Great Country Academician

How to deal with the neutrons produced in deuterium-tritium fusion is one of the biggest problems in controllable nuclear fusion.

The destruction of traditional materials by high-energy neutron beams is simply too great.

And more importantly, controllable nuclear fusion requires neutron beams to bombard lithium targets to complete tritium self-sustainment, which cannot be reflected back with materials such as beryllium alloys and graphite like nuclear fission reactors.

Hearing Professor Xing Xuexing's question, Xu Chuan smiled and said, "I don't intend to use the first wall material to process neutrons."

Hearing this, other people in the laboratory looked over curiously.

Xu Chuan thought for a while, organized the thoughts in his mind and said: "Instead of processing neutron irradiation on the first wall, I think it's better to bypass the first wall and then process it."

"I think you've all had a sandwich."

"Two layers of bread on the outside, filled with meat and cheese"

Having said that, Zhao Hongzhi, who is in charge of the Poxiao fusion device, has already understood, looked at Xu Chuan with bright eyes, and said, "Are you planning to set the first wall material into three layers?"

"The first layer uses the anti-radiation material you mentioned to absorb other radiation and high-energy particles except neutron beams, and the second layer arranges lithium targets for neutron bombardment of lithium targets to form self-sustaining tritium; the third layer is It is the final layer of protection to prevent leakage of neutron radiation."

"That's what it means!"

Zhao Hongzhi looked excitedly at Xu Chuan.

There is no such design in history. But finding a first-wall material that absorbs other radiation and does not absorb or react with neutrons is difficult, if not almost impossible to find.

Now, if there is a way to develop such a material, it is entirely possible to achieve the overall protection of the first wall like a three-layer sandwich sandwich.

The key point is that the outermost protective material should not only absorb other radiation and face the impact of high-energy particles, but also not react with neutrons, or less react with neutrons.

It's just too difficult.

Hearing Zhao Hongzhi's explanation, other people in the laboratory also reacted and began to think.

I have to say, does this method seem to be really feasible?

The use of neutrons produced in deuterium-tritium fusion reactions to bombard lithium targets to produce tritium raw materials is a key part of the entire nuclear fusion reactor technology.

After all, the stock of tritium is very small, and it is quite difficult to manufacture.

If tritium cannot be self-sustained and relies on external supplies, no country can afford this high price.

You must know that the price of tritium is now as high as 250,000 RMB per gram. According to the price, one kilogram of tritium costs 250 million RMB.

Therefore, neutrons cannot be wasted and must be utilized.

Xu Chuan glanced at other people in the laboratory, and said with a smile: "The key point is to find a material that can allow neutrons to penetrate through it and absorb other radiation and high-energy particles."

"That's why I say it's better to try other materials."

"Neutron beams are very destructive to metal bonds, and the self-healing ability of metals is too poor. Even if the metal structure is reconstructed using atomic recycling technology, its repairing ability cannot be significantly improved."

"In contrast, some materials that can absorb energy and reconnect chemical bonds are more suitable."

"Even if a small amount of neutrons is absorbed, I think it is acceptable. After all, compared with other nuclear devices, the magnitude of neutrons released by deuterium-tritium fusion has increased by at least two levels."

"With such a huge amount of neutrons, theoretically, the loss of some is enough for us to complete tritium self-sustainment."

After a pause, Xu Chuan looked at Professor Zhao Guanggui and said with a smile, "Theoretically speaking, carbon materials actually quite meet this requirement."

"The carbon material reconstructed by atomic cycle technology has a strong ability to repair grain boundaries, and the carbon nucleus is relatively stable, and it is not easy to react with neutrons."

"Unfortunately, most carbon materials have a disadvantage, which is that they can absorb deuterium-tritium raw materials. This is unacceptable for controllable nuclear fusion."

"Professor Zhao, you have a heavy burden, you must find a way to solve this problem."

Hearing this, Zhao Guanggui swallowed involuntarily, and his heart felt extremely heavy as if a huge boulder weighed ten thousand catties.

This task is too heavy! ! ! !

Didn't you say that good is only in one direction? How could this become the key? The pressure suddenly became huge.

Xu Chuan smiled and didn't pay much attention.

Just give some pressure, this Professor Zhao still has the ability, but it is not very possible to rely on him to improve the carbon material and improve the material structure of the first wall.

It's not that he is not capable or anything, but because he doesn't understand atomic cycle technology.

In order to not only absorb radiation, but also allow neutrons to penetrate through it, and to achieve self-healing grain boundaries, atomic cycle technology and radiation gap technology are essential.

At present, these two technologies have not been fully disclosed, except for him, that is, some researchers who followed him in the project of "Nuclear Beta Radiation Energy Concentration and Conversion Electric Energy Mechanism" have a little understanding.

In the laboratory, Xu Chuan and the researchers in these materials fields discussed until late at night before they dispersed.

In today's exchange, although it is not determined which material to use as the material for the first wall, some routes and plans have been preliminarily determined.

The rest is to sort out these plans and routes in detail, and then hold a meeting to discuss and confirm the perfection, then assign them to different candidates, and proceed step by step according to the experiment.

To realize the technology of controllable nuclear fusion, he alone cannot do it.

But for Xu Chuan, how to achieve this goal, he already had a corresponding plan in his mind.

This kind of large-scale project, even if it is only at the stage of the experimental reactor, involves more than three digits of fields and topics.

And as the chief person in charge and chief designer, he must divide this huge project into different topics and fields, and then assign them to suitable candidates.

Of course, these words are based and relatively simple.

For example, after the fusion ignition operation of deuterium-tritium raw materials, the further optimization of the plasma turbulent numerical control model, the optimization of the cladding shielding module, how to involve a new electromagnetic observation system for helium-3, etc., have been experimented before, or the Academy of Sciences or the domestic Xu Chuan handed over to other people to deal with things that were researched in other places.

And those that are difficult and need to be discussed, they will be discussed separately before being distributed.

For example, today’s selection and consideration of first-wall materials, not only carbon materials, but also other popular first-wall materials such as beryllium alloys, tungsten alloys, and Austrian steel, are also being studied by dedicated groups.

Although Xu Chuan is not very optimistic about metal materials as the first wall material, but he is also a human being, not an omniscient and omnipotent god, maybe there is a problem with his opinion?

After all, it is something that the whole world is studying, and Li Xiao still has to set aside some researchers to do corresponding experiments.

As for himself, to be honest, he still doesn't have much time to spend on material research and development.

Before getting the first wall material, he has to solve the problems of magnetic surface tearing, twisting, and plasma magnetic islands during the fusion process of deuterium-tritium raw materials.

The previous experimental data has not come out, so he can only make a theoretical speculation.

And now, although Lixiao has only run the deuterium-tritium fusion ignition experiment for the time being, and it only lasts for one minute, the collected data is enough for him to conduct preliminary analysis.

After finishing these, Lixiao will continue to do experiments and send him data, so that these things can be improved bit by bit.

At the same time, while Xu Chuan was busy researching controllable nuclear fusion.

On the other side, the headquarters of ITER in Cadara Shirdi near Marseille in southern France.

In the past two months, the directors of ITER have held several internal meetings that are not open to the public.

The content of the meeting is naturally aimed at high-temperature copper-carbon-silver composite superconducting materials and the mathematical model of plasma turbulence.

As for the result, every time they broke up unhappy.

No one knows why, Hua Guo, who has never expressed much opinion on the ITER project in the past, and is even willing to exchange technology and pay for technology, why his attitude suddenly became so tough this time.

Not only did they directly reject the request from the US side, but even the European side's request to exchange technology through the use of technology was also rejected.

In this case, the stalemate becomes difficult to deal with.

And the United States seems to have no patience, and it is ready to stop discussing this matter, but to directly unite with other member states to directly kick out its opponents.

Today is the time to choose.

At the upcoming council meeting, ITER will conduct the last discussion.

Regarding the high-temperature superconducting copper-carbon-silver composite material technology and the high-temperature plasma turbulent numerical control model in the Qixia controllable nuclear fusion engineering project, the final inquiry of the ITER contract technology sharing was initiated.

If this meeting still fails to obtain a result that satisfies most of the member states. In the second half of the meeting, the United States will initiate a council vote.

On the grounds of failure to fulfill the ITER contract technology sharing agreement, a public vote was launched to decide whether Huaguo can continue to remain in ITER.

It can be said that today is the deadline.

Sitting in the conference room, the directors of Germany who had arrived in advance sighed as they looked at the empty seats of Hua Guo representatives who had not yet arrived.

Judging from the previous discussions, it is probably impossible for the eastern country to make concessions on this matter.

More importantly, if the opponent is really kicked out of ITER in the future, the future of ITER may not be so bright.

After all, Huaguo has played a very important role in ITER, whether it is the provision of funds, ICRF heating antenna technology, tungsten-molybdenum alloy first-wall material technology, etc., are all crucial.

If they go, who will make up for the shortcomings of this part?

By the United States?

Don't make trouble, the United States has been in arrears with even the 25% of the agreed guaranteed funds in this regard, only provided 9%, and the remaining 16% has not been paid.

Perhaps, this will become the fuse for the disintegration of the ITER organization?

Suddenly, an idea came into the mind of the director of ITER in Germany.

This is not impossible.

After all, this kind of large-scale international joint project is still a project involving an important energy source such as controllable nuclear fusion. It is impossible to expect such a smooth sailing.

Energy is a sensitive thing, especially the technology of controllable nuclear fusion, which can be said to be unlimited energy once it is realized. No matter which country takes the lead in this, it will cause anxiety and sensitivity in other countries.

Coupled with the fact that almost all member states have their own controllable nuclear fusion projects, they are naturally unwilling to invest more in ITER.

Rather than saying that this is an international project where everyone works together to develop controllable nuclear fusion, it is better to say that this is an international trading and exchange platform based on controllable nuclear fusion projects.

Everyone takes out the superior technology in their hands, weakens it and sells it to other countries to obtain funds or the technology they want. This is the truth of ITER.

And now, it's clear that the platform is on the verge of falling apart.

PS: Ask for a monthly pass for the second watch!