Chapter 301 Two Paths

Just when everyone was silent, a scientist suddenly had an idea, as if he had thought of something extraordinary. He shouted anxiously:

"That Green Light UAV! The technology of that UAV completely surpasses ours, but there is still no controlled nuclear fusion device inside, only a fission engine!"

"They are a true interstellar civilization, but they can't implement fusion technology in a small spacecraft with a diameter of two meters."

"Two meters in diameter... is actually not small, but it can't fit a fusion device."

"This may also explain... small controlled nuclear fusion is difficult!"

"The smaller, the harder!"

"Yes, that must be the case!" Another scientist excitedly took over the topic: "Green Light civilization cannot be without fusion technology, but it can't miniaturize nuclear fusion technology."

"As the great sage of Nix civilization said, a small device like Tokamak... is really difficult, and it may be a wrong way!"

In fact, the "Tokamak" device is not small. It is as high as several floors. It costs tens of billions to build one at random, and it has become a small toy in people's mouths.

But for nuclear fusion, it is really just a toy. At most, it can only ignite plasma. It is undoubtedly a fantasy to want to generate electricity stably.

Small machines are too delicate and must be more difficult for humans.

Such difficult things must be easier to make big than small ones, and of course more expensive.

"It doesn't matter. The new human civilization has to use the power of the whole family to complete it. What is "money"?" One of the electromagnetic experts joked.

The key is... whether it can succeed or not, whether there is a chance of success, funding, and resources, humans don't care.

"The first computer of mankind, covering an area of ​​170 square meters and weighing 30 tons, is a behemoth. But if the scientists at that time were forced to condense all the equipment into a modern small personal computer, they would definitely not be able to do it..."

"Even if it takes one or two hundred years, it is impossible to reach the sky in one step. So, this device must be as big as possible. Isn't it too much to just make a small machine?" Professor Ding Yidong complained.

A strange atmosphere was created in the conference room. People felt that these words were a bit weird, but they seemed to make sense...

Let's not talk about the budget issue for now. As long as it can succeed, even if it is a bottomless pit, the new human civilization will fill it up!

A group of great scientists began to discuss how to solve this huge problem and how to improve the success rate of realization based on the information left by the Nix civilization...

The more you think about the "big filter", the more terrible it feels. Not only in social aspects, but also in technical aspects.

The theory of nuclear fusion is too simple, and it brings too many stereotypes.

The Nix civilization also fell into the trap of "magnetic confinement". They subconsciously believed that they could control the star beast "nuclear fusion" with current technical means.

But in fact, it can't...or it is extremely difficult with current means!

In the discussion with the experts, Yu Yifeng understood several major problems that are almost unsolvable with current technology.

The first major problem: the "magnetic field strength" created by humans is not enough.

From the formula of the magnetic field strength of an electromagnet, as long as the current passed is infinite, or the coil density is infinite, the magnetic induction intensity can be infinite.

However, in practical applications, due to the mechanism of the magnetic field generated by the magnetic medium inside the electromagnet, the direction of the magnetic field generated by the internal molecular current turns to the same direction, so there is a magnetic saturation problem.

Therefore, when the external current and coil density reach a certain size, the magnetic field will not increase further.

Hundreds of Tesla is the current limit of the laboratory, and this magnetic field strength is far from enough.

Without a large enough magnetic field, it is difficult to limit the violent plasma during fusion, which can easily cause damage to the instrument.

This is the first big problem, and it is almost unsolvable. Because its essence involves the movement of electrons inside atoms. Humans can only bypass the "magnetic saturation problem" by winding multiple magnetic rings in a superposition, but this makes plasma control more difficult.

The second big problem is the problem of neutron radiation.

Each deuterium-tritium fusion will produce a neutron with an energy of 14MeV. These high-energy neutrons can easily break the metal bonds in the first wall material, produce a large number of defects, and cause radiation swelling, embrittlement, creep and other problems, making the material completely unusable.

In the end, the Nix civilization did not find a very suitable material that can resist neutrons for a long time.

They can only constantly replace broken materials to solve the problem, causing a lot of economic losses, and most of the money is burned in this way.

These two involve atoms themselves, and are almost unsolvable problems.

Of course, there are various other small problems...

"Are our superalloy materials not good enough?"

Yu Yifeng understood these two key points and asked: "These are variants of alien materials. Can't they also block neutron radiation?!"

"No!" One of the materials scientists shook his head decisively: "No matter how powerful superalloys are, they are ordinary materials composed of ordinary elements. Ordinary materials have their limitations, even real alien materials!"

"They can't withstand neutron radiation. Even if it lasts longer, it's only a few hours or days..."

"...If we really want to achieve power generation, it must be calculated on an annual basis! We can't just cut off the power for maintenance every few days, right?"

Yu Yifeng nodded helplessly.

Well, these problems are indeed troublesome. Unless there is some huge theoretical breakthrough...

But where did the breakthrough come from? Humanity is still resting on the laurels of quantum mechanics and relativity!

"Then what is not an ordinary material? The shell of Noah? Or the floor of Noah? Can that purple metal-like substance withstand neutron radiation?"

"Uh..." The professor's eyes widened. This was something he didn't expect.

After a long time, he replied: "Maybe, but I haven't tried it yet... Can we dismantle some floors to resist neutron radiation?"

The floor inside Noah is not as hard as the outer shell of the spacecraft. It can still be destroyed. For example, a supernova explosion will create a large number of holes in it.

However, even if it can withstand some neutron radiation, only one problem has been solved, and most of them have not been solved.

There are now two paths for people to choose: the first is to continue to study magnetic constraints along the path of the Nix civilization, while fully developing other basic technologies and eliminating various shortcomings. I don't know how long this road will take.

Article 2...

"We are ready to give up the idea of ​​magnetic confinement and even the idea of ​​control!"

Professor Ding Yidong took the lead in delivering a report. When he said this, his face flushed, and he felt like he was about to try something crazy.

Yu Yifeng's scalp suddenly became numb, and he thought of something strange. When the lunar base handed over the "Gigaton Helium-3 Bomb Propulsion Plan", he had the same expression...

Sure enough, Professor Ding Yidong shouted at the top of his lungs the next moment: "Controllable and uncontrollable are word games in themselves. What is controllable? What is uncontrollable? There is no clear definition at all!"

"Are hydrogen bombs controllable? Hydrogen bombs are controllable when used in war!"

"Why should we be obsessed with something like a tokamak? Even if it can really generate electricity, we don't know how long it will take or how much electricity it can generate? There is no point in focusing on controlled nuclear fusion. We can definitely use ...Incompletely controlled nuclear fusion as power!"

"We... just use a hydrogen bomb to explode and generate electricity!"

When he shouted this sentence, even the people behind him started making noises.

"A hydrogen bomb explodes to generate electricity? How?" Yu Yifeng was startled and asked subconsciously.

Professor Ding Yidong continued loudly: "We only need to create a container that is large and hard enough to fully absorb the yield of a hydrogen bomb explosion...

"A nuclear bomb explodes in a metal container. As long as the metal container is large enough and hard enough, we can directly eat this part of the explosion energy... Of course, it's not just hydrogen bombs, but other nuclear bombs as well!"

These words were like a great bell and a cauldron, which struck in Yu Yifeng's mind. He felt that his whole head was noisy, and he couldn't hear clearly what Ding Yidong was roaring behind him.

Looking at the big scientists standing behind him, he seemed to have no objections.

They have discussed it in advance, and even the most prudent scholars believe that this plan seems to be more stable than the serious Tokamak.