Chapter 1388 Fierce Competition


    One month later.


    France, Provence.


    Karadashe Nuclear Fusion Research Center.


    Several business trucks with Chinese flags on the front windows were entered one after another and slowly stopped in the reception area marked by white gypsum lines.


    As the leader, Peng Juexian got off the car first. While feeling the salty water vapor blowing from the Mediterranean, he squinted his eyes and looked at the slightly old six-story building in the distance.


    The dark gray concrete exterior walls were covered with ivy, and the already faded metal sign on the roof of the main control building was shining with dazzling silver in the sun.


    Behind him, more than a dozen people of different ages also got off the car one after another, waiting for the next instructions.


    The ITER conference is very high in specifications, so most of the researchers who can be selected to participate are researchers with certain experience in foreign exchanges. A considerable number of them even participated in the 2003 marathon negotiations with Peng Juexian. It can be said that they have experienced many battles and have seen them a lot.


    However, out of the consideration of bringing new things, several young people were added to the team.


    Although they don''t expect any specific role, they can at least open their eyes.


    Usually, a doctor''s research content is limited to a very small direction in a certain field.


    Many students with good level will be limited by their long-term focus on a specific topic, which is not conducive to long-term growth and development.


    "This...is the temple for fusion research around the world?"


    Huang Zhitao pushed black full-frame glasses, and the suitcase wheels made small complaints on the stone road:


    "Why does it feel that the scale is not as large as the EAST device on Luzhou Science Island, and it is... a bit quaint?"


    As Peng Juexian''s nominal disciple, he has also participated in some peripheral work related to the "Oriental Super Circle", which is considered to be a bit of insight.


    This time, I was originally very enthusiastic and prepared to see how grand the famous ITER could be.


    result…


    I don''t feel the style.


    I only see the heaviness of history.


    "Of course not as good as that."


    Fang Jianming, the deputy leader next to him, replied helplessly:


    "I didn''t say it before leaving. ITER has just reached a preliminary agreement at present, and the fusion reactor itself has not even started construction..."


    As he said that, he pointed to the reflecting metal sign:


    "This is a ToreSUPRA facility built by France in the 1980s. It has been in operation for 20 years, and it is certain that the scale is not as large as the Oriental Super Ring."


    Huang Zhitao took a deep breath and showed a somewhat unrestrained expression:


    "I thought..."


    Because he is the only newbie in the entire team, before departure, the delegation specially issued an informal related information.


    Of course, the state of ITER was also mentioned, but he subconsciously brought the engineering efficiency of China, thinking that "the construction has not started yet" means that the main body of the facility has not started to be installed, but at least the project should have begun to be promoted.


    As a result, it seems that it hasn''t even dug a foundation...


    Huang Zhitao instantly questioned the seriousness of this ITER.


    But considering the occasion, I finally put my words back.


    However, Fang Jianming still noticed the other party''s emotions:


    "Don''t underestimate this ToreSUPRA. Europeans were very rapid in the field of fusion research. When the Soviet Union first proposed the Tokamak concept in 1954, the concrete here was mixed with shrapnel left by the Germans during World War II. But thirty years later, the French achieved the first high-parameter quasi-steady state operation of the Tokamak device..."


    Sure enough, after hearing what he said, Huang Zhitao''s eyes became serious again.


    Fang Jianming is also optimistic about this young man with good abilities, and took this opportunity to continue introducing:


    “ToreSUPRA is the first large tokamak in the world to integrate all the technologies required to generate long-pulse plasmas, so much of the ITER’s prior research will be done on this…or to some extent, the entire ITER project is based on this.”


    The moment the glass door of the institute slid to both sides, Peng Juexian had already changed into a standard French smile.


    Professor Sergio Orlandi, director of the construction project, welcomed him warmly, and two silver-gray eyebrows almost flew into the same gray hair:


    "It''s hard to believe that the team actually reached 20 minutes ahead of schedule... I really hope they can have such efficiency all the time."


    At the turn of the century, Orlandi and Peng Juexian worked together for a while at the International Atomic Energy Agency and had made several pretty good cooperations, so the private exchange was pretty good.


    "Because the driver was specially found from our consulate..."


    After shaking hands, Peng Jue lowered his voice and said in a half-joking tone:


    "After all, the concept of time in Marseille is more difficult to restrict than plasma, and it is really hard to believe."


    Orlandi immediately laughed:


    "It seems I have to ask you for a contact information..."


    He was born in the old Paris Iris Banner, and the feeling of hearing others joke about Marseille is similar to hearing others hacking Britain.


    Huang Zhitao looked surprised when he saw this scene. He knew that Peng Juexian had participated in the negotiations on Huaxia''s participation in the ITER project for a long time, but he still didn''t expect that his mentor would be so familiar with the French supervisor.


    "When ITER''s location selection, we firmly stood in support of the Karadashe plan, and Academician Peng happened to be in the negotiating delegation at that time..."


    Fang Jianming gave a low voice in Chinese:


    "Of course, the key is not actually supporting France, but we cannot accept putting ITER in Japan anyway..."


    Huang Zhitao nodded in agreement.


    …


    According to the itinerary, both the day of arrival and the next day are rest days, and there is no serious agenda.


    But everyone who has held international conferences knows that this period of time is not really a rest.


    Instead, it is used to make various blends in advance.


    Therefore, after some greetings, Peng Juexian no longer concealed his purpose:


    "Talk about Sergio directly. Can the time window for our tritium proliferation module test be determined in the third or fourth quarter next year?"


    This straight-forward dialogue method made Huang Zhitao''s heart thrilled.


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    He noticed Orlandi''s Adam''s apple slid twice under his loose skin:


    "I personally, including the French Atomic Energy Commission, are willing to support your request..."


    Despite the positive response, none of the Chinese delegation felt relaxed.


    Because of this tone, there is usually a twist afterwards.


    Sure enough, after a brief pause, Orlandi changed the subject:


    "But the JT-60U in Kanto has just started the renovation and expansion project... You also know that although Japan has restrictions on specific areas of nuclear research, the JT60 also provides ITEA with a lot of useful research foundations, so JAEA believes that their cryostats should be tested first, and the application was submitted as early as last month."


    Peng Juexian''s brows frowned slightly:


    "Of course we fully understand that the ITER management committee needs to balance the demands of all parties... but please don''t forget that 37% of the filter material samples you received last year were marked with the LOGO of Luzhou Institute of Material Science."


    "And it will take at least a few years to renovate JT60U. Your ToreSUPRA and the TFTR in the United States will soon enter the maintenance and upgrade stage, and the Russian T15MR is even more out of the blue... In other words, in a certain time window in the future, only our Oriental Super Ring can provide data support for ITER..."


    Orlandi''s eyes changed, but she shook her head:


    "This is not me, nor even the French Atomic Energy Commission has the final say..."


    "When I was choosing a location at ITER, Japan finally withdrew from the competition, but it also had certain conditions attached, and the support from the United States behind it, so it is difficult for me to assure you more...unless you can come up with new chips to convince several other swing countries."


    “…”


    Obviously, the first day of meeting failed to produce any results.


    And judging from the current trend, it is probably difficult to achieve the goal by canvassing alone.


    After a routine visit, the delegation got on the bus and returned to the hotel.


    Peng Juexian did not show any disappointment, but asked Huang Zhitao next to him after the car left the research center:


    "Zhitao, do you have any thoughts?"


    "Today''s visit was brief and there was no valuable part involved in the internal, so there were only some preliminary ideas..."


    "It''s okay, say whatever you want."


    Huang Zhitao hesitated for a moment:


    "I just feel that this kind of multi-national cooperation with each other with ulterior motives...it may be difficult to get to the end smoothly."


    It can be said that in just over one hour, he directly tore up his high-end filter for ITER.


    Unexpectedly, Peng Jue nodded directly:


    "you''re right."


    "ah?"


    Huang Zhitao never expected that he would get such an answer.


    "Actually, everyone is clear about it, so whether it is us, Americans, or even Europeans themselves, they don''t really think that ITER can be put into operation smoothly."


    Peng Juexian replied in a plain tone:


    "The essence of this kind of cooperation is that everyone uses ITER as a platform to exchange their own achievements and resources, just like international trade... As for engineering and even commercial fusion facilities, they must be implemented in their own projects in each country."


    "Then we..."


    Huang Zhitao only felt that his worldview seemed to be reshaping.


    Peng Jue first smiled:


    "There are too many fields involved in fusion research. Which of them are secrets and what can be used as bargaining chips to exchange them to avoid losing, or the degree of loss is acceptable... These are the issues that really require us to judge."


    (End of this chapter)