industrial overlord

Chapter 646
As the name suggests, a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier is an aircraft carrier that uses nuclear reactors to generate power.The energy density of nuclear fuel is high, and a small amount of nuclear fuel can provide the energy needed for the aircraft carrier to sail for a long time, which is much more convenient than burning coal or oil.

So far, most of the nuclear reactors used in aircraft carriers are light water reactors, that is, reactors that use ordinary water as a coolant.The nuclear fuel undergoes a controllable chain reaction in the reactor to generate a large amount of heat, and the cooling water removes the heat, and in the steam generator, the water in the other circuit is exchanged for heat, so that the water in the second circuit is converted into steam , and then use the steam to push the steam turbine to do work and drive the propeller to run.This is how a light water reactor nuclear powered aircraft carrier works.

Light water reactors are small in size and relatively mature in technology, so most of them adopt this design, whether they are marine reactors or reactors for power generation.

Light water reactors also have some fatal flaws. First, in order to ensure that the cooling water in the first circuit remains liquid at a high temperature of 320 degrees, the reactor must have extremely high pressure, which places high demands on the reactor shell.The second is that the core lacks self-cooling ability. Once the peripheral cooling system fails, the temperature of the core will continue to rise until the core melts.

In the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident in the former Soviet Union in the 80s, the core melted. In the end, the entire nuclear power plant had to be sealed with a large amount of concrete to prevent nuclear material from leaking. During the 2010 earthquake in Japan in 311, the power supply system of the Fukushima nuclear power plant was damaged, which led to the shutdown of the cooling water circulation system, which almost led to a meltdown tragedy.

At that time, in order to reduce the temperature of the core, Japan adopted the method of watering from the sky by helicopter, and introduced seawater for cooling.As a result, although the core was finally preserved, a large amount of radiation-contaminated cooling water was discharged into the sea, leaving serious ecological hazards.

As a combat weapon, aircraft carrier is unavoidable to be damaged in war.In case of damage to the power system, the cooling system of the reactor stops working, and the consequences are very dire.Even if the extreme situation of melting piles is not mentioned, even if the cooling water with high radiation leaks out, the impact on the crew on the ship will be unimaginable.

The gas-cooled reactor is different. Its working feature is to use helium instead of ordinary water as the cooling medium. Since it does not need to maintain the liquid state of the cooling medium at high temperature like the light water reactor, the working pressure of the gas-cooled reactor is not high. Security is easier to guarantee.

The nuclear fuel in the gas-cooled reactor is packaged into small balls with high-temperature-resistant ceramics, and the fission reaction takes place inside each ceramic ball.In the unlikely event that the cooling system stops operating, the temperature of the ceramic balls can rise to a maximum of 1600 degrees, and then the reactor will be automatically shut down at this temperature, without melting accidents like light water reactors with metal cores. .In other words, if the future Fukushima nuclear power plant is a group of high-temperature gas-cooled reactors, there will be no danger even if there is a power outage for many days.

The helium used as the cooling medium in the gas-cooled reactor is an inert gas, and even if there is a leak, it will not bring out pollutants. This is one reason why the gas-cooled reactor is safer than the light water reactor.

International research on gas-cooled reactors has been going on for decades, with Germany starting earlier, and then South Africa, the United States, Russia, Japan and China starting research in this area.China started behind other countries in terms of high-temperature gas-cooled reactors, but progressed very rapidly. By the beginning of the 21st century, China's high-temperature gas-cooled reactor technology had reached the world-class level.

The idea proposed by Zhang Yihua is to transfer the mature high-temperature gas-cooled reactor to the aircraft carrier as the source of power for the aircraft carrier.If this idea can be successful, then the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier built by China will be the first aircraft carrier in the world to use an air-cooled reactor as a power source.As Zhang Yihua introduced to Lin Zhenhua before, an aircraft carrier using an air-cooled reactor will have better safety than an aircraft carrier using a light water reactor, and reduce the pressure of maintenance, which will improve the adaptability of the aircraft carrier and its survivability under war conditions. will be of great help.

After Zhang Yihua put forward this idea, Liu Xianghai organized relevant personnel to have a serious discussion. Everyone believed that the advantages of using the air-cooled reactor as the power source of the aircraft carrier were very obvious. Such a design is used in China's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.

The cooling medium used by the high-temperature gas-cooled reactor is helium, which is heated to about 750 degrees in the reactor, and the heat is taken out of the reactor through the circulation system.At this time, there are two modes of converting thermal energy into mechanical energy.

The first mode is to heat the water or other medium in the second circuit with high-temperature helium through a heat exchange system, and then use the formed water vapor or other high-temperature gas to drive the steam turbine to do work.This method is similar to light water reactors, and its technology is relatively mature, but its defects are also obvious: one is that two circuits are required, which increases the volume of the entire system, increases the number of equipment, and increases maintenance costs; In a heat exchange process, loss will inevitably occur during the heat exchange process, resulting in a decrease in thermal efficiency.

The second mode is also the mode proposed by Zhang Yihua, that is, to cancel the second circuit and directly use high-temperature helium to drive the steam turbine to do work, which not only simplifies the structure, but also improves the thermal efficiency, which is a very promising mode.A steam turbine directly driven by helium in this mode is a helium turbine.Or strictly speaking, the helium gas turbine used in the first circuit of the nuclear island.So far, the helium turbines that exist in the world can only be applied to the second circuit, and the helium turbines used in the first circuit are still under experimentation.

Zhang Yihua is a technical idiot. Since his research direction shifted from aircraft engines to industrial steam turbines and gas turbines, he began to dabble in related technologies extensively. Helium turbine technology also entered his field of vision at this time.

At the beginning, Zhang Yihua felt that there was still a gap between this world-leading technology and China's national conditions, so he just paid attention to it, and did not think that he would be able to impact this technology in his lifetime.As China's economic strength is getting stronger and the gap between China's advanced technology and the international advanced level is getting smaller and smaller, Zhang Yihua's heart began to move.In his opinion, if he has the opportunity to participate in a world-leading technology research, his life would be worthwhile.

Lin Zhenhua has some understanding of these things. Zhang Yihua has mentioned the word helium turbine more than once in the group office meeting.The group has studied the feasibility of this project, and the final conclusion is that there are too many technical links involved, and the future market prospects are not clear enough. If a project like this is not led by the state, it will be done with the strength of an enterprise. very difficult.

What Lin Zhenhua didn't expect was that after the Hanhua Group rejected the project, Zhang Yihua actually took the road of "saving the country with a curve" and pulled the navy to put forward the project again.

"Mr. Lin, this time is different from the past." Zhang Yihua explained to Lin Zhenhua, "In the past, we didn't have the support of the state, so we couldn't rely on our Hanhua family to do it. There were not enough technical talents and technology accumulation in many aspects. But this time is different. Hong Feng, deputy director of the Science and Industry Committee, said that it is necessary to mobilize the best soldiers from all over the country to overcome this problem in the future. In the early stage, the professors of the Nuclear Energy Technology Research Institute of Huaqing University have done a lot of pioneering work , as long as the strength of the production department is put into it, it is completely sure to break through this technical difficulty."

"Old Liu, what do you think?" Lin Zhenhua turned to look at Liu Xianghai.

Liu Xianghai said with a smile: "I am engaged in propulsion, and I have no right to speak about nuclear energy and heat engines. However, I have participated in several technical demonstration meetings organized by the Science and Industry Committee. From the opinions of experts, our country The conditions for a breakthrough in helium turbine technology are ripe, and now it is just a matter of time."

Lin Zhenhua also smiled and said, "Hehe, so I'm the one to do it? Tell me, what do you need me to do?"

"People, wealth, things." Liu Xianghai stretched out three fingers.

"People, wealth, things, I have all these, so what do you need?" Lin Zhenhua asked with a smile.

Liu Xianghai said: "Of course it is impossible to let you out. People, mainly Lao Zhang and his team, may need to be requisitioned during this period of time. You Hanhua have accumulated a lot of experience in industrial steam turbines and gas turbines over the years. To engage in helium turbines, your elite team is indispensable."

Lin Zhenhua nodded and said, "That's no problem. But, Lao Zhang, you have to keep half of the team. The R&D and technical services of industrial steam turbines and gas turbines in the company cannot be stopped, understand?"

"Boss Lin, don't worry, I've already made arrangements." Zhang Yihua replied.

Lin Zhenhua gave Liu Xianghai a helpless expression, and said, "Old Liu, look, Lao Zhang's heart has already flown to you. I want to stay but can I?"

"They're all doing things for the country. What's yours and mine?" Liu Xianghai said carelessly. He didn't feel bad about using other people's team to work for him. "In terms of people, there is hope that Hanhua Being able to support some of our excellent technicians, the trial production of helium turbines requires high-quality workers to complete, and in this regard, Hanhua’s strength is unmatched by other companies.”

"I still have some senior technicians recruited from Europe. I have inquired that they have experience in processing similar products, and I can let them play a role at that time." Lin Zhenhua said.

"That's great." Liu Xianghai said, "Let me just say, Xiao Lin is definitely not a stingy person. When it comes to national affairs, you will definitely not hide your private interests."

"Okay, everyone promised to give it to you, so it's nothing to do with me? I'll go first..." Lin Zhenhua turned around to leave, but he didn't move at all.He remembered that Liu Xianghai was talking about the three items of "people, property and property", and now he just finished talking about "people".

(End of this chapter)