Xihai City, Aviation Industry Group, Experimental Base of Anti-Gravity Aircraft Research Group.
A large anti-gravity equipment is placed in the base hall. The equipment is a disc-shaped structure with a diameter of about twenty meters, and is supported and placed in the air.
Standing under the large installation, looking at it from a close distance gives people a great sense of shock.
Wang Hao is also looking forward to the next test.
This test experiment seems very simple, but in fact the technical difficulty is still very high. It is not just as simple as the thruster making the anti-gravity device suspended in the air.
A middle-aged man with a short haircut was standing next to Wang Hao and introducing the suspension test experiment.
He is Duan Qingbai, the general person in charge of the technical team.
Duan Qingbai was talking, "We have two main points in this test, one is the electric thruster, and the other is the balance system."
"There is a third point, but it is very unstable now. It is the automatic control and gravity adjustment system."
"In terms of automatic control and gravity adjustment, our background is not very good."
Duan Qingbai shook his head as he spoke.
Any electronic technology will become very complicated when it comes to automatic control, but the main difficulty of the current test lies in the electric thruster.
If the electric thruster can operate stably, it will be relatively easy to correct the automatic control system.
Wang Hao also nodded. He naturally knew the difficulty of the test experiment.
The most important thing about this test is the four electric thrusters under the anti-gravity device. Generally, the thrusters used in aerospace are rocket thrusters, which use solid or liquid fuel as the power source. Relatively speaking, electric thrusters are still
Rarely seen.
It is most suitable for anti-gravity devices to use electric propulsion engines.
The reason is also very simple. Exciting the transverse antigravity field inherently requires high-power current transmission. Electricity is a natural energy source and there is no loss in superconducting materials.
In this way, its high-power current can be used to support the operation of other supporting equipment, otherwise the power will be consumed in vain.
Duan Qingbai continued to talk about the technical difficulties and problems encountered in research and development.
Wang Hao kept thinking, "If SMES batteries are used as power, one of the things that needs to be supplemented is the battery's power, and the other is only the coolant."
"For highly compressed coolant, liquid nitrogen is sufficient."
"The nitrogen transported outward after cooling can also be discharged directly in the air, and it is pollution-free... Electricity and liquid nitrogen are lossy flying devices, so they should be considered environmentally friendly, right?"
Wang Hao felt a little longing as he thought about it.
Next, he watched the suspension test experiment of the anti-gravity device.
He has not been involved in relevant research, but has some understanding of the progress of the research.
After the experiment officially started, the anti-gravity device was powered on, the electric thrusters and electronic systems were turned on, and a buzzing sound was heard underneath the equipment.
Electric thrusters use electricity to push the fan blades through the air to obtain upward thrust. Theoretically, there is no difficulty, but in practice it is still very difficult.
Several electric thrusters are of the latest design, and the fan blades used are made of special nickel-iron alloys. The biggest technical difficulty lies in power control.
Simply put, four electric thrusters must work in coordination to ensure the balance of the entire anti-gravity device.
"What we did was to select a balance mark. If the balance mark showed an inclination angle, we would let the electric thruster on one side increase its power."
"But after trying it a few times, it's still very unstable. After a series of adjustments, it should be better this time..."
Duan Qingbai was also a little nervous as he spoke.
At this time, the operation of the electric thruster reaches a certain value, and one side of the anti-gravity device rises tremblingly.
Many people were watching with worry, fearing that only one side of the device would rise or that there would be some other major malfunction.
Fortunately, other positions also rose quickly, and the entire equipment was pushed and slowly suspended in the air, but the device was obviously shaking, and one side was slightly higher than other directions.
This inclination angle is very obvious, and there must be some problem with the balance mark, the background system or the electric thruster control.
The entire device was half a meter above the ground and remained suspended for about three minutes. Duan Qingbai quickly announced that it had stopped.
"Prepare to land!"
He quickly went to the side to direct the landing control.
The lift-off process of the entire device is already very complicated, and the landing process is even more complicated.
In order to ensure the safe landing of the device, the power of the electric thruster must be slowly reduced, and the position must be adjusted to prevent any accidents.
At the same time, they also need to carry a higher bracket and place it under the anti-gravity device. It is not high enough to lift half a meter into the air. However, considering that the anti-gravity device exceeds forty tons, even if it is only half a meter above the ground, the power supply may be interrupted midway.
If other problems occur, it will also be a huge experimental accident.
Wang Hao watched the entire test process. He was very satisfied with the overall experiment. The balance control system and electric thruster showed that there were no problems overall.
The main focus now is on background power delivery and automation control.
There are no insurmountable technical difficulties for these soft issues.
After the experiment was completed, Duan Qingbai also discussed the design issue with Wang Hao, "We have several plans for the design of anti-gravity aircraft."
"One of the plans is to install a large fan blade under the thruster. Once the device is officially launched, the rotation of the fan blade can be used to drive the device. Several electric thrusters only ensure balance."
"In addition, there is a design plan, which is..."
Duan Qingbai introduced them continuously.
Wang Hao was also very interested. He suggested, "Have you not considered superconducting motors? If the propeller is made of superconducting motors, the power will definitely be higher."
Duan Qingbai shook his head and said, "Superconducting motors have been under development, but they are not yet stable. Now we are mainly focusing on improving the balance system. The current power of the motor is enough."
This is a fact.
At this stage, we just let the anti-gravity device lift off.
When the technology truly matures, the needs will definitely become different. For example, if you need to build a large anti-gravity carrier aircraft, you will need higher propulsion power, and you will consider replacing it with a higher-power electric thruster.
It's still too far to talk about this at the moment.
Wang Hao thought for a while and said, "The biggest problem to be solved now is electricity."
"really."
Duan Qingbai smiled bitterly and said, "If the power problem is not solved, the aircraft will not be able to operate at all. We have thought about using lithium batteries, but the power is still too poor."
"The most efficient battery pack can only barely power it..."
Wang Hao smiled and said, "Lithium batteries will definitely not work. They must be superconducting batteries. It just so happens that we are also studying SMES batteries. I think we can merge the research together."
"Merge studies?"
Duan Qingbai opened his mouth in surprise, "Isn't your SMES battery still in the demonstration and design stage?"
Wang Hao shook his head and said, "We already have new energy storage coil technology, and electronic control has also made great progress. The only thing missing now is packaging, do you understand?"
"In other words, the overall battery design has been completed and there are no technical difficulties. The only thing missing is the last step."
"Isn't it?" Duan Qingbai finally reacted, "It means that your design demonstration has just been completed, and you have only overcome some technical difficulties..."
“Shouldn’t the next step be to test refinement?”
This is the normal research process.
Just like studying an engine, the first thing to do is to design the engine. In the process, each technical difficulty is overcome, and the next step is to create a sample.
After the engine sample is manufactured, normally only one-third of the research is completed. There will definitely be various problems after the sample is manufactured, and the remaining two-thirds are spent on improving the engine.
The current SMES battery is similar. The battery design is completed and all technical problems have been solved. However, the solution to the problems is only theoretical. The next step is to manufacture samples and then continuously test and improve them.
Wang Hao patted Duan Qingbai on the shoulder and said, "Don't worry, I am very confident in the energy storage coil and the electronic control system."
"Before, I thought about continuing to improve it, but now after seeing your progress, I think we can merge it together."
"If we study together, we can directly skip the packaging design stage, embed all parts of the entire battery into the anti-gravity aircraft, and then use the battery as energy source."
"Duan Gong, have you forgotten?"
Wang Hao said with a smile, "Our battery research is mainly to support anti-gravity aircraft!"
"……Right."
Duan Qingbai twitched his lips when he heard this, and was silent for a long time. It was obvious that he couldn't accept it, but he nodded in the end.
The reason is very simple. The person speaking in front of me is Wang Hao.
Wang Hao is not involved in the overall design of the anti-gravity aircraft, but he holds the title of general leader of the experimental team.
The anti-gravity technology used by the anti-gravity aircraft experimental group comes from the Anti-Gravity Behavior Research Center.
That is the real core technology.
Duan Qingbai is the head of the technical team and only the deputy chief engineer of the project.
Wang Hao is the most directly responsible person, but the project he is mainly responsible for is the research of SMES batteries.
In fact, it’s not just a matter of position. Wang Hao’s personal influence is also very great. He said that he wanted to merge the projects. Even if Duan Qingbai had no confidence in the so-called ‘SMES battery’, he would definitely nod in approval.
The good news is…
If the projects are truly merged, Wang Hao will definitely be involved in the work on the anti-gravity aircraft.
When the time comes, if we encounter any problems, we can discuss them together and solve them.
…
At the Aerospace Industry Group Headquarters, Deputy General Manager Teng Jianjun is in charge of the research and development of new technologies. He has received the electric thruster and balance test experimental reports submitted by the anti-gravity aircraft research group.
Teng Jianjun attaches great importance to the research of anti-gravity aircraft.
Even internationally, it is believed that anti-gravity technology is the mainstream technology of future aerospace, and it is also a technology that can directly change the aviation pattern.
After reading the experimental report, Teng Jianjun couldn't help but press his forehead hard, "The progress is normal, but the most important thing is the power problem!"
He naturally knows the key to technology.
The operation of the anti-gravity system requires high-power electric support. No matter how fast the research progress of anti-gravity aircraft is, without high-power electric support, it is just a castle in the air.
He quickly took another look at the report submitted by the SMES battery research team.
That was a report half a month ago. The report was an explanation of the energy storage coil test. Basically, it can be considered that the new energy storage coil technology has been perfected.
"The new energy storage coil technology is perfect, but it will probably take another three to five years before the SMES battery is perfected, right?"
"Coupled with the testing of anti-gravity aircraft, it will take a few years..."
Teng Jianjun thought about it and shook his head, "I don't know if we will see an anti-gravity aircraft take off within ten years, even if it is just a test flight."
He touched the gray hair on his head and couldn't help showing sadness on his face.
He hoped to see an anti-gravity aircraft, but he was nearly sixty years old and approaching retirement age, and he didn't know if he would still be able to see one.
Teng Jianjun still decided to go to Xihai City to have a look, but he only needed to read the experimental report to get a comprehensive understanding.
If you can go to the experimental base and have a look, you can know what kind of technical difficulties the research has encountered.
In addition, you can also be aware of the research and development progress. Not only the research on anti-gravity aircraft, but also the research on SMES batteries is also very important.
Technology Department.
Xu Baogong and Teng Jianjun had the same idea, and also wanted to go to Xihai City to see the progress of the experiment, but he mainly went to the SMES experimental base to understand the subsequent testing issues of the SMES energy storage device.
Currently, the country is demonstrating the construction of large-scale SMES energy storage devices, and has decided to place the pilot in Sudong Province, a large power consumer.
Sudong Province is close to Donggang City, and both provinces and cities require external transmission of electricity.
If a super-large SMES energy storage device can be built at the junction of Sudong Province and Donggang City, it will be able to more stably guarantee continued power demand, so the improvement of related technologies will be very important.
As for SMES batteries…
Xu Baogong didn't even dare to think about it. He also saw the report on SMES battery research, but it only perfected the new energy storage coil technology. It was still very far away from creating a real SMES battery.
Think about it…
The Institute of Electrical Engineering of the Academy of Sciences initially had superconducting energy storage coil technology, and Superconducting Materials Industrial Company also provided the best materials. However, Pan Dong's team spent two years and only designed the experimental device.
After that, we were faced with a lot of problems, the solution of which seemed far away.
Wang Hao's research team made rapid progress, and it only took a few months to perfect the SMES energy storage technology. However, SMES batteries are more complex than SMES energy storage devices, so they will definitely encounter more problems.
It's too early to talk about SMES batteries now. It would be great to be able to conquer the foundation of new energy storage coils.
Xu Baogong knew Wang Hao better and his judgment was much more optimistic than Teng Jianjun’s. “It will take two years to perfect the battery technology, right?”