69novels Chapter 389 Power System and Appearance Design
Chapter 389 Power System and Appearance Design
Li Yang stood in the center of the laboratory, tapping his fingers lightly on a design drawing on the table, his brows slightly furrowed, a trace of solemnity in his eyes.
The entire laboratory was silent, with only a few engineers busy at their workbenches, and occasionally the sound of pages turning and pens scratching across drawings could be heard.
Every detail of this project is crucial. Any mistake will result in irreparable consequences.
"The first thing we need to solve is the power problem of the ground-effect aircraft carrier."
Li Yang spread the design drawings on the table, and several core members gathered around, all focusing their attention on the dense lines and annotations. Li Yang's finger gently slid across the drawing, pointing to the area in the center marked with the words "nuclear fusion reactor".
"This reactor will be the heart of the entire aircraft," he said in a low voice, but full of unquestionable majesty. "It will not only provide powerful thrust for the aircraft, but also ensure stability and efficiency during long-term flight."
First of all, the biggest challenge they face is the choice of materials. The working environment of a nuclear fusion reactor is extremely harsh, and the temperature inside the reactor will exceed 100 million degrees. Any ordinary material will evaporate in an instant.
"We need a material that can withstand extremely high temperatures and strong magnetic fields." Li Yang pondered, his eyes moving away from the drawings to Master Zhang standing beside him.
Master Zhang is the most senior material expert in the laboratory. His temples are a little gray, but his bright eyes still reveal the energy and enthusiasm of a young man. He nodded when he heard me, then walked to the information rack nearby and took out a thick book "High Temperature Materials" to read.
"Mr. Li, I suggest using a tantalum alloy material." Master Zhang quickly raised his head with a look of certainty on his face. "Tantalum has a very high melting point and is corrosion-resistant. It can remain stable in extreme environments."
Li Yang walked over to Master Zhang, took the book, quickly glanced through a few pages, and nodded: "Tantalum alloy is indeed a good choice, but we still need to further optimize its composition structure."
In order to improve the heat resistance and pressure resistance of tantalum alloy, Li Yang decided to add a small amount of rhenium and molybdenum. Rhenium can improve the high temperature creep resistance of the alloy, while molybdenum can enhance the hardness and wear resistance of the alloy. The combination of the two can keep the tantalum alloy stable for a longer time in extreme environments.
In the next few days, the laboratory was filled with the roar of metal forging presses and the crackling of welding arcs. Every day, Li Yang and Master Zhang conducted tensile, compression and high-temperature tests on the newly synthesized tantalum alloy to ensure that it could meet the stringent requirements of the reactor.
"The temperature has reached 1,500 degrees." Master Zhang stared at the thermometer of the high-temperature furnace, beads of sweat oozing from his forehead.
The reactor model glowed red in the high-temperature furnace, and the metal surface gradually became hot, as if it could melt at any time. Several young engineers gathered around nervously, their eyes full of expectation and worry.
"Hold it." Li Yang gave the order calmly, his eyes fixed on the metal block in the furnace.
"The temperature continued to rise... reaching 2,300 degrees."
"Not bad." Master Zhang wiped the sweat from his forehead and finally showed a smile on his face, "The performance of the alloy is very stable."
"Very good." Li Yang nodded, feeling relieved. "Next we will start the internal design of the reactor."
After the external materials were determined, Li Yang turned his attention to the internal structure of the reactor. The core of the nuclear fusion reactor is the Tokamak device, a device that confines high-temperature plasma through a magnetic field. Li Yang needs to design a coil that can generate a strong magnetic field and ensure that it can operate stably for a long time under extreme conditions.
"We need superconducting materials to make magnetic coils." Li Yang said to Lao Wang beside him while drawing on the blueprint.
Lao Wang is an expert in electromagnetic systems in the laboratory. He has many years of experience in researching superconducting materials, but he still feels a little pressure at this moment. After all, this is not just an ordinary experimental project, but a strategic project related to the country's future.
"The choice of superconducting materials is crucial." Lao Wang pondered, "We can consider using niobium-titanium alloy, which has excellent superconducting properties at low temperatures."
"Niobium-titanium alloy is indeed a good choice." Li Yang nodded in approval, "But we still need to design a low-temperature cooling system to maintain the performance of the superconductor."
In the 60s, superconducting technology was still in its infancy in Yan State, but Li Yang, with the help of his golden finger, mastered the cutting-edge technology of the future. He decided to use liquid helium as a cooling medium and maintain the magnetic coil in a superconducting state through a complex circulation system.
The design work could not be relaxed for a moment. Li Yang and Lao Wang worked all night in the laboratory, repeatedly pondering every detail. The liquid helium pipeline design, the layout of the cooling system, the winding method of the superconducting coil... Every link had to go through countless calculations and verifications.
"Engineer Li, the design drawings of the cooling system have been completed." Lao Wang handed a drawing to Li Yang, with undisguised fatigue on his face.
Li Yang took the blueprint and reviewed it carefully. He was relieved to see that every detail was carefully considered. He knew that this cooling system would be the key to the entire reactor. It not only had to ensure the stability of the superconducting coil, but also ensure that there would be no failures during long-term operation.
"Next, we will start winding the magnetic coil." Li Yang put down the drawing, his tone revealing an unquestionable decisiveness.
The winding of magnetic coils is an extremely delicate process that needs to be carried out on a high-precision winding machine. Li Yang and Lao Wang personally supervise every link to ensure that each circle of wire is tightly and evenly wound together.
"Stay focused and don't let your guard down." Li Yang stared at the winding machine and reminded the operating engineer from time to time.
After the winding was completed, Li Yang and Lao Wang carefully installed the magnetic coil at the core of the reactor. Each connection point was repeatedly checked to ensure that the current could pass smoothly without any short circuit or leakage.
"The last step is to conduct a power-on test." Li Yang gave the order, and several engineers acted quickly to connect the power to the magnetic coil.
With a low humming sound, the magnetic coil gradually began to heat up, and a strong current passed through the coil, forming a strong magnetic field that was strong enough to confine the plasma. Li Yang stared at the readings on the instrument and finally breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that the magnetic field strength gradually reached the preset value.
"The magnetic field is stable and the superconducting coil is working normally." Lao Wang reported with a rare smile on his face.
"Very good." Li Yang nodded, with a hint of relief in his eyes. "Next, we will carry out the final assembly of the reactor."
After all the core components of the reactor were tested, Li Yang began to assemble the reactor as a whole, which was an extremely complex project that required each component to be accurately installed in the designated position and ensure that all connection points were firm and reliable.
In the next few days, Li Yang and his team worked almost day and night, repeatedly analyzing data, adjusting parameters, and conducting more experiments.
Finally, after repeated failures, they found the root of the problem. Li Yang realized that although the previous magnetic field design was feasible in theory, in actual operation, the magnetic field fluctuated due to slight deviations in material properties. In order to completely solve this problem, Li Yang decided to thoroughly optimize the magnetic field generation system.
Together with Lao Wang, he redesigned the shape of the magnetic coil and the current distribution method, and at the same time carried out stricter control over the purity of the superconducting material. After several tests, they finally obtained a stable magnetic field, which laid a solid foundation for the successful operation of the reactor.
"Mr. Li, we finally succeeded." Lao Wang said excitedly, with a gleam of victory in his eyes.
……
After the design of the nuclear fusion engine gradually stabilized, Li Yang began to turn to the design of the aircraft's appearance. As a new type of military equipment, the ground-effect aircraft carrier must not only have powerful performance, but also achieve the best aerodynamic effect in appearance.
Li Yang stood in front of a huge whiteboard, holding a marker pen and sketching the outline of the aircraft on the whiteboard. Several designers stood beside him, their eyes full of expectation and concentration.
"We need to design a fuselage with optimal aerodynamic performance," Li Yang explained as he drew a picture. "The shape of the aircraft should be as streamlined as possible, which can reduce air resistance and increase flight speed."
He drew a streamlined fuselage on the whiteboard, with a slightly upturned nose and a smooth arc at the tail. The outline of the entire aircraft looked powerful yet elegant.
"What should be the main material for the fuselage?" asked a young designer.
Li Yang pondered for a moment and replied: "The material of the fuselage must be lightweight and strong, and also resistant to corrosion and high temperatures. I recommend using titanium alloy, which is not only lightweight but also high in strength, making it very suitable for aircraft structures."
The choice of titanium alloy was unanimously approved by everyone. Next, Li Yang and the design team began to design the fuselage structure in more detail. They decided to use a honeycomb structure, which can not only greatly reduce the weight of the fuselage, but also increase the strength of the fuselage, ensuring that the aircraft is not easily deformed during high-speed flight.
"We also need to consider the stealth of the aircraft," a designer reminded. "After all, this is a military equipment, and stealth capability is crucial."
Li Yang nodded in agreement: "Stealth performance is indeed very important. We can coat the surface of the fuselage with a special wave-absorbing material, which can effectively absorb radar waves and reduce the radar reflection area of the aircraft."
In order to further improve the stealth performance, Li Yang also proposed a bold idea - to design the tail of the aircraft into a V shape, which will not only reduce the radar reflection area, but also enhance the stability and controllability of the aircraft.
"This design is very creative," Lao Wang said approvingly. "The V-shaped tail can indeed effectively improve the stealth performance of the aircraft."
During the design process, Li Yang also paid special attention to the cabin layout of the aircraft. As a ground-effect aircraft carrier, it not only has to carry a nuclear fusion reactor, but also accommodate a large number of weapon systems and combat personnel. Therefore, the cabin layout must be reasonable and compact, ensuring the coordinated operation of various systems and providing support for the stability of the aircraft.
"We can place the nuclear fusion reactor and power system in the central part of the fuselage, so as to ensure the stability of the center of gravity of the aircraft." Li Yang marked the positions of various systems on the drawing while thinking.
"The weapon systems are arranged on both sides of the fuselage for easy launching and operation." He continued, "At the same time, we also need to reserve enough space for rapid reaction forces and supplies."
Under Li Yang's guidance, the design team gradually perfected the aircraft's exterior design and cabin layout. The entire design process was full of challenges and brought countless surprises. The optimization of every detail further improved the performance of the aircraft.
In the following months, Li Yang and his team members devoted themselves to the manufacture of the aircraft. The entire laboratory became busier, with the roar of metal cutting machines, the crackling of welding arcs, and the discussions of engineers.
"Pay special attention to the cutting angle of this titanium alloy plate to ensure that it can perfectly fit the contour of the fuselage." While giving instructions, Li Yang personally participated in the installation of various key parts.
The cutting and welding of titanium alloy plates is the most critical step in the entire manufacturing process. Li Yang requires that the error of the cutting angle should not exceed 0.1 mm, so as to ensure the close fit and overall strength of the fuselage. In order to achieve this precision, Li Yang personally supervises the processing of each titanium alloy plate to ensure that each welding point is firm and reliable.
"The welding temperature must be controlled at around 1200 degrees and cannot be too high, otherwise it will damage the structure of the material." Li Yang said to the engineer operating the welding equipment.
Under Li Yang's strict requirements, the welding of the titanium alloy plates went very smoothly. Each plate was accurately installed in the designated position, and the entire fuselage gradually took shape, presenting a streamlined beauty.
"Next, we need to install the aircraft's power system." Li Yang said, with a firm look in his eyes.
The installation of the power system is the most complicated part of the entire aircraft manufacturing process. Li Yang and Lao Wang led the team members to carefully install the nuclear fusion reactor into the cabin in the center of the fuselage. The whole process requires extremely high precision. Any slight error may cause the center of gravity of the aircraft to shift, thus affecting the flight performance.
"Stay focused and don't let your guard down at all." Li Yang reminded while operating.
After several days of intense work, the installation of the power system was finally completed. Li Yang stood in front of the aircraft, carefully checking every detail to ensure that all the connection points were firm and reliable.