"Brother Xingyang, when will our energy core be able to reach the sky?"

"The rest of the team is waiting for our results."

After a morning meeting, Geng Bo found Zhang Xingyang and said.

In the last few months.

Other project teams have achieved a lot of results.

In particular, the most important is the development of functional compartments.

After getting the large vacuum laboratory, the progress can be said to have improved by leaps and bounds.

But molten salt reactors, which are the core of energy, have not made much progress.

"The work on the reactor is very tedious, and we need more time."

Zhang Xingyang said with a frown.

The research and development of the reactor is actually very fast.

From the finalization of the design to the long-term operation of the experimental reactor.

It even took less than a year!

But the follow-up work cannot be carried out by the prophet alone.

In particular, the inspection of various safety aspects.

It's almost a matter of trying it out.

Especially this time, the nuclear reactor is to be used in space.

The reactor is also subjected to various tests in a vacuum environment.

The time it takes, that's more.

These tests are still necessary and cannot be omitted.

If all possible problems are not exposed on the ground.

It's that the problem arises in space.

Then the price will be an entire starport, and the lives of hundreds or thousands of staff members living on it!

"So can we start with the installation of a conventional energy system?"

Geng Bo proposed.

At the beginning of the design, the Starport actually had regular power options.

That is to be powered by solar energy.

Or let the power satellite generate electricity, and then transmit it to the starport.

The vacuum environment in space reduces the energy of long-distance microwaves by less than one percent.

"There's no hurry, the next batch of space engineers will finish their training soon."

Zhang Xingyang said calmly:

"By the time they finish training, the reactor should also be able to complete the initial inspections."

"When the time comes, we will carry out a space survey."

"If it goes well, it will be installed directly inside the starport."

This is a very bold test.

Because it plans to deliver nuclear reactors into space.

Even a lot of people don't know what it means.

But as long as it is disclosed by the media, it will definitely provoke a lot of discussions.

No one wants an extremely dangerous nuclear reactor, flying above their heads.

Although they don't know what the difference is between a pressurized water reactor and a molten salt reactor.

But this does not prevent them from associating previous historical nuclear reactor accidents with themselves.

"This, you're too bold, aren't you?!"

Geng Bo was almost shocked and said:

"Does the IAEA know about your plans?"

Although Starport has a lot of high-tech weapons.

But its positioning in the country is really a civilian facility.

Therefore, its energy core is also supervised by the International Atomic Energy Organization.

This is why Geng Bo was so surprised.

Because this plan is so dangerous that the slightest mistake could cause a catastrophe.

"Yes."

"They have agreed to our plan."

Zhang Xingyang smiled and said.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is also largely made up of a few nuclear powers, whose views can determine many matters within the organization.

After opening up a certain number of Star Port personnel.

Many countries have liberalized restrictions in this regard.

With the exception of Eagle Sauce, all other countries have already agreed to requests for space nuclear reactor testing.

The IAEA did not veto a single vote.

After obtaining the consent of the majority of countries, the space nuclear reactor experiment was quickly passed.

"How bold they are." Geng Bo complained.

Zhang Xingyang said: "The main thing is that the molten salt pile itself is very safe. ”

"Even if there is a leak, it won't have much of a negative impact."

Space molten salt nuclear reactor experiments.

It doesn't actually take place in a vacuum.

It is carried out inside a spaceship.

It is also equipped with a large number of cooling materials.

If there is a leak in the molten salt pile, the hot molten salt will be cooled down as soon as possible.

Thus blocking the leakage.

It is also possible to minimize losses.

Actually, according to everyone's tests on the ground.

The chance of a molten salt reactor failure is very low.

Within 15 years of operation, the chance of failure is less than 1 in 100,000.

Geng Bo eventually accepted the fact, "Well, I wish you a successful space experiment." ”

If the space experiments of the reactor can be successful.

Then it's a good thing for people in other project teams.

This means they're able to move projects forward faster.

It can even really be stationed in Xinggang to carry out related work.

A month and a half later, two launch missions were only half a day apart.

Conducted at the Wenchang Launch Center.

A launch mission is loaded with the latest batch of space engineers who have completed their training.

The second launch mission was a cargo spacecraft carrying a molten salt reactor.

With current technology, only molten salt reactors that have been miniaturized can be loaded into cargo ships.

The other pressurized water reactors and boiling water reactors are very large.

It simply doesn't fit into a cargo ship.

Therefore, only China can currently have the means to launch a nuclear reactor into space.

There are two new space engineers on the space station.

One is Xue Feng, who was born as an architect, and the other is Liu Sheng, who was born in manufacturing.

Both of them had achieved very good results in their previous training.

It is also very adaptable in all aspects.

Therefore, he was selected as the second batch of official space engineers.

"Don't be too nervous, take it easy."

The commander who sat between the two comforted the two newcomers who had just gone to space.

The Tiangong space station has already undergone an expansion.

It is currently able to accommodate six people at the same time.

So they don't need to rotate this time.

Instead, five people are stationed together.

The rocket takes off into the air and takes the three of them to space.

A rocket flying at high speed is naturally not as smooth as a vehicle on the ground or an airplane in the sky.

The seat was shaking unconsciously.

If not everyone is fastened to the seat.

Maybe someone will be thrown out directly by the super high acceleration.

Fortunately, after a short acceleration process, the rocket gradually detached itself from the atmosphere that would cause disturbances.

Dozens of minutes later, they approached the Tiangong space station.

Two astronauts stationed on the space station warmly welcome the newcomers.

As always, the welcome process, and the meal session.

For everyone, the task of the second day is the most difficult and important.

Because the molten salt nuclear reactor, which is the core of Xinggang's energy, has also reached the predetermined orbit.

They need to pilot the ship and dock with the cargo ship.

This is followed by a series of space tests.

Xue Feng and Liu Sheng drove the engineering spacecraft and the cargo spacecraft to complete the docking work.

"The docking is complete, and I'm going to enter the cargo ship to activate the reactor."

After Liu Sheng finished the docking work, he said to Xue Feng.

The division of labor between the two is compared to when Xu Ying was alone before.

It's much easier and faster to work.

"Understood, the monitoring equipment has been turned on."

Xue Feng said calmly:

"Report to the ground command center, we are about to begin operational tests of the nuclear reactor."

"The command center understood, agreed to test."

Nuclear reactor testing in the space environment is mainly to test the effects of a weightless environment on various components of the reactor.

In particular, the nuclear fuel of molten salt reactors is fluid.

In weightlessness, some unpredictable changes occur.

"Take precautions!"

The command center reminded one last word.

Xue Feng and the others were naturally not just wearing a thin layer of regular clothes like they were in the space station.

Instead, he wears the latest heavy exoskeleton armor.

Armored detectors detect radiation doses in real time.

When the dose is too high, an alarm will be given.

The armor itself also has a three-defense function.

Even having a small oxygen cylinder can ensure that they can survive for twenty minutes even if they fall into space.

In order to rescue them, buy a certain amount of time.

The start-up of a nuclear reactor is very simple.

It is only necessary to mix together a certain amount of molten salt of nuclear fuel.

They are then able to spontaneously carry out a nuclear fission reaction and then emit heat.

Propelled the supercritical fluid generator in the rear.

"The reactor is start-up and the fluid is running normally!"

Liu Sheng said in the communicator.

The flow meter shows the instantaneous flow of molten salt through the pipe.

Judging by the data, there is no problem with the flow of molten salt.

As a fluid, the biggest concern of people when they are on the ground is that molten salt is trapped in the pipes.

Then the heat builds up and can't be dissipated.

In the case of heat accumulation for a long time.

It is easy to damage corrosion-resistant, high-temperature resistant heat exchanger tubes.

If the heat exchanger tube is damaged, molten salt will gush out directly from the inside.

Even if it can be cooled down later, let the molten salt fill the hole by itself.

But the reactor can be considered scrapped.

With the technical prowess of the space station, it is simply impossible to repair it.

Fortunately, none of this happened.

"Prepare for a spin experiment."

After the boot is complete, and it is running normally.

Liu Sheng informed Xue Feng to start the second experiment.

This experiment is special.

Ordinary reactors simply do not have such experiments.

Because the starport needs to rotate to simulate gravity, it will always be in a rotational process during the operation of the nuclear reactor.

Xue Feng, who piloted the spaceship combination, began to control the spaceship vent.

Let the whole assembly start to spin.

And began to slowly accelerate.

Fortunately, both of them have a special buffer inside their armor.

Allows the two to withstand high spin speeds.

Otherwise, if you turn like this, your brain will come out.

The spin lasted for half an hour.

During the whole process, the high-temperature molten salt flows steadily in the pipeline.

There were no surprises.

The thrust reverser engine allows the spacecraft to slowly move from spin to relative rest.

Even with the blessing of a high-tech spacesuit.

Xue Feng and Liu Sheng are still in a state of brain confusion.

It's like stuffing the whole person into a washing machine and spinning at high speed for half an hour.

It's even more exaggerated than that!

You know, when they are on the ground, they are also trained on the corresponding equipment.

There is already a certain amount of patience.

It's no exaggeration to say that this is stuffing people into a high-speed centrifuge.

"Take a break."

Xue Feng said weakly.

If it weren't for the exoskeleton armor, he would have been firmly anchored to the bulkhead.

He probably just fell.

Liu Sheng first looked at the operating status of the nuclear reactor and found that there was no problem.

This is a little relieved.

Then the two of them stood on the bulkhead and rested for five minutes.

This is followed by a series of security tests.

The two of them had to fly back and forth between the Tiangong space station and the cargo spacecraft almost every day.

It took nearly a month to spin in a row.

Most of the nuclear reactor testing work was completed.

"Today we are going to have the last test job."

"This work is extremely dangerous, and you don't need to dock with the cargo ship."

"You just need to operate the robot to do the work."

Ground command center, again with the two before the start of the mission.

"Xue Feng understands!"

"Liu Sheng understands!"

After the two answered, an order came from the ground command center.

"Molten salt reactor destructive experiments, begin!"

The final experiment was to artificially create a small hole in the pipe.

It is used to test the condition of a nuclear reactor after a leak.

See if it can self-solidify and plug the leak.

The engineering spacecraft, which is only a dozen meters away, emits an electrical signal.

Take control of an electric drill inside a cargo ship.

A small hole less than four millimeters in diameter is drilled in the pipe.

The hole has not been fully drilled.

Zirconium alloy pipes, just under strong pressure and high temperatures, a small hole appears.

Tiny molten salt nuclear fuel, leaking out of the hole.

It then cooled and solidified inside the cargo ship.

It turns into small black beads that float inside the cargo ship.

The hole only appeared for a few twenty seconds.

It is blocked by the molten salt nuclear fuel that has been cooled and solidified.

Through the monitoring equipment on the spacecraft, Xue Feng and Liu Sheng, who were inside the Tiangong spacecraft, saw the whole process in its entirety.

After a brief delay, the ground command center also saw the video.

"The experiment is over, ready for docking."

Xue Feng reported to the ground command center.

Half an hour later, Liu Sheng entered the cargo spacecraft again.

Begin to check the experimental situation.

The first is to recycle all the leaked nuclear fuel.

These low-abundance nuclear fuels have very low radiation doses.

It didn't even trigger the alarm on Liu Sheng.

All of this nuclear fuel is collected in a special lead box.

Of course, there must be traces of nuclear fuel in the air.

These are difficult to collect and don't have much of an impact.

Liu Sheng then stopped the operation of the nuclear reactor and prepared to replace the broken pipes.

The replaced pipes also need to be transported to the ground for further inspection.

After the inspection is completed, it will be possible to know how much of an impact the leak will have on the operation of the reactor.

(End of chapter)