All the personnel of the Tinder Project were in place, and Chen Nian immediately started communicating with them.
In fact, the goal of the first stage is very simple, that is, to summarize all the cutting-edge directions related to plasma control, and to cooperate with Chen Nian for initial information absorption and learning.
This process will not be short. According to Chen Nian's estimation, it will take at least two months.
After completing this step, Chen Nian can analyze the metal hydrogen superconducting coil and further initiate the so-called "technology transfer".
This is more like a fixed step-by-step process. Although there are many difficulties, the benefits are stable.
Therefore, Chen Nian is not under too much pressure. Even after the Tinder Project was launched, he was able to allocate a considerable amount of energy to continue preparing for matters related to lasers, aerospace, and aerial platforms.
However, everything was business as usual in China, but in the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory in California, Henning had fallen into deep anxiety and irritability.
Just now, another ignition experiment of NIF failed. After analysis, the main reason is still the synchronization problem of 192 relay light sources.
No matter how many attempts they made, they could not guarantee that all lasers would hit the target at the same time, which resulted in different positions of the target being under different pressures and a significant reduction in central pressure.
On the other hand, the asymmetry of pressure also leads to uneven mixing of hydrogen isotopes and a decrease in the temperature of the target pellet particles.
With two major loopholes superimposed, the theoretically achievable fusion process becomes an unattainable luxury.
——
Even more, this is only a problem encountered by Henning, that is, a "laser aspect" problem.
On the target pellet, the project team's workmanship also failed to meet the required level. Too much laser light was scattered from the target pellet, causing a large amount of energy loss. The actual laser energy reaching the target pellet was even less than one-tenth of the initial energy. one.
What can be done?
There is very little room for optimization of target pellet design. To solve this problem, one must either increase the laser power or continue to increase the number of lasers.
But even so, even if the fusion is finally completed, there is no possibility of achieving a net gain in energy.
In other words, all efforts are just for a goal of "looking beautiful", but actually have no meaning.
Thinking of this, Henning let out a long sigh.
He looked at the colleagues and students who were still busy around him, and his thoughts gradually drifted away.
He has been working in this laboratory for more than 20 years. In the beginning, the so-called National Ignition Facility did not exist at all.
That was just a seemingly unrealistic idea put forward by his predecessor, nuclear weapons designer Gilder.
This idea was discussed for many years, and it was not until 1996 that construction officially began, and the budget for the first phase of construction was as high as 1.1 billion US dollars.
At that time, this was an unimaginable astronomical figure.
Everyone is full of expectations for this project, and even think that it may become the key to truly unlocking the door to unlimited energy.
But what about the reality?
From the outset of construction, nothing about the project went smoothly.
The project was delayed many times due to engineering and technical problems alone, and by 2002, the project budget had reached a staggering US$2.8 billion.
The money did not make any splash - in fact, NIF's first target shooting experiment was just completed in June last year.
From June last year to now, this laboratory has consumed more than 800 million US dollars in construction costs and 450 million US dollars in experimental funds, but the results in exchange...
Unsatisfactory?
Wrong, there is no result at all.
Henning sometimes even felt that what he was building was just a big toy.
Congress is a cat keen on chasing lasers, and he is a bad boy, holding a laser pointer and constantly teasing the cat's emotions, making it obsessed with chasing illusory hopes.
This is so tiring.
Henning sat down in his chair and raised his head to look at the ceiling.
He has never told others about his pressure, especially in front of his opponents. He must always maintain that confident to arrogant, arrogant and intimidating posture.
He must make them think that the progress of NIF is going smoothly and that there are no problems in the theoretical verification, so that they may wake up from bed one day and see the news of successful ignition released by NIF.
Only in this way can NIF maintain its pressure on other countries and other projects, and will Congress be able to invest more funds to maintain the flame that is about to dissipate.
Henning's brows furrowed tightly. After being lost in thought for a long time, he finally sat up.
The assistant on the side quickly handed him the coffee that had been prepared long ago, and then said:
"The three-temperature measurement results are out. They are still far from our goal."
"The problem is still the same. The synchronization performance of the laser generator is too poor and it cannot play its due role at all."
"I think that's the first thing we need to address."
"We have to upgrade the laser, replace the control system, and design a smarter program."
"Blind experiments are really meaningless. Instead of consuming a lot of money like this, we should save resources and invest them in solving real problems."
Hearing the assistant's words, Henning nodded slowly.
He knows better than anyone that the laser must be upgraded, but the problem is that the difficulties he encounters on this path are far greater than others imagined.
This is not a problem that can be solved by investing resources. In fact, what he needs more is technical assistance.
But who in this country can provide him with assistance?
He himself is already at the top of this field.
After thinking for a long time, Henning asked:
"How much time do we have?"
".Less than 18 months."
"Because of the progress of the tokamak device, Congress has decided to increase the requirements for the NIF project."
"If the first truly 'effective' ignition cannot be completed within 18 months, the project will be closed before the end of 2012, and all relevant personnel will be dismissed and transferred to other projects."
"18 months? Why?"
Henning asked in confusion.
He knew that the project was in a precarious situation, but was 18 months too short for a project of this size?
At least give them more time to research and trial and error, right?
In this little time, I'm afraid I can't even complete the most basic complete experimental process.
Upon hearing his question, the assistant sighed and then replied:
"According to the information we have, China's EAST project will likely complete preliminary construction and output the first batch of results within 18 months."
"In other words, our schedule is forced to match their schedule."
"Are you kidding!?"
Henning immediately interrupted the assistant, and then said decisively:
"This project has just started, and the infrastructure construction alone will take a lot of time."
"We all know that their equipment this time is not based on the original HT-7, but is completely rebuilt from beginning to end."
"How could they do it so fast under these circumstances?"
"Let alone outputting results, even theoretical preparation is almost impossible!"
"But this is the structure after aggregation and analysis of information from multiple parties."
The assistant's tone was calm. He spread his hands and said to Henning:
"In fact, they don't actually have to complete the entire construction of the project, but just the part that everyone cares about the most."
"Normal temperature superconducting coils based on metallic hydrogen materials - the theoretical support required for this step is extremely complex. If they can solve it within 18 months, it means that they have eliminated the biggest step on the path to practical nuclear fusion. difficulty."
"It can even be said that no one has ever done this since the birth of nuclear physics."
"They will gain unparalleled first-mover advantages, including but not limited to economics, international prestige, and technology itself."
"So, we must make countermeasures - and the core of the countermeasures is NIF."
"That's why we're under so much pressure, because we're desperate."
"No, I don't agree with that."
Henning shook his head seriously and said:
"Congress is scared out of their wits - yes, their breakthroughs in the field of applied technology, especially in the military industry, in the past few years have been amazing, even terrifying."
"But that doesn't change the fact that their basic science is weak."
"Congress has ignored a very important point, that is, China's technological prosperity is built on castles in the air that lack theoretical support."
"F-22? Aircraft carrier? 096 submarine?"
"I want to ask, of all these things, is there any piece of technology that we can't understand?"
"They just rearranged and combined existing technologies, and with some luck, they got exactly the results they wanted."
"Such a development is absolutely unsustainable - even metallic hydrogen is nothing more than a simple and crude achievement based on the support of existing theories."
"China is still the same China. They are as impatient and exaggerated as ever. They just show off their little achievements like hens."
"Believe me, their lead is temporary."
After saying these words, even the assistant felt convinced.
Yes, this is also the reason why many people do not agree with the "Chinese leadership theory".
The technical achievements they created were all too practical, as if they had piled all the resources together and squeezed the limits of existing theories.
But nuclear fusion is different - although the most basic principles are clear, the theoretical research involved in the practical process is enormous.
Even just a plasma control has given rise to countless unprecedented theoretical results.
Under such circumstances, can China really be as able as before?
The answer doesn't seem so certain.
So, he couldn't help but sigh.
"While that appears to be the case, there is no denying that we do face pressure from Congress."
"We can't go to Congress and tell them that they can't complete the plan on time, so our plan should also be delayed, right?"
"Such a reason is simply not acceptable."
"All in all, there is no way our stress can be alleviated - this is the situation that cannot be changed."
"No, we can change."
Henning's eyes shone a little, and he suddenly thought of a possibility:
What if we could lock in the other party’s theoretical scientific development progress in a certain key field?
It doesn't need to be too complicated, just limit the opponent's research progress in the direction of plasma control.
But the question is how to do it?
They have their own experimental site and a group of trustworthy researchers. Even if they want to destroy it through espionage, they can't do it.
Is it really like the one released in 2006, where some protons came out to destroy their plasma experiments?
That’s also a bit too sci-fi.
The assistant on the side looked at him who was deep in thought and couldn't help but ask:
"So how to change?"
"We can try to lock down their research in the field of plasma control."
Henning answered quickly.
His brain was still running rapidly, using the special thinking unique to a theoretical researcher to reason about the feasibility of all strategies.
To achieve one's own goal, there are actually two paths.
One is to make the opponent lose the conditions for exploration, that is, to take away their pickaxe to open the way.
The other is to make the other party lose the direction of exploration and waste resources in the wrong direction.
Compared with the former, the latter is obviously more maneuverable.
Moreover, it is also more concealed, making it harder for flaws to be exposed and corrections to be made.
Perhaps starting from “people” is a good starting point.
If they can design a self-consistent theory and promote this theory to the world, it may have an impact on their resource investment.
This kind of thing has happened too many times in history, including the Baltimore incident, the Timothy Woodrat incident, the 118 element incident, etc., which have all caused the accumulation of scientific research resources in the wrong direction to a certain extent, and also led to serious academic disasters. Crisis of Confidence.
Otherwise, start from this aspect?
An excited look appeared on Henning's face, and he thought deeper and deeper.
No, that's not enough.
Theoretical deception must be matched with observable experimental data, or in other words, they must be able to see it with their own eyes and verify the "truth of the theory" for themselves.
Only in this way will everything seem reasonable.
"I need a team - no, not me, we need a team."
"A team? What kind of team?"
"A team that gathers the best plasma physicists in the world, knows cutting-edge theories well, and can effortlessly produce research results with sufficient impact."
Henning explained his idea to his assistant, who kept asking questions. As the communication deepened, the two people in the office gradually reached an agreement.
Yes, this is indeed a method.
When frontal heat confrontation cannot be effective, perhaps returning to the basics is our best offensive method.
Although it does seem a bit dirty to ask these future explorers of mankind to do such a thing.
But, who cares?
(End of chapter)
