Chapter 392 ITER's Final Meeting
How to deal with the neutrons produced in deuterium and tritium nuclear fusion is one of the biggest problems in controllable nuclear fusion.
High-energy neutron beams are extremely damaging to traditional materials.
And more importantly, controllable nuclear fusion requires a neutron beam to bombard the lithium target to achieve tritium self-sustainment. It cannot be reflected back with beryllium alloy, graphite and other materials like a nuclear fission reactor.
Hearing Professor Xing Xuexing's question, Xu Chuan smiled and said, "I don't plan to use the first wall material to process neutrons."
Hearing this, everyone else in the laboratory looked over curiously.
Xu Chuan thought for a while, organized the thoughts in his mind and then said: "Instead of dealing with neutron irradiation on the first wall, I think it is better to bypass the first wall and then deal with it."
"I think everyone has eaten a sandwich."
"Two layers of bread on the outside, filled with meat and cheese on the inside"
Having said this, Zhao Hongzhi, who was in charge of the Daybreak Fusion Device, had already understood. He looked at Xu Chuan with bright eyes and said, "Are you going to make the first wall material into three layers?"
"The first layer uses the radiation-resistant material you mentioned to absorb other radiation and high-energy particles other than the neutron beam. The second layer is arranged with a lithium target for bombarding the lithium target with neutrons to form tritium self-sustaining; the third layer is It is the final layer of protection to prevent the leakage of neutron radiation.”
"That's what you mean!"
Looking at Xu Chuan, Zhao Hongzhi's eyes were filled with excitement.
This kind of design is not unprecedented in history. However, it is difficult to find a first wall material that can absorb other radiation without absorbing neutrons and reacting with neutrons. It can even be said that it is almost impossible to find.
Now, if there is a way to develop such a material, then it is completely possible to achieve overall protection of the first wall like a three-layer sandwich.
The key point is that the outermost protective material must be able to absorb other radiation and face the impact of high-energy particles, and must not react with neutrons, or less react with neutrons.
This is so difficult.
After hearing Zhao Hongzhi's explanation, other people in the laboratory also reacted and started thinking.
I have to say, does this approach really seem feasible?
The use of neutrons produced in the deuterium-tritium fusion reaction to bombard lithium targets to produce tritium raw materials is a key part of the entire nuclear fusion reactor technology.
After all, tritium exists in very small quantities and is very difficult to manufacture.
If tritium cannot be self-sustained and relies on external supplies, no country can afford the high price.
You must know that the price of tritium is now as expensive as 250,000 RMB per gram. According to the price, one kilogram of tritium costs 250 million.
Therefore, neutrons cannot be wasted and must be utilized.
Xu Chuan glanced at the other people in the laboratory and said with a smile: "The key point is to find a material that can allow neutrons to penetrate and absorb other radiation and high-energy particles."
“That’s why I said it’s better to try other materials.”
"The neutron beam is very destructive to metal bonds, and the self-healing ability of metal 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 it absorbs a small amount of neutrons, I think it is acceptable. After all, compared to other nuclear devices, the magnitude of neutrons released by deuterium and tritium fusion is at least two levels higher."
"With such a huge amount of neutrons, theoretically, some loss is enough for us to achieve tritium self-sustainability."
After a pause, Xu Chuan looked at Professor Zhao Guanggui and smiled: "Theoretically speaking, carbon materials actually meet this requirement quite well."
"Carbon materials reconstructed using atomic recycling technology have a very strong ability to repair grain boundaries, and the carbon core is relatively stable and does not easily react with neutrons."
"But unfortunately, most carbon materials have a shortcoming: they can absorb deuterium and tritium raw materials. This is unacceptable for controlled nuclear fusion."
"Professor Zhao, you have a heavy burden. You have to find a way to solve this problem."
Hearing this, Zhao Guanggui swallowed involuntarily, and his heart suddenly felt as heavy as a huge boulder weighing ten thousand kilograms.
This task is too heavy! ! ! !
Wasn't it agreed that it was only in one direction? Why does this become the key? The pressure suddenly became huge.
Xu Chuan smiled and didn't pay much attention.
Just give him some pressure. Professor Zhao still has some abilities, but it is not very possible to rely on him to improve the carbon material and perfect the material structure of the first wall.
It's not that he is incompetent, but because he doesn't understand atomic recycling technology.
In order to be able to absorb radiation, allow neutrons to penetrate through it, and also be able to self-repair grain boundaries, atomic recycling technology and radiation gap technology are indispensable.
At present, these two technologies have not been fully disclosed. Except for him, some researchers who worked with him on the "Nuclear Energy Beta Radiation Energy Concentration and Conversion Electric Energy Mechanism" project have a little understanding.
In the laboratory, Xu Chuan and researchers in these materials fields continued their discussions until late at night.
In today’s exchange, although it was not determined which material to use as the material for the first wall, some routes and plans were initially determined.
The rest is to further sort out these plans and routes in detail, and then hold a meeting to discuss and determine the perfection, and then assign them to different candidates, and proceed step by step according to the experiment.
To realize the technology of controlled nuclear fusion, he alone cannot do it.
However, for Xu Chuan, he already has a corresponding plan in his mind on how to achieve this goal.
This kind of large-scale project, even if it is only in the experimental reactor stage, involves more than three digits of fields and topics.
And as the general person in charge and chief designer, he must split this huge project into different topics and fields, and then assign them to the right people.
Of course, these are based on the basics and are relatively simple.
For example, after the fusion ignition of deuterium and tritium raw materials, the plasma turbulence numerical control model is further optimized, the blanket shielding module is optimized, how to target helium-3 involves a new set of electromagnetic observation systems, etc. These have been experimented before, or the Academy of Sciences or other places in the country have been studied, Xu Chuan handed them over to others to deal with.
And those difficult ones that need to be discussed will be discussed separately before being assigned.
For example, today, the selection and consideration of the first wall material is not only about carbon materials, but also about beryllium alloy, tungsten alloy, Austrian steel and other popular first wall materials, which are also studied by special groups.
Although Xu Chuan is not optimistic about metal materials as first wall materials, he is also a human being, not an omniscient god. Maybe his views are also problematic?
After all, it is something that the whole world is studying, and Dawn still has to set aside some researchers to do corresponding experiments.
As for himself, to be honest, he can't leave too much time for material research and development for the time being.
Before getting the first wall material, he still has to solve the problems of magnetic surface tearing, twisting touch, plasma magnetic islands, etc. in the process of fusion of deuterium and tritium raw materials.
The previous experimental data has not come out, so he can only make a theoretical speculation.
And now, although Dawn has only run a deuterium and tritium fusion ignition experiment for the time being, and it is only one minute, the data collected is enough for him to make a preliminary analysis.
After getting these, Dawn will continue to do experiments and send him data, so that these things can be improved bit by bit.
Meanwhile, while Xu Chuan was busy studying controlled nuclear fusion.
On the other side, in Cadarache near Marseille in the south of France, the ITER headquarters.
In the past two months, the ITER board has held several internal meetings that are not open to the public.
The content of the meeting is naturally about high-temperature copper-carbon-silver composite superconducting materials and plasma turbulence mathematical models.
As for the results, each time they ended unhappily.
No one knows why China, which has never expressed much opinion on the ITER project in the past and is even willing to exchange technology and pay for technology, suddenly became so tough this time.
Not only did it directly reject the US's request, but even the European side's attempt to exchange technology by using technology was rejected.
In this case, the stalemate has become difficult to deal with.
And the US side seems to have lost patience and is ready to stop discussing this matter, but is ready to directly join other member states to kick out the opponent.
Today is the time to make a decision.
At the upcoming board meeting, ITER will hold the last discussion.
Initiate the final inquiry of ITER contract technology sharing for the high-temperature superconducting copper-carbon-silver composite material technology and the high-temperature plasma turbulence numerical control model in the Qixia controlled nuclear fusion project.
If this meeting still fails to get a result that satisfies most member states. In the second half of the meeting, the United States will initiate a vote in the board of directors.
On the grounds of not fulfilling the ITER contract technology sharing agreement, initiate a public vote to decide whether China can continue to stay in ITER.
It can be said that today is the last deadline.
Sitting in the conference room, the German director who arrived early sighed at the empty seat of the Chinese representative who had not yet arrived.
And from the previous discussion, it is unlikely that the Eastern country will make concessions on this matter.
More importantly, if the other party is really kicked out of ITER in the future, the future of ITER may not be so bright.
After all, China plays 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 leave, who will make up for this part of the shortcoming?
Rely on the United States?
Forget it. The United States has been in arrears with the 25% of funds guaranteed in the agreement. It has only provided 9%, and there is still 16% to be paid.
Perhaps this will become the fuse for the disintegration of the ITER organization?
Suddenly, an idea came to the mind of the ITER director of the German country.
This is not impossible.
After all, such a large-scale international joint project, or a project involving important energy such as controlled nuclear fusion, is impossible to expect it to be smooth sailing.
Energy is a sensitive thing, especially controlled nuclear fusion, which can be said to be an unlimited energy technology once it is realized. No matter which country leads in this, it will cause anxiety and sensitivity in other countries.
In addition, almost all member states have their own controlled nuclear fusion projects, so they are naturally unwilling to invest more in ITER.
Rather than saying that this is an international project where everyone works together to develop controlled nuclear fusion, it is better to say that this is an international trading and exchange platform based on controlled nuclear fusion projects.
Everyone takes out their own advantageous technologies, weakens them, and sells them to other countries to obtain funds or the technology they want. This is the truth of ITER.
And now, it is obvious that this platform is on the verge of collapse.
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