The Secret Investment Formula of a Chemical Genius - Chapter 139



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Episode 139 Nuclear Fusion

Although the rest of the story was omitted, Cheon Seung-gyu immediately understood what I meant.

After thinking deeply for a while, he finally opened his mouth.

“There has been some progress in recent research, but the theory is not yet 100% perfect.”

I memorize every single word of the report sent to me every month without missing a single word.

Contrary to his humble words, the results exceeded expectations.

“I guess I was a bit ahead of my time.”

“No, of course you could as an investor. But did you really talk to the government?”

He still had a half-doubtful look on his face, as if he couldn’t believe what I was saying.

Scientific theories are different from mathematical formulas.

Even if a theory is solved with a theoretically perfect formula on the blackboard, the theory cannot be said to be complete unless it is verified through experiments.

We don’t know what variables and problems might arise during the verification process.

Nuclear fusion is an ultra-efficient energy source that can produce as much energy as 8 tons of oil from 1 gram of tritium.

It is also called the dream energy because it is relatively free from the problem of waste generated from nuclear power plants.

To that extent.

Currently, many countries around the world are competing to acquire nuclear fusion technology.

Korea also participated in this war.

Led by the Korea Institute of Fusion Energy, a government-affiliated organization, they are dedicated to research by building a tokamak-type nuclear fusion reactor called KSTAR.

Once upon a time, I stopped by the Caltech lab.

Cheon Seung-gyu once mentioned in passing that he would like to test his theory with KSTAR.

“Do you think I lied?”

“That’s not what I meant. I guess there are a lot of interest groups involved… … .”

Although the KSTAR research is being conducted under government leadership, that does not mean that the government can operate it as it pleases.

A whopping nine institutions are currently participating in the study.

Government agencies, public corporations, and even large corporations are participating in this research.

Because the stake issue and the interests involved were intertwined like vines, the government was not in a position to experiment with KSTAR as it pleased.

“I’ll say it again, you don’t have to worry about that part. We’ve already discussed it with the government.”

If I give metamaterials to America.

The United States upgrades South Korea to a Five Eyes-level ally.

Accordingly, the Korean government provides Seungkyu Cheon with an opportunity to experiment with KSTAR.

This is the reality of the tripartite negotiations that took place some time ago.

Additionally, as it contained a lot of sensitive information, both parties had tentatively agreed not to disclose the details of the negotiations to the public.

“I have also received a definite guarantee.”

“Guarantee… …you mean?”

“yes.”

Bilateral negotiations, especially when the counterparties are states rather than individuals.

Even if the other party violates the terms of the deal stated in the negotiation, there is no proper means of enforcing them.

But this deal is a three-way deal involving the United States.

The Korean government will also have no choice but to keep an eye on things.

It is also the government’s role to persuade KSTAR participating organizations, including large corporations.

Since you said you were confident, I’m sure you’ll do well.

“I guess it’s because I’m getting older, but I can’t help but feel suspicious.”

Cheon Seung-gyu scratched his cheek as if embarrassed.

“Have you seen the news?”

“What about news?”

“This is news that ignition was successful at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) in the United States.”

“I saw it.”

He nodded with a heavy expression.

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in the United States recently surprised the world by announcing that it had succeeded in igniting nuclear fusion.

This is the first time that ignition has been successfully achieved with a Q value (Q ratio) exceeding 1.

Perhaps this goes without saying.

Energy is needed to run a power plant.

The same goes for nuclear fusion power generation.

If the energy input to operate a power plant is 1, the energy ultimately produced must be greater than 1 in order to operate the power plant continuously without loss.

And the number that represents that is the Q value.

The ratio of energy output to energy input.

When the Q value exceeds 1, ignition is said to be successful.

The problem is.

No fusion power plant has ever had a Q value greater than 1.

But this time, the US NIF broke that limit for the first time.

“It was nuclear fusion using lasers.”

Cheon Seung-gyu wiped his mouth with a napkin.

The nuclear fusion method used this time at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is ICF (Inertial confinement fusion).

This method involves putting a fuel mixture of tritium and deuterium into a small metal container called a pellet and shooting a high-power laser at the pellet to form plasma.

“It is true that the results are excellent, but the development time is very short.”

I nodded.

According to the recent announcement from LLNL, the development time was only 5 seconds.

5 seconds.

A very short period of time, enough to blink an eye a few times.

But this has many implications.

“KSTAR was about 30 seconds?”

“you’re right.”

While the US is focusing on the ICF, Korea is sticking to the tokamak method.

And now.

KSTAR holds the world record for the longest operating time among nuclear fusion facilities.

“I see them as sprints and long distance runs.”

“That’s an interesting analogy.”

American ICF with a Q value exceeding 1, but relatively short operating time.

A Korean tokamak with a relatively long operating time, although its Q value does not exceed 1.

Cheon Seung-gyu compared the two to the 100m and long-distance marathon.

“We’ll know which one is correct later when the results come out.”

“I guess so.”

Early 2010s.

In the next-generation eco-friendly car market, there has been a fierce battle between hydrogen cars and electric cars.

Automakers have been struggling with these two options for a long time.

As time passed, electric vehicles became the trend.

Hydrogen cars are slowly fading from people’s minds.

But if you ask people whether hydrogen cars are so bad that they can’t be used that much, they’ll tilt their heads.

That means the preemptive effect is that big.

Once a technology standard has been established, it is not easy to turn the tables.

“Are you sure?”

“well…….”

Cheon Seung-gyu’s words trailed off slightly.

I turned my gaze slightly and made eye contact with Cheon Ye-rin, who was looking at me with round eyes.

The day the fire happened.

If I had hesitated or wavered just a little longer, she would have fallen into the flames.

A situation where an only daughter dies in an accident.

In that situation, would a father be able to focus on his research properly?

… … Probably not.

I rinsed my mouth lightly with water.

“You will succeed.”

“… … !”

At my calm words, Cheon Seung-gyu’s eyes widened.

“Are you sure…?”

“Yes. I don’t know about other people, but that’s what I think.”

At first, I couldn’t understand why my father connected me with these women.

Nuclear fusion.

A completely different field from the one I studied.

That’s why I had no idea what my father’s intentions were.

Until I developed a quantum computer.

‘Bli’ has very excellent performance.

No supercomputer in existence can compare to it.

The metamaterial I developed this time would not have been able to be developed so quickly if Bli’s computational power had not been supported.

Research that would take others years or decades can be completed in just a few hours or days.

And that’s with just 15% of the performance.

That’s why I haven’t had any complaints about Bli’s performance so far.

But my father is sending me signals that I should not be satisfied with that.

The way to improve Bli’s performance is very simple.

Because you just have to put in more power.

Now, Bli’s power needs are met by a private thermal power plant called CZ E&R, but its limitations are clear.

Even if all the electricity from private thermal power plants is used, the maximum is 23%.

Perhaps, nuclear fusion is an essential condition for maximizing Bli’s performance.

But there are still lingering questions.

Why?

Why on earth does Father want Bly to maximize her performance?

I fiddled with the smartwatch on my wrist.

While the regular IC watch has an independent AI algorithm, Blair, installed, the IC watch I modified is connected to Bli.

What if we could maximize Bli’s performance?

Will it simply end with improved performance, or… … .

I wonder if there are other hidden features.

If so, what is its function?

to be honest.

It’s not like there weren’t any parts that could be guessed.

Perhaps that hidden feature is… … .

“Hmm, hmm!”

A series of questions that follow one after another.

While I was lost in thought for a while, I heard someone’s voice next to my ear.

I raised my head slightly and saw three pairs of eyes staring at me.

“I’m sorry. I was just lost in my own thoughts.”

“No, sometimes I do that too.”

“Me, me too!”

“How about we leave that conversation for later and eat first? I’m hungry.”

Cheon Hye-ji held her stomach and cried.

“Yes, that’s right.”

He chuckled and picked up the knife and fork again.

From then on, we didn’t talk about research or work at all, and just continued our conversation about small, everyday things.

“Take this.”

When I was almost finished eating, I took out the items from the paper bag I had brought and placed them in front of them.

“What is this?”

“It’s an IC watch.”

“Really?”

Cheon Hye-ji, her eyes wide open, hurriedly opened the wrapping paper.

“Really! This is what I wanted!”

“Yerin, please try solving it too.”

“……yes.”

Unlike Cheon Hye-ji, Cheon Ye-rin carefully opened each piece of packaging.

“Thank you. I will use it well.”

“Me too! I waited in line all day to buy this, but I couldn’t get it.”

Cheon Hye-ji quickly put the IC watch on her wrist and proudly raised her arm.

“You too, quickly! This is really great! It feels like it’s really wrapping around my wrist.”

“Wait a minute! Sister, I’ll do it, so just wait… … .”

Cheon Hye-ji, who has a short temper, put an IC watch on Cheon Ye-rin’s wrist.

“It suits you well.”

“… … I will study harder in the future.”

After hearing what I said, Cheon Ye-rin smiled shyly and clasped her hands together tightly.

… … I didn’t mean it like that.

Meal that day.

It ended in such a friendly atmosphere.

* * *

On board the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier.

As soon as the sortie signal was given, the fighter jets took off from the runway at high speed via catapults.

Shhhhhhhhhhh!

A loud explosion that felt like it would pierce your ears.

As the fighter jet, which had been accelerating steadily, finally broke the sound barrier, a white film appeared on its body.

An umbrella-shaped cloud formed when water vapor condenses.

The fighter jets circled around the aircraft carrier at high speed.

“What do you think?”

“Not detected!”

Captain Vermont, who is currently in command here, answered in a determined manner.

A white-haired old man in a black suit carefully examined the radar.

“If, you know, we were to shoot down that fighter plane flying over us right now, how much would it cost?”

Colonel Vermont, who had been pondering the old man’s question for a long time, cautiously opened his mouth.

“I think we’ll need at least 20 aircraft of the same class!”

At that moment, the old man raised his eyebrows.

“It’s the same fighter, but how can there be that much difference?”

“Since the radar-operated targeting pod is unusable, the pilot controlling the fighter must manually designate the target with the laser spot tracker!”

“It won’t be easy.”

The old man nodded.

The F-22’s maximum speed exceeds Mach 2.

That means it moves at twice the speed of sound.

No matter how good a person’s visual acuity is, it is not easy to keep up.

The old man stared blankly up at the fast-moving fighter plane for a long time.

“Will this peel off if I use it like other stealth paints?”

“Yes.”

“It means that it needs to be continuously maintained.”

The old man, who had been deep in thought as if pondering something, turned his head and looked at the chairman of the PCAST ​​(President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology).

“I guess Korean fighter jets will also be painted with this paint?”

“I think so, probably.”

For a moment, a look of displeasure crossed the old man’s face.

“Is there any way to bring that friend, Han Yu-jin, to America?”

The chairman opened his mouth with a small smile.

“It is not the bitter wind that strips a traveler of his clothes, but the warm sunlight.”

The old man laughed bitterly at the chairman’s words.

“Yes, it was. Warm sunlight. I had forgotten about it for a moment.”

“I think you should move right now to fit your next schedule.”

At the blunt words of the chief secretary, the old man groaned as he got up and headed towards the helicopter.

Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Council on Science and Technology.

Professor Jennon Smith watched him from behind with a quiet gaze.