Galactic Tech Empire

Chapter 404 Ion Engine (Happy Totoro plus a chapter)
For the Galaxy Consortium, which has atomic-level processing capabilities, it is very simple to replicate the results of the University of Vienna team, of course, the premise is that the other party does not make fakes.

Although the Institute of Ion Engines and the Institute of Materials were very surprised by Huang Haojie's sudden assignment, the big boss's work was the top priority, and they quickly summoned elite soldiers to tackle key issues.

Keelung City, Institute of Ion Engines.

"Chief engineer Mishima, take a look at this." Zhou Botong passed a document to Ji Mishima.

Ji Mishima hurriedly opened the holographic bracelet, but he was taken aback by the word "Top Secret" on it. He had come to the Ion Engine Research Institute for more than half a year, and most of the documents he came into contact with were at the confidential level.

"Don't worry, since I showed it to you, I trust you, but remember to keep it secret." Zhou Botong patted Mishima Ji on the shoulder and said.

"Thank you very much." This sense of trust moved Mishima Ji very much, and he quickly opened the file and looked through it carefully.

But he was a little dumbfounded when he saw it: "It is, controllable, nuclear fusion!"

The more I looked at him, the more trembling I felt. It was a feeling of awe, admiration, and excitement.

Ji Mishima said excitedly: "Chairman Sang, he wants us to develop ion engines or photon engines on the basis of small nuclear fusion reactors."

"Exactly, Mishima, do you think our institute can develop an ion engine that meets expectations?" Zhou Botong asked.

"No problem, now the most difficult part has been completed, if we can't develop a large ion engine, then we are not qualified to stay here." Ji Mishima said quickly.

"In that case, let's start preparing!"

"When is that fusion reactor coming?"

"It will be transported in the afternoon."

"Then I'll call the researchers."

Zhou Botong went to arrange the laboratory and prepare to receive three small nuclear fusion reactors, while Mishima Ji mobilized the elite of the Ion Engine Research Institute to prepare for related work.

It's not yet two o'clock in the afternoon.

Keelung City in March is still a bit cold at this time, but the afternoon sunshine makes people feel very comfortable.

At the gate of the Ion Engine Research Institute, Zhou Botong and Mishima Jiliuqi were all looking forward to it.

Suddenly a container truck and a surging dawn sports car appeared at the corner of the road.

"Dawn 2015?" Zhou Botong was taken aback when he saw this car, and then immediately reacted: "Be careful, maybe the chairman is here."

The others were also taken aback for a moment, and then became a little cautious.

Pagoda Shuguang slowly stopped in front of several people, Huang Haojie got out of the car, the door closed automatically, and Zhong drove Pagoda Shuguang to the underground garage.

"Chairman, it's a great honor to meet you. I'm Zhou Botong, director of the Ion Engine Research Institute."

Huang Haojie exchanged pleasantries with a few people, and then went to the research institute. This time, it was still his stand-in robot. Now that the materials from the materials research institute for thermoelectric power generation have not come out, he simply came to the ion engine research institute to have a look.

Zhou Botong brought Huang Haojie to a laboratory that had been packed in advance. Judging from the configuration inside, it was a large ion engine laboratory before.

Three nuclear fusion reactors and ten kilograms of DD nuclear fuel unloaded from the container have been placed in the laboratory.

Mishima Ji trembled with excitement, stroking the three nuclear fusion reactors like a pervert.

"Ahem!" Zhou Botong pretended to cough.

"Eh..." Mishima Ji finally came to his senses at this time, and quickly apologized: "I'm very sorry, I lost my composure."

Huang Haojie changed the subject: "Have you read the document I sent earlier?"

"Look, Chairman, we have a preliminary understanding, but if we can start a nuclear fusion reaction here, I believe it will give us a more intuitive understanding." Ji Mishima said hastily.

"Then test it." Huang Haojie nodded and agreed to their test.

The reaction operation method of the small nuclear fusion reactor is quite foolish, put a fuel into 100 mg of nuclear fuel, and then connect the power supply and special data lines.

There is also a temporary liquid nitrogen refrigerator in place to prevent overheating.

All set up lab processes, wear hazmat suits behind thick glass windows, and control fusion reactors via data lines.

drop! 100 mg of DD nuclear fuel is injected into the condensed matter vacuum chamber, and then neutrons are compressed and fusion releases energy.

The reaction process of fusion energy release takes about 30 minutes to end.

Looking at the real-time monitoring data in the laboratory, Mishima Ji became excited: "Sure enough, there is no neutron irradiation or high-energy rays, only thermal energy and optical radiation."

During these 30 minutes, the Ion Engine Research Institute conducted a comprehensive inspection of the small nuclear fusion reactor, during which the reaction was suspended three times.

"Chairman, the thermal efficiency of this small nuclear fusion reactor is a bit low." Mishima Ji said a little embarrassed.

"I know, it's only about 28%. This is a sacrifice for miniaturization, but I have already thought of a solution." Huang Haojie was not angry.

Ji Mishima scratched his head and said: "The solution? If you want to reuse the wasted heat energy, in addition to steam turbine power generation and photovoltaic power generation, there is another solution is thermoelectric power generation. Considering the need for miniaturization, only thermoelectric power generation is the best solution. Suitable, but the current temperature difference power generation efficiency is not high.”

It seems that this Mishima season is quite understanding of this aspect, but Huang Haojie did not intend to explain.

"Mishima, let's discuss the ion engine now." Zhou Botong reminded.

"Sorry, I was just curious." Mishima Ji also knew that he had crossed the line just now.

"If xenon gas is directly heated by the heat energy and light radiation of nuclear fusion, it is very easy to ionize xenon atoms to form plasma by virtue of the heat energy and light radiation of nuclear fusion," Zhou Botong said.

Huang Haojie shook his head: "You have overlooked a problem. Xenon is indeed very easy to ionize, but it is a rare gas. If we develop a large-scale ion engine, xenon is not suitable as an ionization working medium."

"The chairman is right. The cost of xenon is too high to be used on a large scale. However, there is already a nuclear fusion reactor. Nitrogen can be used as the ionization working medium. Under the premise of nuclear fusion, nitrogen and xenon are almost as effective. " Mishima also said.

"You can buy a batch of submetallic nitrogen from Neutron Star Materials Company, and the storage conditions for submetallic nitrogen don't need to be so harsh." Huang Haojie reminded.

"Leave the matter of purchasing submetallic nitrogen to me!" Zhou Botong quickly took over the matter.

Huang Haojie, Mishima Ji and others discussed and perfected all aspects of the ion engine.

Three days later, they made the first ion engine. Although it was very crude, the prototype was for testing. It was ugly as long as it could be used.

And the branch of Neutron Star Materials in Dongdao already delivered 300 kilograms of submetallic nitrogen yesterday.

Since it was modified with a small nuclear fusion reactor, the size and shape of this ion engine is about the same as a gasoline barrel.

Ji Mishima personally installed the nitrogen storage tank on the head of the ion engine, and after debugging for a while, they were ready for the experiment.

Huang Haojie has been at the Ion Engine Research Institute and the Keelung Secret Research Institute for the past few days. Of course, he cannot miss such an important experiment.

After the staff started the nuclear fusion reactor, the superconducting magnetic fluid generator also started to generate electricity.

At the same time, the submetallic nitrogen in the nitrogen storage tank is quickly released into a solid state, and the nitrogen gas is wrapped around the nuclear fusion reactor that is glowing and heating.

The instant high temperature mercilessly ionizes the nitrogen atoms to form a stream of plasma, which is then erupted toward the nozzle of the ion engine.

hiss……

The plasma and air interacted, making some slight sounds, and a deep blue plasma plume appeared at the tail nozzle of the ion engine.

Huang Haojie looked at the real-time monitoring data and found that the power generation of the magnetic fluid generator had not been greatly affected, and what was even more strange was that the thrust of the plasma was about 34% higher than they expected.

(End of this chapter)