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Fusion engines can be divided into working medium engines and non-working medium engines. In order to understand the difference between the two, it is necessary to understand what a working medium is.

Working fluid is the working fluid. It is a medium substance through which a heat engine or a thermal device completes the conversion between thermal energy and mechanical energy. Such as water vapor, fuel gas, air and so on.

Take the rocket as an example. To comply with Newton's third law, to generate a forward thrust, an equivalent reverse thrust is required. When the rocket flies, a large amount of material ejected backwards is the working fluid.

The working medium engine is to use the energy generated by the engine to change the physical state of the working medium so that the working medium is sprayed in the opposite direction to obtain forward propulsion.

The non-working medium engine is to directly convert the engine energy into the kinetic energy of the propelled body.

Before exploring the theory, we must first clarify whether to make a working medium engine or a non-working medium engine. If this is not clear, it will be impossible to study. Hu Zexiang asked a very pragmatic question, which is also a problem that must be solved.

Ye Chen was very appreciative of Hu Zexiang's response, and immediately caught the key issues. However, Ye Chen did not answer explicitly, but instead asked: "I believe you have already discussed, which engine do you think should be made?"

Hu Zexiang and the team members quickly exchanged eyes and laughed: "We did discuss it, but because the problem is too complicated and it is difficult to make a decision at this moment, I don't want to hear your opinion."

"Specifically." Ye Chen said.

"The working medium engine and the non-working medium engine have their own advantages and disadvantages, and it is difficult to make a decision at the moment." Hu Zexiang started to elaborate, and said, "First of all, the working medium engine is related to our life. Steam engine internal combustion engine And so on, they all use work fluids to do their work. If we want to build a work fluid nuclear fusion engine, we can't do without work fluids. This requires carrying a lot of work fluids, and the problem comes. "

Hold your finger and count it down: "The first problem is that because you have to carry a lot of working fluid, it increases the overall mass and reduces the speed, which is not conducive to space flight."

Speed ​​is extremely important when flying in space.

why?

On earth, the slower speed may have little effect, whether it is flying by sea or by sea, or by boat, it will always reach its destination, only a time gap of one or two months.

In space, speed is so important that it can even determine life or death.

The distance from one celestial body to another celestial body will be very long. For example, it is 150 million kilometers from the earth to the sun. Such a long distance is only an astronomical unit.

Flying from one celestial body to another is perfectly normal in space travel. If it fails to reach the target celestial body, the entire army may be destroyed due to difficulties such as running out of fuel and running out of food.

So, speed is too important for space travel.

Carrying a large amount of working fluid leads to increased mass and reduced speed, which is very unfavorable for space travel.

"The second problem is that because many conversions are required, the energy loss is large and the efficiency is low, which makes humans have a limited distance to fly." Hu Zexiang continued.

There must be a loss of energy conversion, and the loss of multiple conversions is even greater. How can this efficiency be not low? It was originally possible to fly two astronomical units, but because the energy loss was too large, only one astronomical unit could be flown. Can this loss be small?

"Coupled with carrying a large amount of working fluid, the mass has been increased, which has led to a reduction in speed. The two factors together have a more limited flight distance," Hu Zexiang added.

The environment in space is extremely harsh. Compared with space, the earth can be regarded as heaven.

If you fly in space, you can't reach the target object, the consequences will be serious.

"There are also ways to solve the problem. One is to use fuel residues as a propellant. The other is to study the engineless refrigerant." Hu Zexiang continued: "Although the former method is feasible, it is not as good as a refrigerantless engine. The engine is too technically difficult to imagine. "

Comparing working fluid engines and non-refrigerant engines, it is easy to find that non-refrigerant engines are the most suitable power for space flight. However, the technical threshold is too high to be unimaginable.

Until now, human beings have not made any achievements in the field of non-refrigerant engines, and there is no mature non-refrigerant engine technology.

It boils down to one sentence: the engineless fluid can only exist in imagination, and it is impossible to achieve with the existing technology of human beings.

"One of the two engines is low in technical difficulty and the other is particularly suitable for human voyages. Therefore, it is difficult for us to make a decision." Hu Zexiang was embarrassed.

Everyone agreed.

Ye Chen smiled and said, "This is indeed a problem. How to make a decision must take our goals into consideration. There is no doubt that nuclear fusion engines are the most suitable power for human beings and can enable humans to voyage in space. However, Judging from the current situation of human beings, it is not appropriate to set the goal too high before it has burst out of the earth. "

Hu Zexiang nodded and agreed with Ye Chen's statement.

With the current level of human technology, it is difficult to get out of the earth, not to mention voyages beyond the solar system, which is unrealistic.

"Xiaoye, what kind of goals do you think we are most suitable for now?" Hu Zexiang asked.

Everyone's eyes focused on Ye Chen, waiting for him to answer.

"We can use the moon as a short-term goal." Ye Chen said.

"Moon?" Hu Zexiang wondered.

"That's right, the moon." Ye Chen nodded and said, "With your level of confidentiality, you should be able to know something. I'll tell you now that our country is about to launch a moon development plan."

"What? The moon development plan?" Hu Zexiang was very regrettable.

The moon development plan is now top secret. However, Hu Zexiang's level of confidentiality can be known. Of course, they can only know that our country is going to develop the moon, and that alone, nothing else can be known.

"In this case, the setting is particularly suitable for the moon." After a while, Hu Zexiang and they just came back, very excited, and said, "The moon is a treasure with rich mineral resources, especially helium-3, more There are so many that can be used by humans for 10,000 years. If the engines we study are successful, they can help the moon development program. "

This is very reasonable.

The hardest part of developing the moon is transportation. The existing means of transportation are not suitable. Although the rocket can meet the requirements, the rocket is famous for its high consumption and low efficiency, and the cost is too high.

If the fusion engine is successful, the problem of power will be solved, and a large transport ship can be built to send the resources on the moon back to the earth. At the same time, the Earth's supply equipment can be transported to the moon.

This cost is reduced a lot.

"After the moon target is resolved, we will solve Mars, Jupiter and Mercury, which can be used as a medium-term target," Ye Chen said again.

The moon must be developed. Who says there are so many helium-3 on the moon? Where is the nuclear fuel if the moon is not developed? How far can humans go without sufficient nuclear fuel?

Wait until the moon is resolved, then Mars, Mercury, Jupiter will be appropriate.

"It makes sense, it makes sense." Hu Zexiang appreciated them.

"Of course the long-term goal is to burst out of the solar system and head towards the Milky Way." Ye Chen said again.

Hu Zexiang exchanged opinions quickly and reached an agreement soon.

"Xiaoye, the goal you have proposed is very pragmatic, and the feasibility is very high." Hu Zexiang spoke on behalf of the team and said, "If you plan like this, the research work of nuclear fusion engines can be divided into two steps. The first step is to study working fluid engines "Despite the shortcomings of working fluid engines, they are fully sufficient for our development of the moon and even the exploration of Mars and Jupiter."

The disadvantage of working fluid engines is obvious: it is impossible to go too far. However, it does not matter, it is enough to explore the moon and explore the development of Mars, Jupiter and Mercury.

"If we want to get out of the solar system and head towards the Milky Way, the working fluid engine can't meet our requirements. We must do without working fluid engine. This is our second step." Hu Zexiang concluded.

If human beings want to get out of the solar system and go further, they must study the non-operating engine, otherwise don't even think about it.

Working in the solar system, working fluid engines should be able to meet the requirements.

With the existing technical conditions, it is unrealistic to study non-working fluid engines. However, it is still feasible to study working fluid engines.

It is necessary to go in two steps.

"That's what I mean." Ye Chen nodded.

"Since the direction is clear, we should report to it," Hu Zexiang suggested.

Such an important matter must be approved by the state, and reporting will become inevitable.

There was no objection from the crowd, and Ye Chen immediately called the head and reported directly to the head. The chief attaches great importance to this matter and definitely wants to know the situation as soon as possible.

Soon, the chief answered the phone, greeted Ye Chen with a smile on his face, and then asked, "Is that Ye Xiao, is the research direction of the nuclear fusion engine determined?"

The research direction initiated by nuclear fusion must be discussed with Ye Chen, and it must be determined by listening to Ye Chen's opinions.

"The chief is bright." Ye Chen laughed.

"All right, talk about it." The head looked focused.

Ye Chen said the result of the discussion.

"Xiaoye, your proposal is very good, pragmatic, and highly feasible. I think so." The chief thought it out and decided.

After the chief executive clapped, Ye Chen would prepare a formal plan for approval by the state. It was left to Hu Zexiang to do it.

After several days of efforts, the compilation was finally completed. Ye Chen saw that there was no problem and officially submitted it to the country.