Development of productivity started in 1981

Chapter 160 300 MW gas-cooled reactor completed

On January 1983, 1, a Persian delegation arrived in Naypyidaw, the capital of Myanmar.

Of course, they used fake documents when leaving the country and did not reveal their official identities.

After passing through customs, we were picked up by the welcoming personnel sent by the Southern Liberation Front. We changed from a car to a speedboat and quickly headed towards northern Myanmar.

At this time, Wang Jiankun had completed the construction of a coal-fired power plant inside the base. The power grid and transformer connected to the power plant were also made of some superconducting materials. As long as coal was transported in, it could be connected to the grid for power generation.

"Uncle, please let the power plant operation and maintenance personnel take over, and also transport the coal as soon as possible to start the trial operation. Then I will start building a 300-megawatt helium-cooled reactor underground."

"Okay Jiankun, I'll go inform them right away. It's really sci-fi to see you use your super powers to build these complex devices one by one."

After saying that, he left the control room of the power plant and went outside to call the power plant operation and maintenance personnel who were already prepared to take over the power plant.

After finishing the call, he returned to the control room and followed Wang Jiankun into an elevator that went directly 80 meters underground.

After arriving underground, I was very excited when I saw the reactor control room which had been simply renovated.

"Jiankun, are we going to start manufacturing now? Do we want to have a ceremony?"

Wang Jiankun thought for a moment and said, "Forget it, let's not do it. It's just the two of us, so there's no need. I can't reveal my superpowers to others, and it's not good to leave any images."

"Well, it's a pity. I was thinking of using this as a memorial site in the future."

"That's nothing. In a few years, there will be larger nuclear power plants being built. The rivers in northern Myanmar are still too small. Hydropower will definitely not be enough in the future. Coal resources are also relatively scarce and cannot support the huge electricity demand in the future. So in a few years, we will definitely have to build large nuclear power plants to fill the electricity gap."

After Wang Jiankun finished speaking, he closed his eyes and mobilized the raw materials prepared in the reserve warehouse on the ground to go underground to manufacture a 300-megawatt helium-cooled reactor.

The core is still made of graphite, and the core pipe walls are mixed with beryllium as a neutron moderator. The entire black and purple core has the same configuration as the 3-megawatt one, a hexagonal prism with hexagonal upper and lower cross-sections and rectangular sides.

In the middle of the hexagonal prism are numerous nuclear fuel ball loading pipes and helium circulation pipes. The diameter of the fuel ball pipes is 8 cm, and the diameter of the helium circulation pipes is 3 cm, which are much larger than those of the 3 MW ones.

Outside the core are layers of materials. The innermost layer is of course beryllium metal, which is used to slow down fast neutrons and prevent neutrons from escaping the core.

Then comes the lead layer, the pressure-resistant and high-temperature resistant alloy steel layer, and the cement layer.

Wang Jiankun closed his eyes during the construction and devoted all his energy to the precise control of various elements, so he did not see the core growing from the inside out and from the bottom up under the LED light.

His uncle Cen Yong witnessed the whole process. He was shocked to see the reactor grow little by little from a black dot in the middle and then be wrapped in layers of different shells.

This 300-megawatt reactor is not as small as the previous 3-megawatt one. Although it is not 100 times larger, the entire volume, excluding the external cooling tower, is about 3 times the size of the 40-megawatt reactor.

The graphite core is 8 meters high and 2 meters long on a side. Layers of materials are piled up for protection, forming a large cylinder with a diameter of 12 meters and a height of 20 meters.

Wang Jiankun dug a deep pit next to the control room, so from the window of the control room, he could see the top of the core. When helping with the design, Zhizi took observation and aesthetics into consideration, and used a lot of transparent radiation-proof glass materials on the top, so it looks very sci-fi.

(The core is shown in the figure below)
The core is the core component of the entire reactor. After Wang Jiankun completed the manufacturing, he opened his eyes and took a look. He found that Zhizi's aesthetic taste had improved a lot unconsciously. It may be that he has been fed a lot of European and American science fiction works recently, so the products he designed are becoming more and more sci-fi and beautiful.

"Uncle, does this core look okay?"

"That's amazing, Jiankun. How did you design this? It's even more sci-fi than what you see in American sci-fi movies."

"Good-looking means good-looking. Uncle, we should pay more attention to the appearance of our future product designs. We can't follow the domestic ones, which have been focusing on military green for so many years."

"Yes, Jiankun, but some beautiful designs are difficult to manufacture, and the cost will be high."

"Think of it this way. If we want to make something, we have to make it the best. So the price should be set high. This will highlight the quality of our products. The same applies to weapons."

"That's right, Jiankun, now that the core is finished, should we start building other equipment?"

"Don't worry, I'll check it carefully. This core is the most sophisticated. Once I finish the inspection, I'll start manufacturing other parts."

After saying this, he closed his eyes and used his superpowers to start checking the core he had just made bit by bit. His uncle Cen Yong was waiting quietly beside him, not daring to disturb him.

Wang Jiankun completed the inspection in about 10 minutes, during which he repaired several small holes that were caused by the elements not being perfectly bonded due to the increased speed.

"Uncle, we've finished the inspection and will start making other equipment soon. Please watch carefully."

With that, he began to mobilize the elements, first making the main helium circulation pipeline, and then making two large helium compressors. As for why two were made, of course one was used as a redundant backup, because the compressor is a component that needs to be running at all times. Once this reactor is started in the future, it will not be shut down easily. At that time, the compressor may fail, and having a backup will allow time for replacement.

The ventilation duct inside this large gas-cooled reactor is also a vital component of the reactor. It is made of special materials to ensure that it can withstand high temperature, high pressure and various complex working conditions.

The main structure of the ventilation duct may include an outer duct and an inner duct. The inner duct and the outer duct are fixed by a number of support members evenly arranged in an annular direction. Such a design can enhance the stability and structural strength of the duct.

Inside the pipe, helium flows at high speed as a coolant. The temperature of helium is as high as about 800 degrees. It circulates in the reactor and continuously removes the huge heat generated by the nuclear reaction. When the nuclear fuel in the reactor undergoes a nuclear reaction, neutrons are released. Neutrons that are too fast will slow down after collision with graphite to maintain the nuclear reaction. The large amount of heat released by the nuclear reaction is carried to the heat exchanger by the helium through the ventilation pipe.

The design of the pipeline needs to take into account the characteristics of helium to ensure that it can flow smoothly and without leakage. At the same time, the pipeline must also be equipped with various monitoring and control equipment to monitor the flow, temperature, pressure and other parameters of helium in the ventilation pipeline in real time to ensure the safe and stable operation of the reactor. In some key parts, special valves and connectors must be installed to facilitate maintenance and replacement of parts when necessary. The entire ventilation pipeline system is like the "blood vessels" of the reactor, providing indispensable support for the normal operation of the reactor.

Cen Yong first saw the small internal pipes growing rapidly from the core in multiple directions, then support points and supporting components appeared on the pipes, and then the outer pipe also began to grow from the core along the extension direction of the inner pipe.

When the pipeline has finished growing, valves, instruments and unnameable structures appear on it.

After the entire pipeline system was completed, Wang Jiankun continued his efforts and began to manufacture power generation equipment.

When building the power generation equipment this time, Wang Jiankun began to use a large amount of superconducting materials such as CD-318. The connection between the main shaft and the base of the steam turbine used superconducting magnetic levitation, which greatly reduced the energy loss of the steam turbine. When manufacturing the generator, most of the materials used were superconductors. The wires inside the generator were superconducting materials, and the shaft of the rotor was also made of superconducting materials. Therefore, when the entire generator rotates, except for the sound of cutting through the air, other mechanical wear noises disappear. After the power generation system was manufactured, Wang Jiankun conducted an inspection as usual, and the result was of course good, with no manufacturing errors.

"Uncle, the main body of the reactor has been built. When can the helium and uranium ore be shipped over?"

"It will take about three days. It is almost delivered to the offshore platform in the Bay of Bengal. It will be delivered soon when it reaches the platform. We will use a transport airship to transport it."

"Uncle, we have to ask the African base to continue collecting uranium ore. Once our reactor starts, we will need a lot of uranium. It is not realistic for me to collect it in the sea. Otherwise, I will have to stay at sea for half of the year."

"I know, Jiankun. Since you planned to build a nuclear reactor, I have issued an order to collect uranium ore and yellowcake. However, uranium ore is easier to collect. Several African countries have it, and the management is not particularly strict. Some are still mined privately. But yellowcake is more difficult. It requires a country with a certain level of chemical industry strength to refine it. So far, no reliable seller has been found."

At present, there are several countries in Africa where uranium is mined, such as Gabon, Namibia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Niger.

Among them, the Oklo mining area in Gabon was discovered in 1972 to have a 20 billion-year-old natural nuclear fission phenomenon; Namibia is located in southwest Africa. In addition to uranium mines, there are also diamonds, copper, lead, zinc, gold and other minerals; the Shinkolobwe uranium mine in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has a uranium 235 content of up to 65%, making it one of the most unique uranium mines in the world.

Deep in the desert thousands of kilometers away from the capital Niamey in Niger, Africa, there is a desolate town called Arlit. It was originally a "forgotten corner of the world", but everything has changed since the French accidentally discovered uranium mines in the local Air Mountains in 1957.

After repeated exploration, it was confirmed that the uranium mines here are shallowly buried, with large reserves and high quality. In 1968, the French Areva Group took control of the Somaych Company and began large-scale uranium mining in Arlit in 1971, and later attracted American companies to participate. From then on, heavy yellow trucks could be seen working 24 hours a day, transporting the yellow-green ore from the mine pits hundreds of meters deep, and then sending it to the processing plant to be ground into "yellow cake" for easy transportation.

Although Niger has rich uranium reserves, accounting for about 5% of the world's total, making it one of the countries with the largest uranium reserves in Africa, and uranium mining has been going on for more than half a century, with output accounting for about 5% of the world's total output, and is mainly supplied to the United States and developed European countries to satisfy their "nuclear appetite", Niger itself has not escaped poverty.

What people here see is a picture of great contrast: uranium ore accounts for 70% of Niger's exports, but its contribution to the country's GDP is only 5%; French companies are making huge profits, but Niger is still one of the poorest countries in the world, with more than 1700% of its 60 million people living on less than $1 a day; one-third of France's lights are lit by Niger's uranium mines, but nearly 90% of Niger's people cannot afford electricity.

Moreover, due to the Western companies' indifference to the lives of local people, uranium mining has seriously damaged the soil, water and air in the mining areas, causing a large number of environmental and health problems and bringing endless suffering to the local people.

This situation made uranium mining in Niger less strict. Locals began to find ways to mine secretly. They simply crushed the mined ore and then used simple centrifugal separators to separate the uranium-rich ore powder, which was then secretly sold on the black market.

Although the International Atomic Energy Agency had been established at this time and the United Nations no longer allowed other countries to develop nuclear weapons, there were still many countries that wanted to possess nuclear weapons.

The White Elephants of South Asia, the Kim family in Northeast Asia, Persia, Babylon, South Africa and other countries that have a little industrial base and an unyielding heart are secretly developing nuclear weapons. They all say that they are researching civilian nuclear reactors for power generation, but in fact they are secretly conducting nuclear weapons research.

This has led to uranium ore being very popular on the black market. At the same time, several major mining areas in Africa are located in places with inconvenient transportation. The locals are more familiar with the situation, and the forces that control the mining areas have not brought any benefits to the local people. Therefore, the illegal mining of uranium is very common in Africa.

"It's okay if you don't have yellowcake. The uranium content in uranium ore is much richer than that in the sea. It's also easier for me to extract it with my superpowers. The whereabouts of yellowcake are easier to track. If you can't find a reliable seller, don't sell it. Don't leave an excuse for the IAEA to come and inspect."

"Okay, I'll ask them to stop asking about the yellow cake and focus on collecting uranium ore. Then, Jiankun, when can we make nuclear weapons?"

"Building nuclear weapons? Don't think about it for now. One reason is that we are not strong enough and don't have that many talents. Another reason is that nuclear weapons are not very useful to us. Big countries will not be threatened by nuclear weapons from small countries like us. Having nuclear weapons is still a bad thing for us because we must rely on external markets. When we unify South Asia and our economy can circulate internally, then we will have a need to have nuclear weapons."

After listening to Wang Jiankun's words, Cen Yong thought about it and realized that it was indeed true. According to his secret intelligence, the Kim family and Persia in Northeast Asia were conducting nuclear weapons research, but were subject to various sanctions. The hostility between Persia and the United States was not just a coup issue, but the development of nuclear weapons was also a major reason.

So although he really wants to have this nuclear stick, considering the current situation, it is better to develop industry quietly first. Just as Wang Jiankun said, once the economy can be internally circulated and is no longer afraid of external sanctions, then he can show off this nuclear stick.

Although it is not available yet, with his nephew Wang Jiankun around, making nuclear weapons will be a piece of cake. Now that such advanced gas-cooled nuclear reactors have been manufactured, it will be even easier to make nuclear bombs.

The technology of nuclear bombs is no longer a secret. The difficulty in making nuclear bombs lies mainly in the preparation of weapons-grade enriched uranium and the manufacture of explosives. However, the latter is not difficult to make as long as there is a certain industrial foundation and basic chemical talents. The difficulty lies in the preparation of weapons-grade enriched uranium.

The conventional method is to use multi-stage centrifuges to separate and purify uranium hexafluoride, which requires huge power generation capacity and an industrial base for manufacturing large quantities of high-precision centrifuges.

Wang Jiankun can directly control uranium atoms and distinguish the isotopes within them, so theoretically, he can produce 100% pure uranium 235.

"Okay, Jiankun, let's not think about nuclear weapons for now. Let's secretly use nuclear power to generate electricity and build a solid industrial base first."

"That's right. With me here, you can have as many nuclear bombs as you want, as long as you have enough uranium ore. By the way, didn't you say that the Persian purchasing delegation was coming? Why didn't I see you go to meet them?"

"This task has been assigned to Li Sheng. He will arrange it. I will go and take a look when the agreement is signed. They want to visit and learn about our artillery manufacturing. It should not be just to purchase artillery."

"Yes, you don't need to know which chicken laid the eggs to eat them. Uncle, you have to arrange the tour inside the base. Some places that are absolutely confidential to the outside world cannot be opened."

"Don't worry, I know this. I will follow the entire tour of the base. Jiankun, do you want to meet the Persian delegation as well?"

"I won't go to meet him. I'll sort out the energy supply of the base in the next few days. If it's in time, I'll start the reactor this month. If not, I'll wait until next month."

"Well, I thought you'd be interested in them!"

"There will be many opportunities to interact in the future, and I don't want to show up for the time being."

"It's better if you don't show up. Jiankun, I'll leave first to arrange other things. You should be careful and don't be too anxious to make these."

"Don't worry, I know what's going on. You can go ahead and do your work."

After sending his uncle out of the basement, he began to manufacture the matching energy storage equipment.

Now that he has a deeper understanding of the properties of graphene, he is able to manufacture graphene batteries with a single cell energy storage capacity of 10 kWh.

The entire battery weighs only 30 kilograms and has a much simpler structure than the previously manufactured single 1-degree battery.

In the energy storage area reserved underground, Wang Jiankun manufactured 100 of these graphene batteries, which can store 1 million kilowatt-hours of electricity. It will take two days to fully charge this 300-megawatt reactor even at full power.

In addition to being used for peak regulation, such a large energy storage device will also be needed to provide a large amount of electricity in a short period of time when conducting electromagnetic experiments in the future. It is better to manufacture it now to avoid expansion in the future.

(End of this chapter)