produced is also a stable, non-toxic, non-radioactive inert gas and will not have an impact on the environment; thermal power generation uses coal, stone Oil and natural gas are natural resources, especially oil, which has directly brought war to the world. The fuel for nuclear fusion, deuterium, is in the sea and can be extracted with technology. It is almost inexhaustible. That is to say, tritium is a little more troublesome, but in the end it will not cause war like oil.
In other aspects, there are safety hazards in the mining, transportation, storage and combustion processes, such as fires, explosions, toxic gas leaks and other risks. As for nuclear fission power generation, not to mention, various radioactive elements are extremely unsafe as fuels, and the radioactivity of the final product has affected a considerable amount of land.
As for the safety of the operation process, it is also very important. Although nuclear fusion requires a temperature of more than 100 million degrees and extremely strong magnetic field conditions, this in turn also shows that the reaction conditions are harsh. Once the reaction conditions deviate slightly, the fusion reaction will not be able to continue. Stop quickly, and there is no risk of losing control; as for explosion accidents in thermal power plants, there are many accidents, and explosion accidents in nuclear fission power plants have caused quite a few tragedies, such as the Chernobyl incident, and the Fukushima nuclear leakage, needless to say.
There are other places where comparison can be made. Nuclear fusion can be called flawless in all aspects.
As an important node in the climb of the energy technology tree, nuclear fusion is such a seemingly perfectly designed way to obtain energy.
"Fuel injection has stopped."
The voice of the fuel control group came from the intercom. As the fuel was no longer supplied, the concentration of deuterium and tritium ions dropped rapidly. In the end, it could not meet the requirements of Lawson Criterion. The fusion reaction could not sustain itself. In addition, the heating group had already After stopping the heating, the fusion reaction stopped quickly in just a few seconds, and the interior also cooled down quickly. The temperature displayed on the big screen dropped from a high temperature of 150 million degrees back to less than a thousand degrees in a short period of time.
The remaining temperature is basically the waste heat after the inner wall has absorbed the heat, and as the cooling system circulates, this waste heat is quickly taken away.
At this time, Xiao Yi also pressed the button again to stop the current input.
At this point, this ignition test is completely over.
Xiao Yi put down the walkie-talkie and was the first to applaud.
The people present seemed to be still immersed in the experience just now and had not come back to their senses. It was not until they heard Xiao Yi's applause that they all woke up and clapped their hands excitedly.
Some researchers hugged each other happily, or gave each other high fives.
It wasn't until the applause gradually stopped that Xiao Yi picked up the microphone and said with a smile, "Okay, everyone, I announce that this ignition test was a complete success, and we also achieved an unexpected achievement, which is Lawson Criterion!"
As Chief Designer announced its success, the audience burst into applause.
Reaching Lawson Criterion is indeed an unexpected surprise for them.
"Of course, I also know that everyone may still have regrets, such as not being able to try to hit 1,000 seconds or even higher, but what I want to say is, after this time, there will definitely be a next time. Maybe, the next time will be another achievement more brilliant than 1,000 seconds."
"So, please stay tuned!"
"In addition, in order to celebrate today's success, all members will have three days off starting tomorrow!"
These words pushed the atmosphere of the audience to another climax.
Almost everyone cheered.
"Ohhhhh!"
"Long live Chief Designer Xiao!"
"Chief Designer Xiao is awesome!"
Probably only the Western Institute of Physics group was not particularly happy.
You guys are on holiday, where are they?
Now they just want to know, why?
Why?
Don't they just want to see if this UO structure works?
How come it turns out that we are not far away from realizing nuclear fusion?
What the hell...
Looking at the cheering people around them, they deeply realized a sentence: human beings' joys and sorrows are not connected, they only feel noisy.
"Chu, what do you say now?"
Li Jiangan looked at Chu Lansheng next to him with a smile.
Chu Lansheng snorted coldly and said, "I still don't agree."
"Huh? You are really stubborn to the end." Li Jiangan glared and immediately mocked.
"You're not the chief engineer. It's none of your business. I want to talk to Chief Designer Xiao." Chu Lansheng chuckled, and then he walked towards Xiao Yi.
"Hey!" Li Jiangan followed. He wanted to know what this old guy wanted to say.
Chu Lansheng came to Xiao Yi and said, "Chief Designer Xiao, you UO structure, I feel you are still a little behind."
"Your MHD generator will eventually be in direct contact with plasma. How will the channel material of your MHD generator withstand it for a long time?"
Li Jiangan cursed when he heard this question, "Old man, you asked the question knowingly, didn't you?"
They all use the same material, why do you need to ask so many questions?
But Chu Lansheng ignored him and looked at Xiao Yi.
Xiao Yi replied with a smile, "When the channel material is seriously worn, the magnetic field will be adjusted to keep the plasma running in O-type tube. At this time, the U-shaped tube is in a safe state, and then MHD generator can be replaced."
This is indeed a key issue. After all, MHD generator will directly face high-temperature plasma, so the wear rate will inevitably be faster than that of wall materials elsewhere. According to Xiao Yi's calculations, it will need to be replaced every 2-4 years.
However, thanks to the function of UO structure, it can be replaced without stopping, so there is no need to worry.
However, Chu Lansheng seemed a little dissatisfied with this answer and asked, "But you can't keep changing!"
Xiao Yi raised his eyebrows, and he probably guessed Chu Lansheng's purpose.
And Li Jiangan also guessed it at this time. "Hey, you old guy, it turns out you are pretending here. What are you thinking, do you think we can't tell?"
Chu Lansheng decisively stopped pretending, completely changed his attitude, and begged, "Okay, Chief Designer Xiao, just let me take a look at this new material of yours!"
"You also know that materials like this are exactly what those of us who study nuclear fusion have been pursuing our entire lives."
Li Jiangan next to him immediately pointed at him and laughed loudly, "Chu Lansheng, Chu Lansheng, you too will have this day!"
Chu Lansheng still ignores this old enemy.
Anyway, as long as he can see that material now, his dream will come true.
The ultimate purpose of his coming here today is to see this material that can resist high-energy neutrons.
Xiao Yi looked at the sincere eyes of the old academician, and finally, he nodded in agreement.
Time passed quickly.
The relevant news has not yet spread. The domestic nuclear physics field first heard Chu Lansheng announce: From now on, everything related to controllable nuclear fusion will completely obey all instructions of Chief Designer Xiao, and whatever Chief Designer Xiao says will be whatever it is.
As soon as this announcement came out, a lot of people were confused.
It's strange. Wasn't this Academician Chu in tit-for-tat with Xiao Yi before?
Why is this happening all of a sudden now?
However, before they could ask, another piece of news hit them in a more violent way.
The UO structure verification device successfully achieved 1 megaamp plasma current, 150 million degrees, and long-term operation of 370 seconds, and successfully reached the Lawson Criterion during operation. At the same time, it achieved nuclear fusion power generation for the first time in China, and magnetic fluid power generation for the first time in the world. The power generation reached 30MW.
For a moment, all nuclear physicists who learned the news were stunned.
Then, the whole society was boiling.