Siheyuan: I eat melons while doing scientific research

Chapter 1309 Lots of Water, But No Need for It (5k)

The protagonist of all this, our Comrade Gao Zhendong, was completely unaware of all of this, just as the leader said when discussing his problem.

He was receiving comrades who came from the Northeast Institute of Optics.

"Chief Engineer Gao, we have finally lived up to your expectations. This paper, as well as the optical fiber you researched, have finally been realized in our hands."

Engineer Chai, who had been in charge of fiber optic research, finally relaxed completely.

It took a lot of time, but it was worth it. Gao Zhendong didn't think there was anything wrong with the time spent. From theoretical research to engineering implementation, the phenomenon of "theorists talking but engineers running themselves ragged" is common. The fact that Chai could produce this thing within this timeframe already fully met his needs and ideas.

For Chai Gong, being in charge of the research projects related to Committee Member Gao was both a driving force and a source of great pressure. However, the successful verification of theoretical research, the preliminary practical application of optical fibers, and even the potential for industrialization have allowed him to finally relieve himself of the burden.

Gao Zhendong didn't say much, but simply reached out and touched the pale yellow optical fiber in front of him, his expression inscrutable, yet also a little excited.

The woodcutter stared in disbelief. To be honest, in his eyes, this thing was just like an electrical wire. Although its theoretical transmission capacity was large, it shouldn't be considered among the top achievements of Committee Member Gao. He didn't know why Committee Member Gao was so moved.

Gao Zhendong himself recalled his past life as a keyboard warrior, arguing with others online. Without this, what's the point of being a keyboard warrior? All keyboard warriors would have to stay put.

Gao Zhendong picked up Chai Gong's fiber optic test report and read it carefully page by page, nodding repeatedly. The Northeast truly lived up to its reputation as the leading force in domestic industrial technology at that time—solid and reliable!

After reading it, he was very satisfied and then opened the paper.

He was familiar with this paper. After all, Chai Gong had consulted him throughout the writing process and made revisions based on his opinions. It could be said that he was fully aware of every step of the process, except for the final result which had just reached him.

Even so, he still read the paper very carefully. There wasn't much to revise, since it had already undergone extensive revisions. As for typos, Chai Gong was there to hand in his paper, so such basic errors were unacceptable.

If Committee Member Gao were to find even a single typo in this paper, not only would he lose face, but the entire Northeast Institute of Optics, which cooperated with him, would probably want to crawl into a hole and hide.

Gao Zhendong read it through, nodded in satisfaction, then took out a pen and signed his name on the paper.

Seeing Gao Zhendong sign his name, Chai Gong felt a sudden sense of relief; it was completely finished! In fact, Chai Gong knew that, given the advanced level of this research, the lack of new areas, and the technical difficulty, his progress under Gao Zhendong's guidance was already fast enough, but he still felt a little anxious.

Gao Zhendong picked up the paper and smiled at Chai Gong, saying, "There's still a little thing I need you to do."

The woodcutter sat up straight: "Okay."

"Take this paper directly to the editorial office of the journal 'Laser' and ask them to expedite the process and publish the article in the latest issue of 'Laser' as quickly as possible."

The article with similar content was originally scheduled to be published two years later, but Gao Zhendong felt that since it was already finished, it might as well be published sooner.

As for whether the article's quality would meet the publication requirements, Gao Zhendong wasn't worried at all. He was joking; this was a Nobel Prize-level achievement. Although, for some unspeakable reasons, it probably wouldn't be published, after all, Western science has never been entirely apolitical.

But no one can deny that the pioneering work of fiber optic applications now belongs to us!

"Okay. The latest issue of 'Laser' should be released in two weeks. There's plenty of time, plenty of time." Chai Gong was overjoyed. He was going to be in "Laser" right away? He really felt bad.

As a researcher of laser-related applications, he knows the monthly publication dates of "Laser" by heart, since he has to endure the agony of waiting every month, so it's impossible not to be familiar with it.

He immediately calculated whether the paper would be published in the latest issue of "Laser". If the time was too tight, it would probably have to wait for the next issue, since typesetting and other things would also take time.

However, as soon as he said it, he couldn't help but laugh at his own foolish idea. What a joke! This was Committee Member Gao's article. As long as the new issue of "Laser" hadn't been printed, even if he received this paper a minute before the printing press started, the editorial department of "Laser" would probably stop the printing work and put the article in.

“Okay, I’ll go right away!” Chai Gong stood up to leave, but Gao Zhendong stopped him: “After you hand the article to the editorial department, you can stay in Beijing and wait. There will definitely be work that you need to complete in Beijing. Tell the institute that it was my idea, and ask your family to work hard too.”

This is the benefit of working with top experts: as long as you achieve results, you will never be overlooked, and the results will come very quickly.

"it is good!"

After seeing off Chai Gong, Gao Zhendong had barely sat down when a comrade walked in.

"Chief Engineer Gao, two colleagues from the Qianshan Aerospace Research Institute have come to visit you. What do you think..."

Gao Zhendong raised his hand from the keyboard: "Please invite them in."

Comrades from the Qianshan Aerospace Research Institute? I definitely need to meet them, Gao Zhendong swore, it's definitely not for the sake of stir-fried pork with houttuynia cordata.

As soon as the comrades from Qianhangfa entered, they saw that Gao Zhendong had already personally brewed several cups of tea and placed them on the coffee table: "Come, come, please have a seat."

"Did you come to Beijing this time for the imitation of small turbojet engines and the development of micro turbojet engines?" Gao Zhendong asked after they sat down.

Guizhou Aerospace Development Group's current main task is to develop and replicate this technology; there should be no other reason for it.

The colleague from Qianhang Engine nodded: "Yes, we're here for two reasons. First, to submit our micro turbojet engine proposal and ask the experts to review its suitability. Second, to discuss our needs with relevant units. We also want to thank you for finding a solution for our two unfinished engines at the meeting."

Small turbojet engines are used to power hovercraft, while micro turbojet engines are used to power anti-ship missiles with a range of 120 kilometers. The emergence of these two technologies has put all the staff at Guizhou Aerospace Engine Co., Ltd. at ease.

It's settled; we won't rashly dismount!

Although the "engine-engine matching" model is gradually being moved away from and engines are being developed independently, Guizhou Aero Engine Corporation still sees the risk of canceling these two types of engines, since they are not a very high priority.

These two supporting projects, especially the anti-ship missiles, which will be the main anti-ship weapon in the future, will definitely be used in large quantities, thus completely solving the survival crisis for Guizhou Aerospace Research Institute, a relatively new third-line research institute.

This matter was also revealed to Guizhou Aviation Industry Group by the National Defense Industry Committee, along with other requirements.

"Oh, that? No need to thank me. Your work just happens to be well-suited for these equipment," Gao Zhendong said with a smile.

After talking for a while, the comrade from Qianhangfa took out a set of disks from his side.

"Chief Engineer Gao, this is our preliminary design for a micro turbojet engine. Please take a look and give us your feedback when the National Defense Industry Committee organizes the review meeting."

Gao Zhendong was taken aback: "Isn't this inappropriate?"

Although he was the one who proposed and handed the items over to Guizhou Aviation Industry Group, that doesn't mean he could freely browse the engine's design data without proper procedures; these are two separate matters.

The comrades from Guizhou Aviation Industry Group were prepared: "Chief Engineer Gao, this is a requirement from the National Defense Industry Committee. Let me show you this first. Moreover, the veteran comrades from the Northeast Aviation Industry Group have also said that you are very knowledgeable in this area. If we can get your guidance, it will be of great benefit to our work."

Gao Zhendong now knows what it feels like to be roasted over a fire; he's really not familiar with this stuff!
Fortunately, being unfamiliar with it doesn't mean he hadn't scoured related materials in his past life. As a common propulsion system for cruise missiles and long-range tactical missiles, how could Gao Zhendong, a theoretical military enthusiast, have not collected any information about it? As we all know, for hamsters, whether they eat it or not is not important; what matters is the process of collecting information, which is extremely fun.

He took the materials and nodded, "Okay, I'll take a look later." However, he didn't open them right away, mainly because he wouldn't be able to figure them out even if he did.

Seeing that he had accepted the materials, the comrade from Qianhangfa started rummaging through his bag again, taking out two paper packages, one large and one small. "Chief Engineer Gao, these are from our comrades in Guizhou Province. They heard we were coming to see you, so they specially asked us to bring them over."

I really don't want your food... Gao Zhendong was quite helpless. You've become known as a foodie, haven't you?

"This is……"

"That's what the comrades from the province said. They said you instructed us not to send potatoes over anymore. But this is different. These are potatoes grown by our local food processing plant. They've processed the potatoes you provided into potato starch and potato noodles. Please try them and give us your feedback so we can see how things are developing in Guizhou. This is a one-time exception."

Upon hearing this, it became clear that these two comrades had been transferred from outside the province to Qianshan; otherwise, they should have been called "yangyu" (洋芋) instead of "tudou" (土豆).

Potatoes are not particularly durable for storage, but they are much better when made into potato starch and potato noodles. This is a way to utilize potatoes and further solve the problem of food storage.

Since that's the case, Gao Zhendong would be impolite to refuse; it would be meaningful.

Gao Zhendong accepted the package and casually asked, "It's the busy farming season again, isn't it? How's the water problem over there going?" Since it was about crops, he might as well ask about agriculture.

Although the mountains of Guizhou receive a fair amount of rainfall, the problem of water shortage, both in terms of engineering and structural engineering, remains a long-standing issue, mainly due to the terrain. Water is available, but it can only be watched helplessly as it flows away. Even in areas with reservoirs, the terrain limits the construction of irrigation canals that can not be extended very far.

What brought this question to his mind was that Caohai County, a major potato-growing county in Guizhou, had experienced a drought in his previous life, almost preventing the cultivation of potatoes. At that time, comrades from the army even went to help dig wells and find water. He had heard about this from his elders who worked in the water conservancy sector, so seeing the processed potato products evoked memories and led him to ask this question.

"We're not entirely sure about that, but for the people in the mountainous areas around us, some places are short of water while others aren't, depending on the terrain. For example, there are two small reservoirs near the Qianfei factory, which helps a bit. But the water supply in the mountains might not be enough."

Gao Zhendong nodded. This was determined by both natural and economic conditions, and there really wasn't much that could be done.

After seeing the two comrades off, Gao Zhendong looked at the package of potato products and suddenly remembered something.

Hey! It seems this thing can be used, and it's especially suitable for mountainous areas like Qianshan, which suffer from engineering and structural water shortages! This is something that his elders in the water conservancy department once told him about, and it even left Gao Zhendong, who had just learned about the conservation of energy in junior high school, completely bewildered.

The principle behind this thing is simple, and the specific calculations are not complicated. To put it bluntly, once you know the principle, you don't need to do any calculations. You can make a usable one by experimenting little by little. Moreover, the structure is very simple. For economically underdeveloped mountainous areas, it will be of some use, especially in this era.

This thing was actually invented quite a while ago, but it's a bit obscure, and not many people in China know about it right now, let alone use it. Given the situation in Guizhou, it's probably even less known. Anyway, it's always good to mention it.

Gao Zhendong didn't even need to look up any information; he just enthusiastically started drawing on paper based on his memory.

Half an hour later, the drawing and instructions were finished. This thing is really simple.

Gao Zhendong scanned the one-page drawing into an image, loaded it into an email, and sent it out.

How simple is this drawing? So simple that hand-drawing and scanning are even faster than drawing with industrial design software.

As the de facto world's leading figure in the field of computer science, Gao Zhendong has no computer obsession; he does whatever is convenient for him.

Soon, in a building next to Zhuangyuanlou in Qianyang City, Guizhou Province, a comrade with a happy expression opened his email and retrieved a picture.

Committee Member Gao has some rather unique habits; he even hand-draws his emails.

He glanced at the computer screen and his expression brightened. He quickly printed out the drawing.

Holding this simple blueprint, which was collected in a third-tier museum in Guizhou in the 21st century, he strode towards a leader's office.

Emails are not supposed to be unique, but as classified documents, even printed ones are automatically numbered, which makes them unique and allows them to meet the criteria for inclusion in the collections of special museums like third-tier museums. Again, for some collections, the significance is more important than their monetary value.

"whats the matter?"

“Committee Member Gao sent us an email.”

"Oh? Let me see!" The leader from Qianshan immediately reached out and took the printed copy. One of the main tasks of the comrade who came in to report was to be responsible for liaising with Committee Member Gao.

After looking at the blueprints, he was astonished as Gao Zhendong in his previous life: "There's such a thing? It can pump water to a height of tens or hundreds of meters without human or animal power?"

Similar things do exist; many waterwheels are like that, but none have such a large lift, so they are not very meaningful for the mountains of Guizhou.

But at a height of tens of meters, it's a quantitative change that leads to a qualitative change, making it seem unreal.

“Committee Member Gao would not lie to us.” The comrade who came in to report did not understand either, but the source of this email was his greatest source of confidence.

"Yes, you're right! Here's what we'll do: invite a technical expert from the provincial water conservancy department over here, immediately!"

This is the busy farming season. If this stuff can be used a day earlier, it might increase the yield of a few kilograms of grain for a particular household. It may not seem like much, but it adds up. Moreover, this stuff can solve the problem of water supply for farmland in some mountainous areas from scratch, without costing much money. This is of great significance.

Although Comrade Zhendong said that this thing has great flaws, flaws are a luxury here. At least we must solve the problem first before we are qualified to consider how big the flaws are. Otherwise, we don't even have the right to complain about the flaws!

"Okay! I'll go right away!" The comrade who came in to report turned and left.

In less than fifteen minutes, he led a colleague in. Coincidentally, the office of the Guizhou Water Conservancy System was very close to here, even closer to Zhuangyuan Building than here. Let alone riding a bicycle in an emergency, it would only take ten minutes to walk here.

"Sir, the person you requested has arrived."

"Come, come, sit down! Take a look at this!" The leader handed the drawing by Gao Zhendong to the comrades in the water conservancy system.

After calming down a bit, the comrade began to carefully examine the simple blueprint.

"How about it? Can we do it?"

"Amazing! Absolutely amazing!!"

"I knew it, hahaha. This was earned by the people of Qianshan with two jin of potato flour." The leader laughed heartily, making a casual joke. Comrade Zhendong never let the people of Qianshan suffer losses.

"This pump utilizes the water hammer effect, a common phenomenon in hydraulics. It uses the water hammer from the water source to impact the air in the compressed air tank, cleverly incorporating the actions of two one-way valves to automatically supply water to higher ground!" A colleague from the water conservancy system couldn't help but explain it using technical terms. Although I hadn't thought of this before, it came to mind immediately upon seeing it.

—Water hammer pump!

Although I didn't understand it, the leader knew immediately that it was indeed reliable! It doesn't require human or animal power and has a relatively high water lift for water supply.

"Of course, it's not without its flaws. When this pump is working, it wastes a lot of water, and the proportion of waste depends on the ratio between the water source head and the pump head. Also, it's generally not very large, so the water supply is relatively limited. But no matter what, it really solves the problem!"

The leader smiled even more broadly: "During the rainy season in the mountains of Guizhou, our worry isn't about a lack of water, but rather that scattered farmers in the mountainous areas are suffering from abundant water but lack an economical and practical way to pump it up the mountain!"

(End of this chapter)