Great Country Academician

For controllable nuclear fusion technology, using helium three and hydrogen to simulate high-density plasma operation experiments is completely different from directly using deuterium-tritium raw materials for ignition operations.

In fact, apart from inertial confinement, which imitates the explosion of a hydrogen bomb, in the magnetic confinement route, there are almost only a handful of countries and devices that have actually done ignition and operation experiments.

The former does not have very high requirements for the experimental equipment, and it is enough to form a magnetic field confinement to allow the high-temperature plasma flow to run in the reactor chamber.

Helium III and hydrogen can simulate the operating state of high-density plasma at high temperature, but it is still different from the fusion ignition of deuterium-tritium raw materials.

When helium three and hydrogen are running in the reactor chamber, they don't really produce fusion phenomenon, which is the biggest difference.

When each deuterium atom and tritium atom fuses, it will release a huge amount of energy and neutrons, which will affect the high-temperature plasma running in the reactor chamber.

In addition, the neutron beams released during the fusion process will also break away from the confinement magnetic field, causing extremely serious damage to the first wall material.

This is what is bound to happen during deuterium-tritium fusion.

It is common knowledge in physics that neutrons cannot be bound by a magnetic field.

If someone can really confine neutrons, the entire theoretical physics community and even the entire physics community will have to kneel down and beg him to guide the way forward.

The neutron irradiation produced by deuterium-tritium fusion is one of the most difficult problems in the entire controllable nuclear fusion.

The destruction of materials by neutron irradiation is not only the atomic transmutation and the destruction of internal chemical bonds, but also the destruction of the purest physical structure.

It is like bullets hitting a steel plate, each time a hole will be created in the steel plate.

Of course, it's just that it's at the micro level.

How to solve the problem of neutron irradiation generated in the process of deuterium-tritium fusion and the selection of the first wall material are also a super difficult problem in controllable nuclear fusion.

Now that the dawn fusion device has reached this point, facing the neutron irradiation produced by deuterium-tritium fusion is already in sight.

In the main control room, Xu Chuan held his breath and looked at the main monitoring screen.

After the deuterium-tritium raw material is injected into the dawn fusion device, under the blessing of the ICRF heating antenna system, it quickly transforms into a plasma state.

The outer coil forms a confinement magnetic field to quickly confine the plasmaized deuterium-tritium raw materials in the channel formed by the numerical control model, and the fine-tuning magnetic field stably regulates these traces of high-temperature plasma, which are running in the chamber.

If you have a pair of eyes that can see the microcosm, you will see the most beautiful scene in the universe in the dawn fusion device at this moment.

Under the high temperature of hundreds of millions of degrees, the electrons in the outer layer of the deuterium-tritium atom are stripped, and the nucleus is exposed. The extremely high temperature brings extremely high activity to these plasmas. Every nucleus is like a car on a high speed, speeding on the road.

When a deuterium nucleus collides with a tritium nucleus, the most wonderful reaction in the universe happens!

The fusion of deuterium and tritium forms a helium atom and a neutron, and releases a huge amount of energy.

This is the source of all life and the ultimate source of energy in human dreams.

In the main control room, along with the plasmaization of deuterium-tritium raw materials, one after another reports sounded excitedly.

"High temperature deuterium-tritium plasma detected!"

"The outer field superconducting coil is in good condition!"

"Fusion reaction observed!"

"Strong neutron irradiation detected at first wall!"

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Every report sounded, and everyone's heart beat violently.

The most exciting thing is the report of "observed fusion reaction".

This means that in the dawn fusion device, the plasma deuterium-tritium raw material successfully completed the collision and fusion, releasing a large amount of energy.

Perhaps the fusion reaction is only a drop in the bucket of this milligram of deuterium-tritium raw material, but it still shines like a star, making people intoxicated.

At this moment, the deuterium-tritium plasma flowing in the dawn fusion device is like a dream shining into reality.

Although its mass is only one milligram, although its running time is only a short one minute, although it is only a phased achievement for controllable nuclear fusion.

But it is still extremely bright, as long as a century, and it is like a red sun rising from the east.

With the shutdown of the ICRF heating antenna, the current supply to the superconducting coil was stopped, and the temperature of the plasma in the reactor chamber dropped rapidly.

When the entire Xiaoxiao fusion device stopped operating completely, the cheers that had been suppressed for a long time finally resounded in the laboratory.

"It worked! We made it!"

I don't know who yelled, and the quiet atmosphere was instantly detonated, and everyone cheered.

Some people cheered excitedly, some hugged each other to celebrate, and some people gently wiped the moisture from the corners of their eyes with their hands.

Standing in the crowd, Xu Chuan also showed a bright smile.

In any case, today, they have created a new glory, and the history books will also be written by them.

The complete success of the high-density plasma operation for more than two hours and the ignition operation experiment of deuterium-tritium raw materials means that the dawn fusion device has successfully entered the second stage on the road of controllable nuclear fusion.

Looking at the whole world, there is no country or experimental group that can achieve this level!

They are now the veritable number one in the world in the field of controllable nuclear fusion.

Of course, with the operation of this experiment, there are many troubles and problems that they have to solve.

The biggest trouble is the neutron radiation generated during the ignition and fusion of deuterium-tritium raw materials.

Although this experiment only ran for a short one minute, although the magnetic field constrained by the numerical control model still played a stable role and firmly controlled the high-temperature plasma turbulence, even though the deuterium-tritium raw material was only one milligram

However, the neutron irradiation produced during the deuterium-tritium fusion process still caused a certain degree of damage to the Xiaoxiao fusion device, whether it was the first wall material or other equipment.

Fortunately, the operating time is not long, the radiation dose is not too large, and the damage caused by neutron radiation is within the repairable range.

But even so, the Dawn fusion device will not be able to start running experiments in a short time.

Of course, although the price paid is high, the rewards are also quite substantial.

The high-density plasma operation data of more than two hours, the feasibility of deuterium-tritium fusion ignition operation of the tokamak device, the neutron irradiation data of the first wall material, etc.

These are extremely valuable experimental data.

Especially the neutron irradiation data of the first wall material, its scientific research value cannot be converted into money.

In the whole world, it is unique to have such data obtained after one minute of ignition and fusion of real deuterium-tritium raw materials.

Maybe some devices that have risked ignition operation before also have similar data, but Xu Chuan can be sure that the ignition operation time of those will basically not exceed ten seconds.

In China, this has never happened before.

Even the most advanced EAST has never done a deuterium-tritium raw material ignition operation experiment.

The second ignition operation of the breaking dawn device did not attract much attention from the outside world, and there were not many discussions on the Internet.

But in the field of controlled nuclear fusion, it is completely different.

Two hours of high-density plasma operation, one minute of deuterium-tritium fusion ignition operation, the shock brought by it is not weaker than the 45-minute operation time created for the first time. '

Almost all scholars engaged in controllable nuclear fusion know what this means.

Although starting the fusion ignition operation of deuterium-tritium raw material is only the first step for the real realization of controllable nuclear fusion. But compared to those of them who are still hovering outside the door, this is already a huge lead.

United States, Princeton PPPL Laboratory.

Halifax Bruce, the supervisor who was discussing with Fefferman how to further optimize the control model of the PPPL plant, received this amazing news.

On the opposite side, looking at Halifax Bruce whose complexion changed extremely, Fefferman asked curiously: "What's wrong?"

Hearing the inquiry, Halifax came back from his distraction, and said with a hint of envy in his tone: "Over there in Huaguo, that Professor Xu restarted the dawn fusion experiment for the second time, and not only achieved two hours of high-density Plasma runs, and a one-minute deuterium-tritium feedstock fusion ignition run was attempted."

Hearing this, Fefferman froze for a moment, and said, "Two hours? Deuterium-tritium fusion ignition? Are they progressing so fast?"

Halifax Bruce smiled wryly, and said, "The news report has come out, it should be true."

After a pause, he continued: "In comparison, we are far behind. The longest high-density plasma operation time that PPPL can achieve so far is only a dozen seconds. As for the operation of deuterium-tritium fusion, that is even more Indefinitely far away."

As he said that, Halifax looked at Fefferman and said bitterly: "It seems that what you said at the beginning was correct. In terms of the control of plasma turbulence, Professor Xu is the real key."

Judging from the forty-five minutes and two hours of high-density plasma operation achieved by the Lixiao fusion device, no one would believe that Xu Chuan did not have an excellent plasma turbulence control scheme.

He has even completed the research and development of the mathematical model of plasma turbulence.

After all, compared with the fact that major research institutions are still advancing in seconds, the running time of two hours is really too exaggerated.

At the beginning, the PPPL laboratory also had such an opportunity.

Fefferman once told him that only when Professor Xu joins, can they hope to study the control model of high-temperature plasma turbulence. It's just that he didn't pay much attention to it. Although he did invite him personally, he only invited him once and then gave up.

But now, the other party has already taken the lead. The plasma turbulence control model that they PPPL and Fefferman researched together is still far away, and the running time of the PPPL device is still at the second level.

On the opposite side, Fefferman shook his head and said: "In terms of mathematical ability alone, I am afraid that there are few people in today's mathematics world who can match him."

"Perhaps I can still compare with him in some fields that I am good at, but overall, let alone me, even the almighty Professor Tao may not be his opponent."

"The two seven millennium problems, this achievement is very rare in the history of mathematics."

"Maybe his current influence is not as great as those great mathematicians in history, but as long as he is still developing in the mathematics world, his influence will increase over time."

Halifax Bruce shrugged, and then seemed to remember something. After thinking for a moment, he said excitedly: "Fefferman, do you think we have a chance to buy a batch of high-temperature copper carbon from Professor Xu? Silver composite superconducting material."

"From the perspective of Planck's stellarator Helix 7X, it is not only the mathematical model of plasma turbulence that affects the running time. I believe that the Planck Institute of Plasma Research definitely does not have a mathematical model, but they rely on the high temperature Superconducting materials still achieve half an hour of running time on the stellarator."

"If it can be purchased, the PPPL unit may also be able to run for half an hour."

Fefferman thought for a while, and said: "There is indeed a chance. He is a person who is very nostalgic. If he buys it in the name of Princeton, he should agree."

After a pause, he added: "If Deligne and Witten are involved, the probability will be even greater."

Hearing this, Halifax clapped his hands together and said with a smile, "Of course, I will visit Deligne and Witten."

On the other hand, Washington.

When the dawn fusion device made another two hours of progress, the American Energy Center finally couldn't sit still and held a press conference in the White House.

Standing in front of the podium, Dan Bruyette, head of the American Energy Department, was talking eloquently, delivering a speech on the recent attention-grabbing controllable nuclear fusion technology, and announced that he would increase investment in the field of controllable nuclear fusion, etc. wait.

At the same time, Dan Brouillette also responded to the long-standing rumors that the United States intends to withdraw from the ITER organization. Of course, this is not his main purpose.

The purpose of publicly responding to this at a press conference is not simply to boost national confidence, but also to strike another country.

".The United States has never planned to withdraw from ITER. On the contrary, not only will we not withdraw, but we will continue to increase investment in ITER and fulfill our responsibilities and obligations in ITER."

"At this point, the United States will not use ITER to acquire a large amount of technology in the field of controllable nuclear fusion like a certain country, but it has never fulfilled its responsibilities and obligations."

"Using ITER's sharing agreement to draw technology from ITER to strengthen ourselves, but not to share our own research, this is obviously a violation of the agreement. At this point, our great United States will continue to assume the position of the world's police and maintain ITER member states Interests!"

"At the same time, we will also increase investment in the field of controlled nuclear fusion, increase cooperation with allies, and do our best to complete the research and development of controlled nuclear fusion technology as soon as possible."

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