Genius of the Rules-Style System

Chapter 1137: Chapter 558 Zhao Yi: Nuclear Fusion is Controllable!_2

The advantage of this approach is that the technology for nuclear submarine reactors is mature and reliable, with relatively high safety. The downside, however, is that the icebreaker reactors have become mere test reactors for submarine units. When the time comes to develop reactors for surface vessels, due to technical difficulties and time constraints, one can only resort to developing derivative models based on submarine reactor technology. As a result, due to insufficient power, fuel boilers must be added to supplement the demand, ensuring the vessel’s high speed.

Country E’s Kilov-class is an example of the rare vessels that use nuclear-steam combined propulsion, fundamentally because of the insufficient power of the nuclear reactors.

M Country is the only nation with a perfected nuclear reactor technology for vessels.

Their newly constructed large aircraft carriers only require two reactors to maintain high-speed navigation and can continue to operate for decades.

This is precisely the reactor technology needed for air fortresses.

Since nuclear propulsion research is so critical, it has become a fatal flaw restricting air fortresses, and the upper echelons have always placed great emphasis on it. freewebnoveℓ.com

That day, the senior leadership went to the nuclear energy research institute together with Zhao Yi.

They observed the work of various groups involved in the development of nuclear propulsion devices and listened to explanations from several core team leaders.

Zhao Yi had visited the nuclear energy research institute several times and had some understanding of the related technology.

What was different this time involved the research of anti-gravity nuclear reactors. Inside the institute, several teams had been formed to develop individual components for the power devices.

Academician Chen Zeshu was the main person in charge. He began introducing the reactors they were designing, which were still conventional pressurized water reactors.

However, Chen said, "I am not optimistic about the development of conventional nuclear power devices. This is the conclusion after detailed deliberation. If we are to carry out research, we must apply it to the spatial envelope of anti-gravity devices as an isolation layer."

"But even with the application of the spatial envelope from anti-gravity devices, fission reactors are not suitable, unless fusion reactors are used."

The senior leadership frowned.

Everyone looks forward to achieving controlled nuclear fusion, but the technical challenges to breakthrough in the related research are too numerous. Both the senior leaders and the anti-gravity team believe that nuclear power devices similar to those on aircraft carriers are currently the best solution for power.

Thinking it over, Zhao Yi said, "Because... safety?"

"Right!"

Chen continued, "Internationally, only Country E has manufactured nuclear-powered aircraft, but it was proved to be a failure. The aircraft could not guarantee absolute safety. A single leak would be fatal." ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com

"It’s not just a threat to the crew, but also to the sky and the environment."

"Though air fortresses can be built larger, ensuring more internal safety, any safety issues would create enormous risks."

"Even with the protection of a spatial envelope, and assuming the envelope is stable, participating in combat might still be problematic. Physical damage could likewise harm the nuclear power devices."

"Furthermore, nuclear-powered aircraft differ from vessels, as they cannot use pressurized water reactors, raising the technical difficulty. We don’t even have mature technology to refer to—it’s all uncharted territory."

"Therefore, regarding the power solution for air fortresses, I believe the best choice would be fusion devices..."

He laughed as he said it.

Controlled nuclear fusion is a technology that one can only think about, as it’s currently impossible to realize.

He continued, "Otherwise, we should stick to conventional power units, generators, and thrusters, which can allow the air fortress to rise and fall like an airplane, ensuring flexibility."

Academician Chen’s opinion provoked deep thought among the group.

In the development of air fortresses, everyone subconsciously felt that nuclear power should be the solution, as air fortresses need to float in the air primarily by anti-gravity, unlike airplanes which rely on wings for flight and can use turbo engines for high speeds.

Indeed, air fortresses cannot maintain high-speed flight like airplanes; nuclear power seems to be the optimal choice.

However, if there is no need to remain aloft for extended periods and it operates more like conventional fighters, taking off and flying on missions, then perhaps nuclear power is unnecessary.

Of course.

This was definitely a secondary choice.

The senior leadership had some hesitation, so they turned to Zhao Yi. "What do you think, Academician Zhao? Perhaps there’s no need to design a fortress to be permanently suspended in the air, just something that needs to..."

"No!"

Zhao Yi said confidently, "If it were only to take off when executing tasks, there would be no need to build an airborne fortress. It would be enough to study higher-performance fighter jets and missiles and focus on defense."

"...That’s true."

The senior leaders and Chen Zeshu nodded in agreement.

If the airborne fortress couldn’t stay in the air long-term, just like an aircraft carrier that doesn’t go to sea for extended periods, it would become meaningless.

If conventional power were used to keep it afloat indefinitely, the energy consumption would be terrifying. Constantly transporting fuel with cargo planes would turn into a chicken rib, a waste of funds, and simply impractical.

Zhao Yi pondered and asked, "Then, Academician Chen, what technical difficulties are there with nuclear fusion device research?"

He continued, "The spatial isolation region, using a spatial cover as the isolation layer, would greatly reduce the control difficulty, right?"

Chen Zeshu nodded, "We’ve conducted an experiment within a spatial isolation region, but the difficulty of ignition became very high. We only succeeded in igniting it, but for some reason, the reaction didn’t occur as expected afterward."

"I’m certain we achieved ignition!" He emphasized the point and shook his head in frustration, "We speculate that the spatial isolation region can effectively control nuclear fusion but also restricts the reaction from occurring."

"Theoretically, the spatial cover’s characteristic of blocking energy transmission could become the perfect isolation device for nuclear fusion reactors. However, controlling a nuclear fusion reaction remains a challenge. With current theory, magnetic force control is the only option, but it’s very unrealisitic."

He was referring to the required funding.

Constructing a magnetic force-controlled nuclear fusion device would require a huge budget. Even a simple experimental reactor in nuclear research has used up several hundred million in funds without any tangible results, and the experiment can be described as full of flaws.

It is internationally believed that constructing a comprehensive magnetic force-controlled nuclear fusion device would involve capital costs in the order of hundreds of billions.

And that’s just theoretical data.

Because nuclear fusion involves many other challenges, building a magnetic force control device alone wouldn’t complete a nuclear fusion reactor. It’s very likely that it would be an exercise in futility, remaining just an experimental apparatus after completion, with excessively high costs.

Zhao Yi furrowed his brow, seizing on a key point in the conversation, "Academician Chen, you said the last experiment achieved ignition, but the reaction didn’t occur?"

"Yes!"

Chen Zeshu, thinking that Zhao Yi didn’t believe him, immediately responded, "Everyone involved can testify to that."

Zhao Yi said, "Academician Chen, I’m not doubting you, but rather, I think that is the normal situation."

"Normal situation?" Chen Zeshu was baffled.

"It is the normal situation. My theoretical speculations suggest that spatial isolation affects particle velocity. Within a spatial isolation region, particle velocity would be limited. This limitation increases as the effectiveness of the spatial isolation increases, but not linearly, theoretically only up to double the limit."

"For example, if the particle velocity at a certain temperature is one-tenth the speed of light, then under the influence of spatial isolation, the maximum speed would be only one-twentieth."

"If particle velocity exceeds the limit, it will be affected and slow down."

"In other words, changes in the effectiveness of spatial isolation can directly affect the speed of the nuclear fusion reaction. If the effect suddenly strengthens, the speed of the nuclear fusion reaction would slow down. Under a fixed level of spatial isolation effectiveness, there’s an upper limit to the intensity of a nuclear fusion reaction."

Zhao Yi spoke earnestly, "Of course, my understanding of nuclear fusion reactions is not comprehensive. I can only provide a rough outline. What the specific upper limit is still needs to be verified by experiments. But I believe, under spatial isolation, nuclear fusion can be controlled!"