Great Country Academician

The miniaturization of controllable nuclear fusion reactors is not an impossible technology in theory.

As early as 2010, the American company Lockheed Martin announced that it would build a small, controllable nuclear fusion reactor and install it on space shuttles, fighter jets, aircraft carriers and other equipment.

The difficulty is high, but it is not hopeless.

Even as early as 2015, at a forum hosted by Google, Locke revealed that it had built a 1.5-meter-diameter micro-controllable nuclear fusion reactor.

Of course, this is just a sample. There are currently no test results, not even a complete physical model, and the published information are only design drawings without any practical value.

But from this piece of news, it can also be seen that the miniaturization of controllable nuclear fusion is not an impossible technology in theory.

Just because it is feasible in theory does not mean it is feasible in practice.

If Lockheed Martin is really as strong as it appears, it won't be able to produce any phased results until now.

But for Xu Chuan, just because Lockheed Martin can't do it, doesn't mean he can't do it.

The main key to the realization of controllable nuclear fusion technology lies in the three product parameters of fusion, namely the ion temperature of the fuel, the plasma density and the energy confinement time, all three of which are indispensable.

And these three, strictly speaking, are related to the external field confinement coil of the controllable nuclear fusion reactor.

The stronger the confinement magnetic field provided by the outer superconducting coil, the more dense the plasma can be compressed, resulting in more nuclear collisions, which in turn generates fusion and increases the temperature in the reactor chamber.

This is one of the cores of controllable nuclear fusion technology.

As for the Huaxing fusion device, although it has not yet applied improved superconductors with higher critical magnetic fields due to production problems, its external field confinement coil uses high-temperature copper-carbon-silver composite superconducting materials.

This was a previous transaction between the Planck Institute of Plasma and Xu Chuan, and the confinement magnetic field is not weak.

Based on this, by conducting density-increasing experiments on plasma turbulence, it is theoretically possible to calculate how small the fusion reactor can be made by optimizing the external field coil using improved superconductor materials.

This is also one of the main purposes of launching the Huaxing fusion device for this experiment.

In the main control room, each working group is carrying out its work step by step.

Half an hour passed quickly, and on the control screen, the operation data of each item became stable.

In the reactor chamber, the helium-3 and hydrogen simulated materials, whose temperature has reached 60 million degrees, are running smoothly. The plasma turbulence numerical control model run by the supercomputing center controls the external field coil in real time to constrain the internal high-temperature plasma.

Standing in front of the main console, Liang Qu, the head of the Energy Research Institute, glanced at the data on the screen, and then his eyes fell on Xu Chuan beside him. Seeing that he didn't show any expression, he took a deep breath and said calmly He opened his mouth and said:

[Attention to all groups, high-density compression experiments with plasma turbulence have begun to test the minimized high-density plasma iris size limit! 】

【receive! 】

【receive! 】

【.】

The sound of reports one by one quickly sounded in the main control room. Xu Chuan didn't pay much attention, and his eyes fell on the display screen that recorded the data in real time.

As time passed and the power of the ICRF heating antenna decreased, the temperature in the reactor chamber began to continue to drop.

For high-density compression experiments with plasma turbulence, the higher the temperature, the more difficult the experiment is.

For the first compression experiment, it was enough to maintain the temperature in the chamber at 30 million degrees.

And the higher the temperature, the greater the damage caused by the plasma burst in case of an accident in the experiment, so the experimental temperature does not need to be high.

As the temperature stabilizes, the simulated plasma of helium-3 and hydrogen bound in the magnetic field flows quietly in the reaction chamber like a thin layer of light blue aurora.

With the fine-tuning of the external field coil, the originally stable divisor magnetic field quickly started a new round of changes.

If someone could look directly at the scene in the reactor chamber with the naked eye, they would be able to see that thin layer of light blue aurora, which is being compressed as the external field coil is adjusted.

And every time it is compressed, the color of the light blue aurora becomes more intense.

This is a symptom reflected by the further increase in the atomic collision rate and temperature as the plasma compression progresses.

[Report, the atomic collision rate has reached 75% of the expected critical point! 】

As time passed by, a report sounded in the main control room amid everyone's nervous and expectant looks.

Hearing the sound, Liang Qu responded quickly and directed the staff to adjust the fusion equipment. Xu Chuan also looked up at the large screen monitoring the data.

It records real-time data from Huaxing Fusion Device. Judging from the data, the compression of high-temperature plasma is approaching its limit.

For the control of plasma turbulence, even if high-temperature copper-carbon-silver composite superconducting materials are used, the binding force of the external field coil is limited.

If it is a large tokamak fusion device, it can also be improved by using hybrid magnets. However, the size of the miniaturized fusion reactor itself is limited, and it is impossible to use hybrid magnets to enhance the critical magnetic field.

Staring at the data on the screen, Xu Chuan took a deep breath.

Today's test can be said to have come to a complete end here. The rest depends on whether the experimental data of high-density compression of plasma turbulence are enough to support his theoretical calculations!

Following the instructions, the Huaxing fusion device, which was undergoing trial operation for the first time, began to slowly stop working.

The power of the ICRF antenna is reduced, and the plasma temperature in the reactor chamber is also reduced.

When the particles in the simulation experiment, such as hydrogen and helium, return to normal from the plasma state, the divertor in the chamber also starts working to discharge the remaining raw materials.

At the same time, the institute's scientific researchers and engineers quickly began inspections of the fusion device and analysis of experimental data.

Xu Chuan used this time to continue to perfect the design of the magnet windings and permanent magnet blocks.

Two days passed quickly, and with the assistance of the supercomputing center, the data from this experiment was finally fully analyzed.

"Academician Xu! The analytical data of the stellarator operation is out!"

Outside the office, he heard his voice before seeing him. Liang Qu held a printed document in his hand and opened the door with excitement on his face.

Hearing this, Xu Chuan threw the ballpoint pen in his hand directly on the table and stood up quickly: "How is the situation? Let me take a look!"

It was no wonder that he didn't care. This experimental data was crucial to the realization of a miniaturized fusion device.

The compression and control of high-temperature plasma turbulence are related to the final size of the fusion reactor.

Liang Qu grinned with a smile on his face: "The compression of plasma is very good! Theoretically, we can make the reactor one-third of the size it is now!"

After receiving the analyzed data, Xu Chuan began to read it carefully. Pictures and data continued to flow through his eyes, and the relevant analysis fluctuated in his mind.

Judging from the analyzed data, the high-temperature copper-carbon-silver composite superconducting material with a critical magnetic field strength of about 25T can compress the plasma iris in the reactor chamber to about half of its original volume and maintain continuous stability. control.

If compression confinement is continued, the simulated collision of helium-3 and hydrogen will produce violent energy fluctuations, causing the particles in the plasma turbulence to exceed the control of the confinement magnetic field, thereby causing serious damage to the first wall material.

Looking at the data above, Xu Chuan simply calculated in his mind.

One-half compression ratio is already very good.

Of course, there is still a big gap between the simulation operation data of helium and trihydrogen and the actual fusion data of deuterium and tritium raw materials.

The former will not actually perform a fusion reaction and will not release a large amount of energy during the collision. The latter will further increase the difficulty of restraint with each collision and fusion.

Judging from the calculation data, if this experiment is replaced with real deuterium and tritium raw materials for ignition control, the compressive strength should reach one-third.

Based on calculations based on this data, the size of the Huaxing fusion device in front of us can be reduced by one-third to one-fifth.

If improved superconductor materials are used for improved constraints, this data can be doubled.

Theoretically, by replacing high-temperature copper-carbon-silver composite superconducting materials with improved superconducting materials, the size of the Huaxing fusion reactor can be reduced to about three meters in diameter and one meter in height.

This volume is already very small, and there is absolutely no problem in calling it a micro-fusion device.

Combined with supporting equipment, it shouldn't be a big problem if it's put into a space shuttle, but if it's going to be used on a fighter jet, I'm afraid it's not very good.

After all, the purpose of the space shuttle is mainly scientific research, and it can be manufactured if it is large enough.

For example, the American space shuttle Buran is one of the most advanced space shuttles in the world. Its length is 36.37 meters, its height is 16.35 meters, its wingspan is 23.92 meters, and its fuselage diameter is 5.6 meters. In theory, it is completely enough to accommodate miniaturized fusion. Installed.

As for traditional fighter jets, let’s take the American F22 Raptor as an example. It is one of the larger fighter jets, but its length is only 18.9 meters and its wingspan is 13.56 meters. If the tail fin and other equipment are not included in the fuselage diameter, it is only Less than three meters.

Of course, there is no problem for large bombers such as the Tu-160, B-1B, and H-6K to carry the next miniaturized fusion device.

Compared with traditional aviation kerosene, the superiority of controllable nuclear fusion technology in volumetric energy density is simply overwhelming.

It is no exaggeration to say that if a large bomber, such as Figure 160, is equipped with a miniaturized controllable nuclear fusion reactor, even if it uses a traditional motor propeller engine, as long as it has enough thrust to lift it into the sky, then its battery life

In theory, it will surpass all current fighters and even aircraft carriers. In a sense, its endurance is unlimited!

This is the importance of miniaturized controllable nuclear fusion reactors!

It will redefine aviation and aerospace, and also completely change the entire world!

PS: It is a key node for the project to go online. I worked overtime until early morning last night. When I got home, it was almost 0 o'clock. I didn't have time to send out the leave sheet. I will make up for it today. There is still one chapter in the evening. Please vote for me.