Chapter 533: Returning to the Old Field
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Lu Zhou didn’t stay at Southwestern Inst.i.tute of Physics for long. After he received the data he needed, he flew back the next day. He and some of the researchers from the Jinling research inst.i.tute went back to Jinling.
After Lu Zhou and his team left, almost everyone in the Southwestern Inst.i.tute of Physics was relieved.
This kid was like a gang member, leaving the whole place in disarray. After their experiment was finished, they collected the data and left, leaving someone else to clean up the disarray.
A lot of people were discussing whether this kid came here for revenge. After all, no one knew if the experiment itself was needed or not; it wasn’t like this kid gave away any secrets. Not only did Lu Zhou take away the samples, but he didn’t even give them a copy of the data.
Regardless, after this incident, Zhou Chengfu’s status in the inst.i.tute was completely wiped out…
Jiang Liang stood in Zhou Chengfu’s office. He looked relieved.
“That devil is finally gone.”
Zhou Chengfu sat frozen in his chair, and he asked slowly, “How is the HL-2A doing?”
When Jiang Liang heard this question, the expression of relief on his face gradually turned into a pained expression.
“The radiation damage report isn’t out yet… But according to the engineers, the situation doesn’t look good.”
Zhou Chengfu: “What did they say?”
“There are different degrees of swelling inside the structural material. As for the first wall… it was basically ruined!” Jiang Liang said with a dull face.
The experimental reactor was never intended to be used for fusion ignition; it was only ever meant to simulate the high density and temperature environment of plasma.
Therefore, the anti-radiation resistance level for the reactor materials was basically equivalent or even less than the fission reactor’s materials.
Therefore, it was inevitable that the HL-2A would end up in a horrible condition.
Even though Zhou Chengfu was mentally prepared for this, he still couldn’t help but clench his teeth.
He took a deep breath and held back the pain in his heart.
“Is it repairable?”
Jiang Liang reluctantly nodded and said, “I’ve asked the engineers in the inst.i.tute. It should be repairable. However, we won’t be able to use it… in the short term.”
After all, there were too many components that had to be changed.
Zhou Chengfu went silent for a while and spoke.
“After the radiation damage test is done, make sure to keep all of the information.”
Jiang Liang paused for a second. Suddenly, his eyes flashed, and he said, “You plan on…”
Anger was running through Zhou Chengfu’s veins as he clenched his fists and said, “We cannot give up.”
If Lu Zhou succeeds, then whatever.
But if that little brat doesn’t…
I swear, I will take this radiation damage evidence to Beijing, and he will pay for the damages!
…
For most people, this data might not be useful. However, for Lu Zhou, it was priceless.
Mathematics was a powerful scientific research tool; it was also Lu Zhou’s most powerful weapon.
Even though the inferences made from the data couldn’t directly give him the result he wanted, it could be used as a reference, to prevent him from making a lot of mistakes.
“I haven’t been this overwhelmed in a while.”
Lu Zhou sat in his study room looking at the data and graphs on his computer screen. Suddenly, his eyes sparkled with excitement.
As expected, compared to commanding other people to conduct experiments, it was much more fulfilling to be on the front line of scientific research and personally solve these difficult problems.
After he stretched his back, he picked up a pen and wrote on a brand new piece of paper.
[Radiation damage energy: Tdam = Td(1+kg(ε))^-1]
[k = ξ0.0793(A1+A2)^3/2.Z1.Z2/(Z1^2/3+Z2^2/3)A1^2/3,ξ≈Z1^1/6]
[ε=…]
It was worth mentioning that due to the expensive cost of neutron radiation experiments, more than a decade ago, when the nuclear physics community was researching neutron beam radiation, they developed a set of calculation methods for parameters such as DPA1. These could be simulated using software such as McDeLicious and NJOY.
Because it was a phenomenological model built from empirical formulas, there were many relevant calculation methods. The one Lu Zhou decided to refer to was the more reliable Linhard Robinson model.
After selecting an expected DPA interval and the maximum value for the helium generation rate, using the theory from the model, he used the constants from the ceramic-based graphene composite as variables, which he then integrated into his own computational materials theory. This allowed him to simulate the DPA and helium generation rate.
Even though this all sounded easy…
But in reality, this process was far more difficult than using the Lindhard Robinson model to simulate the rate of DPA and helium production of a material under normal neutron radiation conditions.
Moreover, the results obtained by the simulation were not necessarily reliable.
This situation was common in the field of computational materials. Even though it was plausible from a mathematical perspective, it was impossible from a practical perspective.
Especially when strictly positive parameters such as ma.s.s became negative…
The days quickly pa.s.sed by. Lu Zhou gradually went into the state of grinding. Over the past few days, he had been locking himself in his room.
Princ.i.p.al Xu called him a while back, asking him if he had time to speak at the university’s opening ceremony. Lu Zhou really didn’t have any spare time, so he rejected the invitation.
Princ.i.p.al Xu understood why Lu Zhou had to reject the invitation.
In any case, a national level major scientific research project was the highest priority.
However, the princ.i.p.al still tried to convince Lu Zhou over the phone. He said that Lu Zhou shouldn’t overwork himself and that Lu Zhou should take time to go outside. After all, one’s health was the most important, ruining one’s body would be detrimental.
However, no matter how hard Princ.i.p.al Xu tried, Lu Zhou still insisted on doing his own thing.
There was no way he would leave the house before the research results were out.
Fortunately, even though he stopped researching mathematics ever since a year ago, his skills had not decreased.
After two weeks of locking himself in his room, in the middle of September, Lu Zhou finally finished the final step.
He sighed in relief and leaned back in his chair as he looked at the calculations on the screen and gradually smirked.
He finished the entire framework of the model.
What was left now was to give it some input.
Which meant it was time to do some calculations.
“Xiao Ai, let me give you a mission.”
The instant he spoke, a small text bubble popped up on the lower right corner of his screen.
[Ok! Master! (๑•̀ᄇ•́)ゞ]
Even though the number of calculations required was enormous, with the help of supercomputers, it wasn’t difficult for Xiao Ai to complete this tedious and mundane task.
After Lu Zhou gave Xiao Ai the specific mission details, he stood up from his seat.
He stretched his sore arms and shoulders and stepped over the draft papers scattered on the ground. He went over to the kitchen and made himself a cup of instant coffee.
While he was waiting for the kettle to boil, he took out his phone and checked his texts, calls, and emails. He typed out some simple replies to everyone that tried to contact him.
After he finished replying, Lu Zhou grabbed his coffee and went back to his study room.
When he sat down in front of his desk, the calculation results were already presented to him.
Lu Zhou ran the simulation results in its entirety and smirked.
The results were almost perfect.
Other than some obviously impossible data, he had at least five sets of feasible data.
Each set of feasible data corresponded to a theoretically possible technical pathway.
“All we have to do now is to verify the feasibility through experiments!”