Infinite Life: Trapped in a lifetime

The theoretical team is actually responsible for the core work of EAST-related experiments.

Analyze the data collected in the previous run to provide a theoretical basis for the adjustments that need to be made to each part of the tokamak device before the next run and the work that each research team needs to do.

Occasionally, some suggestions for adjustments to the next experiment will be provided directly from the theoretical level.

"The density of the plasma is still not enough, so even if fusion occurs, the insufficient intensity will still make the Q value very unsatisfactory."

The Q value is the self-sustaining rate. It is the ratio of the estimated power generation of the nuclear fusion device to its own power consumption.

Mo Daozai accompanied Professor Hong to participate in a meeting of the EAST theory team after the plasma confinement experiment.

The whole meeting went on relatively calmly and boringly.

No one argued about which issues occurred.

This kind of meeting has been held many times since the completion of EAST construction.

"Let's focus on the plasma confinement time. At the current power, let's talk about the data of this operation and see if there is anything that can be corrected."

One professor dismissed another researcher's statement.

To enhance the plasma density, it is necessary to increase the power of the positioning magnetic field and the confinement magnetic field.

Currently, the superconducting coils used are capable of superconducting at temperatures between -100 and 200 degrees Celsius.

To increase the power, you need to increase the coil supporting equipment.

Then the Q value may have to be further reduced.

Maybe it will be like that contradictory sentence. The higher the Q value, the lower the Q value.

In this case, it is better to consider how to confine the plasma for a longer time.

When the fusion device first starts operating, the power consumption is the highest. After the operation continues for a certain period of time, the Q value will definitely increase.

"I have a suggestion."

"Student Mo Dao, please tell me."

It was rare for Mo Dao to speak at the meeting.

The person presiding over the meeting smiled at Mo Dao.

"On pages 28 and 29 of the data, I think there are two data with obvious abnormal characteristics."

"With some adjustments to the devices corresponding to these two data, it should be possible to delay the runaway time of plasma confinement."

"These two data correspond to... the toroidal field coil."

A professor asked a question:

There are also professors waiting for Mo Dao’s follow-up.

Mo Dao paused and gave an adjustment plan for these two data.

After listening, the researchers and professors paused.

In the end, I agreed to this small adjustment plan proposed by Mo Dao.

February 17.

After the Spring Festival of that year, Mo Dao made suggestions for the first time in the EAST experimental team.

And, in the subsequent operation of the experimental device.

Mo Dao's adjustment suggestions and other adjustments were implemented together.

In the experiment that followed, the plasma confinement time increased by about ten seconds compared to the previous one.

This is already a good result for experimental runs.

Because not every actual operation can make progress.

Sometimes, good results can be obtained through advance simulation, but in actual experiments, they may not be so ideal.

Then, after the first time, the second time, and the third time.

Mo Dao began to participate more directly in the experiments of the EAST device.

And as Mo Dao's suggestions were adopted again and again, the key is that every time Mo Dao made adjustments,

All can be directly verified in the following experiments, proving that Mo Dao is right.

Mo Dao’s voice has also increased significantly in the entire EAST research team, especially in the theoretical team.

At first, Modauti’s suggestions only involved some minor changes.

Gradually, some larger adjustment plans proposed by Mo Dao can also gain trust and be passed.

Almost everyone in the theoretical team no longer regards Mo Dao as a graduate student.

And, over time.

The researchers in the theory team can really feel the breadth of Mo Dao’s knowledge.

It seems that nuclear fusion devices have sufficient knowledge reserves and research regardless of the field.

This is in the field of nuclear fusion research, which originally involves multiple interdisciplinary fields.

He naturally has the advantage of being the leader and taking charge of the overall situation.

…

Then, January 2018.

After more than a year of officially participating in the experimental work of EAST.

Mo Dao came up with the largest adjustment plan for the EAST experimental device so far.

In other words, it is a new approximate model of the plasma operating rules in EAST.

Based on this model, the entire EAST can be adjusted to all aspects that are closer to this approximate model.

When Mo Dao sent this paper, which contained more than a hundred pages of plans and approximate model formulas, to the experts and professors present at the meeting,

The conference room where the entire theory team was meeting was quiet for a while.

"Researcher Mo. Could you please introduce the new model you proposed and the adjustment plan that goes with it?"

Finally, the person who presided over the meeting and is also the current general manager of EAST, Academician Zhang, spoke up to break the silence.

"OK."

Mo Dao calmly began to describe the contents of this more than 100-page paper.

Overall,

Based on the data accumulated from past EAST device experiments, Mo Dao analyzed a more accurate model based on the operating rules of the plasma within EAST.

Based on this model, the EAST team can more accurately constrain the plasma in the tokamak device according to rules.

Ultimately, based on existing technologies, materials, etc., the running time of EAST can be extended to the greatest extent.

More simply,

It is to use the most appropriate details to make the current longitudinal and transverse coils and the entire tokamak system play their maximum role.

All the researchers and scholars attending the meeting know the most about EAST and the nuclear fusion experimental device.

Mo Daoxin's meticulous logic also allowed a group of researchers to quickly determine the value of the model proposed by Mo Daoxin.

So, before Mo Dao finished explaining the entire paper and plan,

There were many researchers in the conference room, and some were excited.

And Mo Dao said at the end,

It was a concluding sentence,

"If everything can be adjusted completely according to this plan, and according to the numerical simulation, the next run experiment. The Q value should be able to reach 80%."

Although it still cannot reach the key point of 1,

But 0.8 is something that no controllable nuclear fusion research team has ever accomplished before.

Many researchers were a little excited. At the same time, they took Mo Dao's paper and read it carefully.

"Mo Dao, you boy, you are really a genius..."

Professor Hong must have come with Mo Dao. When Mo Dao came back from the front of the conference room,

Professor Hong squeezed Mo Dao's hand and was even more excited than Mo Dao.

In the conference room,

It was noisy again for a while,

All the researchers attending the meeting couldn't help but discuss Mo Dao's proposal.

Academician Zhang, who was in charge of presiding over the meeting, was holding Mo Dao's paper and looking through it for a while.

Then he signaled everyone again to vote on the plan proposed by Mo Dao.

"This is a very ambitious and very precise adjustment. Everything is just right. If this approximate model can indeed work, we should make a huge progress."

"Vote, everyone."

It's really time to vote.

A group of researchers who were a little excited when holding papers suddenly calmed down a lot.

"According to Researcher Mo's plan, then this time, it is not a small local adjustment. Maybe the entire tokamak device needs to be upgraded as a whole according to Researcher Mo's theoretical model."

"Would such a big change be a bit radical?"

"Radical means radical. Change it. Just modify and upgrade it. Anyway, the current tokamak device will never be able to generate electricity if it is not modified. We did not build this thing just to modify it. Small improvements can I don’t dare to try to make big progress. I’m willing to apply for funding together.”

The words of an old professor resonated.