After the first trial operation of the thorium-based molten salt reactor, the development speed was far beyond everyone's imagination.

In less than three weeks, the problems encountered during the first trial run were solved.

"The systems are ready to start the second trial run."

The nuclear fission reactor began to operate, the fission reaction began.

The temperature of the solid thorium-based molten salt began to rise, and soon reached 500 degrees.

By exchanging heat through heat exchanger tubes, a large amount of water becomes steam, which subsequently drives the steam turbine.

The second test run, and there were not as many problems as the first.

However, due to safety and other considerations, the trial run will be carried out at least several times.

to be able to officially declare the success of this technology.

"Director Zhang, our research has achieved some results, do you want to take a look?"

Yuan Bing, who is responsible for the research and development of power generation devices, after the success of the second trial operation.

Tell Zhang Xingyang a good news.

"Oh? You've found a way for molten salt to propel gas turbines. ”

Zhang Xingyang put down the work in his hand with interest and said.

At present, molten salt reactors still use traditional steam turbines to generate electricity.

It is commonly known as boiling water.

If the gas turbine can be directly driven by the gasified high-temperature molten salt, the energy conversion efficiency will be very high.

Prior to this, Yuan Bing and others had already carried out a lot of research on gas turbines.

But vaporizing molten salt is far from the gas energy they used before.

Whether corrosive or radiating, the core components of the gas turbine need to be specially modified.

"Not yet." Yuan Bing shook his head.

Zhang Xingyang was not angry, "What's the good news about that?" ”

Yuan Bing looked proud: "We have made an experimental supercritical carbon dioxide generator!" ”

Supercritical CO2 generators!

When Zhang Xingyang heard this term, he added a little interest.

"There is still relatively little research in this area in China, how did you do it?"

Supercritical carbon dioxide power generation is a relatively unpopular existence in the power technology tree.

The main thing is the application of the unique properties of supercritical fluids.

Supercritical fluids have a series of characteristics because temperature and pressure are at the critical point of gas-liquid transition.

For example, good flow and heat transfer properties.

The good fluidity allows him to transfer more kinetic energy when pushing the turbine to do work.

The excellent heat transfer performance makes it more thermally efficient in the heat transfer process.

"We've got it right, too."

On the way to the laboratory, Yuan Bing explained a little to Zhang Xingyang.

"The properties and heat exchange laws of supercritical carbon dioxide itself are very complex, and it is almost impossible to obtain key thermal parameters."

Supercritical fluids are different from conventional liquids or gases in that they deviate from the ideal gas during thermodynamic changes, especially in the near-critical region and across the critical point, where the thermal parameters change nonlinearly.

"According to the general idea, it can only be explored little by little by constantly adjusting the working condition of the load and load regulation."

"That's what we did in the beginning, and if we continue on this path, it could take years."

"But given the overall development time, we abandoned this approach."

Zhang Xingyang asked with interest: "And then?" ”

For unknown rules, it always takes a lot of time to figure out its performance.

Zhang Xingyang was not surprised at all.

What made him curious was that Yuan Bing and the others had a way to skip a lot of groping?

"In fact, we haven't given up groping, but we have changed the way of groping."

As Yuan Bing walked, he recalled what they had done at the time.

"We have written an automatic adjustment program that autonomously adjusts the load and operating conditions based on the results of the experiments."

"In this way, we don't have to do experiments, and we only need to model and analyze the experimental data."

Zhang Xingyang gave his thumbs up: "Your method is really good, it is worth learning." ”

In fact, Yuan Bing and the others still encountered a lot of difficulties at that time.

First of all, the program that automatically controls the experimental conditions is not so easy to write.

In the first experiment, they even broke their supercritical fluid test bench!

A supercritical fluid test bench is worth millions!

If it weren't for the sufficient research funds and Zhang Xingyang's enough trust.

Maybe the whole project will be terminated directly.

Where will they continue to study.

Writing programs requires a good enough software engineer, and completing data modeling and analysis requires a strong enough mathematical foundation.

Fortunately, Yuan Bing's own mathematical skills have not fallen behind in so many years of work.

In a short period of time, the modeling and analysis of astronomical data can be completed.

The machine was tested 24 hours a day and a large amount of data was obtained.

Walking into Yuan Bing's laboratory, several large devices were placed everywhere in an orderly manner.

The middle is connected by a high-strength pipe.

"This is the supercritical generator you developed?"

Zhang Xingyang glanced at it and didn't understand the operation process too much.

It can only be seen that this set of equipment has several turbo compressors, heat exchangers, coolers and other devices.

If you want to really understand it, you still need to explain it to the developer.

"We're using the closed Brayton loop."

Yuan Bing began to explain with the equipment at hand.

The closed Brayton circulation system is the primary mode of operation of gas turbines.

The gas is compressed in a compressor, and then the compressed gas enters the gas turbine combustion chamber, where it is heated.

After heating, the high-temperature gas enters the gas turbine to expand and do work.

Boost generators to generate electricity.

"After the first pass of the variable speed turbine drive compressor, the superfluid carbon dioxide passes through the recuperator and then through the second compressor compression."

"It is then heated by a heat exchanger in a nuclear reactor and then driven by a steam turbine to drive the generator to generate electricity."

"After that, the CO2 will be cooled down by a cooler and the cycle will start again."

Yuan Bing briefly introduced the principle of the power generation system.

Then he said with a little emotion:

"Although the structural design is relatively simple, we have encountered a lot of difficulties in the process."

Zhang Xingyang patted him on the shoulder in understanding:

"Thank you for your hard work!"

Supercritical fluid power generation technology as an emerging technology.

No one has completed the development internationally.

This means that Yuan Bing and they don't want to say that they are copying homework.

Even whether this road can be taken is unknown.

Zhang Xingyang didn't give Yuan Bing much time to be sad:

"Supercritical CO2 generators, what is the power of today?"

Yuan Bing retracted his thoughts and said:

"The current power of this supercritical CO2 generator is 25MW."

Compared to the power of the reactor, the power of the generator is not very high.

A thorium-based molten salt pile, less than the size of a room, is ten times more powerful.

"What about its thermal efficiency?"

Zhang Xingyang was curious about another question.

The thermal performance of supercritical fluids is much higher than that of conventional gas.

"At its peak, it's 78 percent."

Yuan Bing burst out with a number that would make others jaw-dropping.

However, Zhang Xingyang still captured the small details, "What about under normal operation?" ”

Gas turbines are also capable of achieving thermal efficiency of more than 60 percent.

But normally, it is still around forty.

"Normally, it's between 60 and 70 percent."

Yuan Bing said: "This number is our current data, and we may be able to improve it after subsequent improvements." ”

As an experimental supercritical CO2 generator, it is not easy to do this.

Many inventions do not achieve the results of the later ones at the beginning.

The first steam engines struggled to even pump water from the pits.

The original nuclear reactors could only light a small light bulb.

"I didn't mean to blame you." Zhang Xingyang waved his hand and said.

"Will your supercritical generator be part of the next test run?"

The experimental thorium-based molten salt reactor is not only capable of accommodating a steam-powered generator.

The heat exchanger piping can be connected to several different systems.

So adding a supercritical CO2 generator has no effect on the reactor.

At most, it is able to transfer more heat from the liquid molten salt.

"I'm a little undecided."

Yuan Bing said with some hesitation.

After looking at Zhang Xingyang, he explained:

"I mainly feel that the current supercritical carbon dioxide generator is not perfect enough."

"If something goes wrong in the middle of the experiment, that's bad."

Zhang Xingyang asked rhetorically: "Will there be any big problems with supercritical carbon dioxide?" ”

Yuan Bing subconsciously shook his head: "That's not true, supercritical fluids don't exist in a normal temperature and pressure environment." ”

Zhang Xingyang spread out his hands and said, "That's it, then what are you afraid of." ”

Supercritical fluids are only able to maintain their state when they are at a critical point.

Once this condition does not exist, then the supercritical fluid has to return to its normal state.

Carbon dioxide gas is a gas at room temperature and pressure.

This means that even if their generator fails, it leaks.

It is only a part of the carbon dioxide gas that is leaked.

There will be no consequences other than being able to reduce some oxygen concentration.

"Then it's decided, and you will also participate in the next reactor test run."

After Zhang Xingyang finished speaking, he was ready to leave.

Now that you've finished reading everything you should see, it's better to wait if you don't leave at this time!

However, Yuan Bing pulled his sleeve.

"What else?"

Yuan Bing twisted for a moment before he said under Zhang Xingyang's urging:

"Do you think it's possible for our supercritical CO2 generators to be used on aircraft carriers?"

Zhang Xingyang didn't expect Yuan Bing to care so much about this matter.

"There is a certain possibility, but it still depends on the progress of our reactor development and the development of your generator."

Yuan Bing said with a resolute face: "Then I am fighting for this old life, and I will also get a qualified supercritical carbon dioxide generator." ”

As an old military industry that has experienced the pressure of the Eagle Sauce aircraft carrier in the previous decades.

Yuan knows better than most what a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier represents.

The motherland's 10,000-mile sea frontier is not only something that a conventionally powered aircraft carrier can guard.

A strong carrier formation of several nuclear-powered aircraft carriers is required to defend it.

The third thorium-based molten salt reactor was only a week after the second test.

The second operation state has already shown that the reactor itself has been successfully developed.

All that's left is to optimize all aspects.

Let its efficiency in all aspects be further improved.

So, most people don't just focus on what they do.

Most of the attention was paid to Yuan Bing's newly developed supercritical carbon dioxide generator.

People are really curious about this generator, which is said to be able to achieve a thermal efficiency of nearly 80%.

Before that, the so-called high-efficiency steam turbines they used were only more than 30 percent thermally efficient.

"Sister Su, do you think the thermal efficiency of their generators can really be that high?"

The researcher of the materials laboratory asked Su Xiao about it.

After all, in the eyes of many people in the materials laboratory.

Su Xiao has a very close relationship with their director, and maybe he can learn more things from the director.

"Probably so." Su Xiao said a little coldly.

She did know some things that others didn't know, such as Zhang Xingyang had been in Yuan Bing's laboratory for a long time before this.

So there's a good chance it's true.

If it was fake, Zhang Xingyang would have refuted the rumors a long time ago.

The trial operation time of the third thorium-based molten salt reactor was much longer than the previous two.

The first experiment lasted only an hour, and the second trial ran a little longer, reaching almost five hours.

The third test run will take 48 hours!

"The results are in!"

There is a sociable person, panting and running in from outside the laboratory.

"How did it turn out?"

"Can it reach 80 percent?"

"Is there sixty percent?"

The assistant researcher who ran in took a breath and said:

"Super! Super! ”

"Really?!"

"Won't it?"

The people around him let out bursts of exclamations, basically feeling impossible.

Until then, the most optimistic people thought that 60 percent would be good.

"Experimental data shows that it has a thermal efficiency of 81 percent!"

The research assistant showed a piece of paper in his hand.

The above data is very simple, it is simply the temperature change data of each point.

People basically don't look at the data, and go directly to the bottom conclusion.

It was written 81% brightly.

"This is an epoch-making invention, isn't it?"

After reading it, everyone fell silent, and it took a while for someone to speak.

Su Xiao pondered for a while and said:

"Not yet, unless they can address issues such as cost and manufacturing processes."

As the person in charge of the laboratory, Su Xiao knows better.

This supercritical carbon dioxide generator costs hundreds of millions!

Even a research institute with deep pockets can't afford to build more. (End of chapter)