Great Power Technology

"Increase the power of the 'Lighthouse', and be quick!"

The commander-in-chief in the main control room calmly issued the order. On the screen, the beacons surrounding the Fenghuo No. 1 device in a semicircle suddenly lit up. A considerable part of the space channels were attracted by the energy they dissipated. For the Fenghuo-1 fusion core surrounded by a huge amount of abundant space channels, it is still a drop in the bucket.

The light of the fusion core did not light up again, even though the power of the surrounding lasers had been increased to the limit, even though the core temperature monitored by the system had fully reached the standard for triggering a continuous fusion reaction.

"No, the speed of channel enrichment has not exceeded our expectations. The redundant energy should be enough to support fusion."

"Check the working status of all parts of Fenghuo No. 1!"

As the commander's order was issued, all departments began to conduct data self-checks. A few seconds later, response sounds sounded one after another.

"The laser is working normally! The energy output is normal!"

"Plasma confinement is normal and energy export is normal!"

"Fuel properties Fuel properties are normal!"

Ye Zhou and Su Shu were also checking the material conditions of the first wall they were responsible for, but judging from the data alone, the working conditions of the first wall were completely normal.

The material's reflection of neutron radiation has reached the most perfect level, and there is no problem with the sealing. Judging from the scanning results, the structural changes of the first wall are also within normal values.

In this case, the temperature of the fusion core wrapped by the first wall should be in a continuously rising state, and it is absolutely impossible to lower it to the point where the fusion reaction cannot be maintained as it is now.

"The first wall is working fine. All components are working fine."

"Is there something wrong with the sensor? Do a sensor self-test!"

"The sensor self-test was completed without any problems!"

Hearing this answer, the commander-in-chief had a heavy look on his face.

According to data detection, the entropy increase rate around the fusion core has now reached more than 90%. Compared with the common rate of about 15% in other areas of the world, this rate has almost reached what can be achieved by adjacent dimensional channels. limit.

This phenomenon proves that their calculation of energy dissipation is correct and the redundant energy reserved is sufficient.

Coupled with the fact that all components of Fenghuo No. 1 are now in completely normal working condition, this large-scale fusion device should not "shut out" at all.

After eliminating all impossible factors, the only possibility remains is the one that seems the least likely:

There must be something wrong with the sensor, and one must manually approach the core area of ​​the device for close inspection and troubleshooting.

This is an extremely dangerous job, but now they have no choice.

The huge amount of laser energy has gathered a large number of space channels near Fenghuo No. 1. If the energy output cannot be completed in time, these enriched channels will spread at an extremely fast speed until they swallow the entire base!

"comrades"

He had just spoken, but before he finished the rest of his sentence, everyone in the control room had already stood up.

"Leader, no need to say anything else, we'll go right away."

Time was extremely limited. Without any hesitation, these researchers grabbed the equipment that had been prepared next to their seats and rushed out of the main control room. Ye Zhou and Su Shu were also among the crowd.

"What do you think is going on?"

Ye Zhou asked at a very fast speed while walking.

"The biggest possibility is that the welding joint of the first wall has become embrittled and cracked. This situation will cause the reaction core temperature to drop sharply, which we have encountered before during testing."

"It's very difficult to deal with, and if that's the case, the heat treatment would be too difficult and there might be a shutdown."

Su Shu reached out and put on the protective mask on his face, and then continued:

"There is another possibility. If we are unlucky, maybe there is an entropy increase jump region that penetrates the inside and outside of the first wall. This situation will cause the energy inside the first wall to directly penetrate the first wall and be conducted to the outside. .”

"In this way, the internal energy will not only escape to adjacent dimensions, but also escape into our own space. The redundant energy originally calculated will definitely be consumed in large quantities. After the temperature drops, the fusion reaction will not be able to continue. It’s normal.”

Hearing his words, Ye Zhou frowned and shouted:

"But if that were the case, fusion wouldn't stop so quickly."

The voices of the two people came out through the protective masks, and seemed a little loud. Coupled with the noise of the large machinery operating around them, they had to shout at the top of their lungs to ensure that the other party heard their words clearly.

"Yes! So what we encountered may be the most serious situation - the jump area that runs through the first wall promotes the attenuation of material properties, causing damage to the first wall."

"If that's the case, then there may not really be anything we can do."

After running out of the command tower where the main control room was located, Ye Zhou and Su Shu quickly ran towards the main tower where the fusion core was sitting. At this moment, the full picture of this huge device was finally revealed.

Four main support columns stand in the four directions of the core. A huge platform is built on each support column. More than 60 huge laser generators are arranged on those platforms, like 60 faucets, guarding the one in the middle. A "Dragon Ball".

The researchers who ran fast had already climbed up the spiral ladder of the support column. Under this two-hundred-meter-high device, their climbing figures seemed extremely small.

"Let's go, crawl quickly!"

Ye Zhou took a deep breath, stepped onto the steps one step at a time, and began to climb up.

Because of the particularity of the installation, there are no lifts that require electric drive on the main tower. The road leading to the top is only the stairs at their feet.

The height of the stairs is equivalent to a full 60 floors. According to the speed of normal people, it will take at least 20 minutes to climb to the top, but the time they have left is obviously running out.

The two didn't exchange another word. Ye Zhou silently entered the subconscious sea of ​​thought programming, and by stimulating the talent of "courage", he pushed his body functions to the limit in a short period of time.

This bought him a lot of time. When he climbed to the thirtieth step, Su Shu was already lagging behind.

"Leave me alone, crawl by yourself! I will follow you!"

Su Shu shouted loudly from below.

"I know! The temperature above is rising! Tell others to evacuate. The problem is on the first wall!"

After saying that, Ye Zhou continued to climb up. He could already clearly feel the temperature rising, and now he was still hundreds of meters away from the reaction core.

This temperature has completely exceeded the normal range of the temperature around the reaction core. If the first wall is still intact, the heat should be completely confined within the reaction core, and it is absolutely impossible for such an abnormal rise in ambient temperature to occur.

Therefore, the first wall has definitely been damaged. Only you can deal with this problem. There is no need for anyone else to make unnecessary sacrifices.

He took a breath. Su Shu below had already begun to contact various maintenance personnel to evacuate. After a short rest, Ye Zhou started climbing again.

Five minutes later, he finally reached the closest distance to the reaction core. According to the reality on the monitor on his wrist, the current ambient temperature had reached an astonishing 110 degrees Celsius.

If it were not for the protection of protective clothing, all his skin would be burned in just a few seconds.

Through the air distorted by the rolling heat waves, Ye Zhou saw the reaction core more than ten meters away, and then he sighed deeply.

The good news is that there is only a very fine crack on the reaction core. Even with the high temperature escaping nearby, the robotic arm can repair the crack in a short time.

The bad news is that, just as Su Shu expected, the two most serious situations happened at the same time.

The entropy-increasing jump region spans the first wall and envelopes the entire crack. Now, unless fusion continues, this extremely rapid jump region due to the Szilard enrichment effect is simply impossible. Disappear in a short time.

If the jump area does not disappear, the robotic arm cannot enter operation, the cracks cannot be repaired, and the cracks cannot be repaired, and the fusion reaction cannot continue.

If the fusion reaction cannot proceed, the jump area will be even less likely to disappear.

This is a paradox.

The only chance to break this paradox is to introduce a new energy source. But where can we find a higher energy source than fusion reaction? ?