What to do with the neutrons produced in deuterium-tritium fusion is one of the biggest problems in controlled nuclear fusion.

The damage to traditional materials from high-energy neutron beams is simply too great.

And more importantly, controlled nuclear fusion requires a neutron beam to bombard the lithium target to complete tritium self-sustaining, and cannot be reflected back with materials such as beryllium alloy and graphite 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 deal with neutrons. ”

Hearing this, the others in the laboratory looked at it curiously.

Xu Chuan thought for a moment, organized the thoughts in his mind, and continued: "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'm sure you've all had sandwiches."

"Two layers of bread on the outside, meat and cheese on the inside"

Speaking of which, Zhao Hongzhi, who was in charge of the Daybreak Fusion Device, had already understood, looked at Xu Chuan with bright eyes, and said, "Are you going to set the first wall material into three layers?" ”

"The first layer uses the radiation-resistant material you said to absorb other radiation and high-energy particles except for the neutron beam, and the second layer arranges the lithium target for neutron bombardment of the lithium target to form tritium self-sustaining; The third layer is the final layer of protection against neutron radiation leakage. ”

"That's what it means!"

Looking at Xu Chuan's eyes, Zhao Hongzhi was full of excitement.

This kind of design is not unheard of in history. But it is difficult, if not to find, a first-wall material that can absorb other radiation, but does not absorb neutrons and reacts with neutrons.

Now, if there is a way to work out such a material, it is entirely possible to achieve the overall protection of the first wall like a sandwich sandwich.

The key point is that the outermost protective material must not only be able to absorb other radiation and face the impact of high-energy particles, but also be able to react with neutrons, or less neutrons.

It's just too hard.

Hearing Zhao Hongzhi's explanation, other people in the laboratory also reacted and thought about it.

I have to say, what does this way seem to really do?

The use of neutrons produced in the deuterium-tritium fusion reaction to bombard lithium targets to make tritium raw materials is a key part of the overall nuclear fusion reactor technology.

After all, tritium is stored in very small quantities and is quite difficult to manufacture.

If we fail to complete tritium self-sustaining and rely on external supply, countries cannot afford this high price.

You must know that the price of tritium is now expensive to 250,000 RMB a gram, and according to the price, the price of one kilogram of tritium needs 250 million.

So neutrons can't be wasted, they have to be utilized.

Xu Chuan glanced at the others in the laboratory and said with a smile: "The key point is to find a material that can allow neutrons to penetrate the past and absorb other radiation and high-energy particles. ”

"That's why I said I might as well try something else."

"The neutron beam is very destructive to metal bonds, and the metal's ability to repair itself is too poor. Even if the metal structure is reconstructed using atomic cycles, its repair ability cannot be significantly improved. ”

"In contrast, some materials that can absorb energy and reconnect chemical bonds are more suitable."

"Even if you absorb a small amount of neutrons, I think it's acceptable. After all, compared to other nuclear devices, the number of neutrons released by deuterium-tritium fusion has increased by at least two levels. ”

"With such a large amount of neutrons, theoretically a loss of some is enough for us to complete tritium self-sustaining."

After a pause, Xu Chuan looked at Professor Zhao Guanggui and said with a smile: "Theoretically speaking, carbon materials are actually quite in line with this requirement. ”

"The carbon materials reconstructed by atomic cycle technology have a very strong ability to repair grain boundaries, and the carbon nuclei are relatively stable and not easy to react with neutrons."

"Unfortunately, most carbon materials have a disadvantage, which is that they can absorb deuterium-tritium feedstock. This is unacceptable for controlled nuclear fusion. ”

"Professor Zhao, your burden is very heavy, you have to find a way to solve this."

Hearing this, Zhao Guanggui couldn't help but swallow his saliva, and his heart suddenly felt like he had weighed on a boulder of 10,000 catties, extremely heavy.

That's a lot of work!!!

Didn't you say that the good ones are just one direction? How did this become the key? The pressure suddenly became huge.

Xu Chuan smiled and didn't care too much.

It's just a little pressure, this Professor Zhao still has the ability, but it is not very possible to rely on him to improve the carbon material to improve the material structure of the first wall.

It's not that he's incompetent, it's because he doesn't understand atomic cycle technology.

In order to be able to absorb radiation, allow neutrons to penetrate through it, and to be able to self-repair grain boundaries, atomic cycle technology and radiation gap technology are indispensable.

At present, these two technologies have not been fully disclosed, and in addition to him, some researchers who have mastered them have a little understanding of the project of "nuclear energy β radiation energy aggregation and conversion mechanism".

In the laboratory, Xu Chuan and the researchers in the field of these materials discussed until late at night.

In today's exchange, although it was not determined which material to use as the material of the first wall, some routes and plans were preliminarily determined.

The rest is to further sort out these plans and routes in detail, and then hold a meeting to discuss and determine the improvement, and then assign them to different candidates, step by step according to the experiment.

To achieve controlled nuclear fusion, he alone will not be able to do so.

However, for Xu Chuan, how to achieve this goal, he already had a corresponding plan in his heart.

This kind of large-scale project, even if it is only at the experimental reactor stage, involves more than three digits of fields and topics.

As the chief manager and chief designer, he must divide this huge project into different topics and fields, and then assign them to the right people.

Of course, these statements are well-founded and relatively simple.

For example, after the deuterium-tritium raw material fusion ignition operation, the plasma turbulence numerical control model is further optimized, the cladding shielding module is optimized, and how to involve a new electromagnetic observation system for helium-3, etc., these things that have been experimented before, or have been studied by the Academy of Sciences or other places in China, Xu Chuan will be handed over to others to deal with.

And those that are difficult and need to be discussed, they will be discussed separately and then distributed.

For example, today's selection and consideration of the first wall material, not only the carbon material, but also other originally popular first wall materials such as beryllium alloy, tungsten alloy, and Austrian steel are also being studied by a special group.

Although Xu Chuan is not very optimistic about metal materials as the first wall material, he is also a human being, not an all-knowing and all-powerful god, maybe there is a problem with his opinion?

After all, it's something that the whole world is researching, and Dawn still has to set aside some researchers to do corresponding experiments.

As for himself, to be honest, he doesn't have much time left for the time being to focus on the research and development of materials.

Before he could get the first wall material, he also had to solve the problems of magnetic surface tearing, distortion and plasma magnetic islands during the fusion process of deuterium-tritium raw materials.

The previous experimental data did not come out, so he could only make a theoretical speculation.

Now, although Dawn has only run one deuterium-tritium fusion ignition experiment for the time being, and it is only for a minute, the data collected is enough for him to conduct a preliminary analysis.

After getting these done, Dawn will continue to do experiments to send him data, and you can improve these things little by little.

At the same time, while Xu Chuan was busy researching controlled nuclear fusion.

On the other side, in the southwest of France, near the city of Marseille, in the area of Cadarache, ITER's headquarters.

In the last two months, ITER's board of directors has held several internal meetings that are not open to the public.

Naturally, the content of the conference will focus on high-temperature copper-carbon-silver composite superconducting materials and mathematical models of plasma turbulence.

As for the result, it was a happy break every time.

No one knows why, but Huaguo, which has always been reluctant to express opinions on the ITER project in the past, and is even willing to exchange technology and pay for technology, has suddenly become so tough this time.

Not only did the request of the United States be rejected directly, but even the request of the European side to try to exchange technology through the use of technology was also denied.

In this case, the stalemate becomes difficult to manage.

And the United States seems to have lost patience, and is ready to no longer discuss this matter, but is ready to directly unite with other member states to directly kick the opponent out.

Today is the time to decide.

At the upcoming Board meeting, ITER will hold a final deliberation.

In view of the high-temperature superconducting copper-carbon-silver composite technology and the high-temperature plasma turbulence numerical control model in the Qixia controllable nuclear fusion project, the final challenge of ITER contract technology sharing was initiated.

If the meeting still does not have a satisfactory outcome for the majority of Member States. In the second half of the meeting, the United States will initiate a council vote.

On the grounds of non-fulfillment of the ITER contract technology sharing agreement, a public vote was launched to decide whether Huaguo could continue to remain in ITER.

It can be said that today is the deadline.

Sitting in the conference room, the directors of Germain, who had arrived in advance, sighed as they looked at the empty seats of the Chinese delegates who had not yet arrived.

Judging from the previous discussion, it is unlikely that the country in the East will make concessions in this matter.

What's more, if the other party is really kicked out of ITER in the future, ITER's future may not be so bright.

After all, Huaguo plays a very important role in ITER, whether it is the provision of funds, or ICRF heating antenna technology, tungsten molybdenum alloy first wall material technology, etc., are very important.

If they are gone, who will make up for the shortcomings in this part?

Is it dependent on the United States?

Don't make a fuss, in this regard, the United States has been in arrears even with the 25 percent of the funds guaranteed in the agreement, only 9 percent has been provided, and the remaining 16 percent has not been paid.

Perhaps, this will be the trigger for the disintegration of the ITER organization?

Suddenly, an idea came to the head of the ITER director of the Germanic kingdom.

It's not impossible.

After all, it is impossible to expect such a large-scale international joint project or a project involving controlled nuclear fusion, an important energy source, to be smooth sailing.

Energy is a sensitive thing, especially controlled nuclear fusion, which can be said to be unlimited energy once realized, and no matter which country takes the lead in it, it will cause other countries to be anxious and sensitive.

Coupled with the fact that almost all member states have their own controlled nuclear fusion projects, it is natural that they are reluctant to invest more in ITER.

It is not so much that this is an international project where everyone is working together to engage in controlled nuclear fusion, but that it is an international trading and exchange platform based on controlled nuclear fusion projects.

The truth of ITER is that everyone takes out the superior technology in their own hands, weakens it and sells it to other countries, and obtains funding or the technology they want.

And now, it's clear that the platform is on the verge of falling apart.

PS: The second more asks for a monthly pass!