After lunch, it was already two o'clock, and the afternoon meeting continued.

Compared to the morning meeting, the seats were partially empty. After all, the catapult project had nothing to do with the Air Force, or even with Mr. Wang and his early warning aircraft radar research and development team.

"Catapults are a must-have for aircraft carriers. With catapults, aircraft carriers can operate more aircraft and achieve higher take-off efficiency." Wu Shengli said: "Currently, the mainstream in the world is steam catapults. However,

The electromagnetic catapult has also shown its advanced nature, so we hope to compare and choose the best product. Now, we would like to ask the comrades of the 704th Institute to introduce their research and development results."

There are two domestic 704 institutes, one of which is the aerospace department, and the other is the 704 Institute of China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation. The latter was established in 1956 and is also an established unit. It mainly develops supporting equipment for ships, involving special machinery and deck machinery.

, conveying machinery, special propulsion, anti-rolling devices, cabin machinery, motors and power stations, environmental protection equipment, seawater dewatering, special valves, thermal air conditioning, hydraulics, shock absorption and noise reduction, etc., more than 30 professional categories.

Therefore, it is logical for them to develop steam catapults for aircraft carriers.

Project leader Zhou Weiguo walked up to the podium, turned on the projector, and began to introduce it to everyone.

"As everyone knows, our unit began to develop steam catapults in the last failed project. We have overcome many technical difficulties, such as the processing of high-precision cylinders and the welding of large-diameter gas storage tanks.

Problems and so on. At present, we have overcome these technical difficulties. As long as the Navy invests more funds, we can build this steam catapult and conduct relevant tests." Zhou Weiguo first introduced the basic situation.

"Have all the technical difficulties been overcome?" Qin Tao also became curious: "How did you do it?"

"Some technologies are solved by ourselves, and some technologies are solved by private enterprises. This is also the experience gained from the blocking rope. Our private enterprises are really crouching tigers, hidden dragons." Zhou Weiguo said.

Currently, only the United States has mastered the steam catapult. Although Lao Maozi also has it, it has not been installed on the ship yet. It is not known whether there will be any problems. Lao Maozi himself also felt that it was not reliable enough, so he made a jump deck emergency.

As for other countries, there is no such thing. The French operate the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier, or buy it ready-made from the United States.

Qin Tao did not expect that the solution was actually solved in China, and the technology was also found in private enterprises! This is so surprising!

"Now, what we need to do is to make prototypes, which will cost a lot of money. As long as the Navy continues to allocate funds to our project, we can make the samples and put them in our training base. I heard that the 601 Institute

We are also manufacturing a specialized catapult-type carrier-based aircraft, which will definitely be able to catch up when the time comes."

need money!

If we continue to develop steam catapults, we will need a lot of funds! And now, what the Navy lacks is funds, or in other words, the Navy has always been short of funds!

Now, when he heard this, Qin Tao frowned. He had always disliked the steam catapult project because he had full confidence in the horseman. Now, the Navy has to engage in double insurance. Is it worth it?

"Now, let me introduce the specific content to the leaders." Zhou Weiguo continued: "We first started with the processing of the cylinder. At present, we have trial-produced one section. After testing, it can fully meet the needs of use. We used an advanced grinder...

"

The principle of the steam catapult is not complicated and is a popular technology. However, it is very difficult to manufacture it. One of the important difficulties is the processing technology. The cylinder and piston must be tightly fitted, and the precision requirements are quite high.

With a length of more than 100 meters, the upper end of the cylinder must be opened, and this opening must be sealed, which places high requirements on processing.

Qin Tao listened carefully to these technical introductions and was thinking about his next speech.

"Okay, our introduction is over." Finally, Zhou Weiguo finished all the introduction and then bowed and saluted everyone.

"Finally, let's talk about the budget." Wu Shengli said.

"If you want to build an experimental device on land, plus the required boilers and other facilities, you will need to invest at least 50 million." Zhou Weiguo said: "We are confident that this catapult can reach the level of Americans."

All the navy leaders nodded, and Wu Shengli looked at the people on the other side and said, "Next, please let the horseman introduce it to us."

"Hello everyone, leaders, we have completed the scale-down experiment of the catapult, conducted more than 5,000 experiments, and accumulated a large amount of experimental data." Ma Gong stood on the rostrum and said to everyone:

"Now, we have the confidence to build a dedicated catapult runway at the land base to complete the catapult takeoff of the carrier-based aircraft. In the morning, we listened to the introduction of the carrier-based early warning aircraft project. We are confident that even if the weight of the carrier-based early warning aircraft increases,

If it reaches forty tons, it can be ejected."

Can a forty-ton shipborne early warning aircraft be ejected? Suddenly, countless people opened their eyes wide.

The AWACS project has just begun, and no one knows how heavy it will eventually become. It is common for an aircraft to be overweight during the development process.

If the electromagnetic catapult can reach this level, it will of course be of great benefit.

"Actually, even if it's fifty tons, we can still eject it. At worst, we'll just extend the length of the catapult." Ma Gong said confidently.

Simply, the advantages of the electromagnetic catapult are stated.

There are many factors that affect the power of a steam catapult, including the diameter of the cylinder, the length of the cylinder, and the pressure resistance of the cylinder. The British BS-4 steam catapult, the world's first practical steam catapult, has a total length of 40 meters.

, with a stroke of 31.4 meters, it can push a 13.61-ton carrier-based aircraft to a speed of 110 knots or an 18.4-ton carrier-based aircraft to a speed of 78 knots.

This chapter is not over, please click on the next page to continue reading! The most commonly used American super aircraft carrier is the C-13 steam catapult, with a stroke length of 99.13 meters, which can accelerate a 34-ton object to 185 knots.

So, by continuing to increase the length, can the steam catapult be made more powerful?

The answer is no. The catapults currently used by Americans are already optimized, and their potential has almost been fully utilized.

The reason is the pressure of the steam.

When the steam just enters the cylinder, the air pressure is the highest, the force pushing the piston is the strongest, and the acceleration is the highest. As the steam pushes the piston forward, the volume gradually expands and the pressure will continue to decrease.

Therefore, the length of one hundred meters for the American catapult is already the limit. Next, because the pressure of the steam has been reduced to a limit, even if it continues to increase its length, the work it can do will be minimal.

The electromagnetic catapult is different. Each section can accelerate and decelerate, and the acceleration and deceleration are adjustable. In this way, when designing the electromagnetic catapult, the length can be increased or decreased as needed. This advantage is

Steam catapults are incomparable.

A smile appeared on Qin Tao's face. He wanted to eliminate steam catapults, and the horsemen must also want to do so. The reports made by the horsemen now are all about promoting the advantages of electromagnetic catapults and combating steam catapults.

Maybe you don’t need to think too much and just listen to the horse worker’s report.

"Since we use electromagnetic ejection, we don't have to consume precious fresh water. The steam from the aircraft carrier's boiler can be completely recycled within the power system. Let's talk about the energy storage device next."

Steam catapults consume a lot of water. American aircraft carriers are nuclear-powered and have special seawater dewatering equipment to meet their needs. Domestic aircraft carriers use boilers. If you want to use a steam catapult, you will inevitably face the problem of water.

The filling problem requires a special supply ship to refill the boiler every few days, and the boiler boiler water must be cleaner.

There are advantages everywhere!

"We have developed two types of energy storage devices. Among them, flywheel energy storage has made the fastest progress, and capacitive energy storage technology is still under research." Ma Gong continued.

His original plan was to engage in capacitor energy storage, but when he discovered that there were many problems in this technical route, he quickly transitioned to flywheel energy storage.

The technical theory of flywheel energy storage has been around for a long time. As for practical examples, the most common one is a toy inertial car. When you push it with your hand, the flywheel inside rotates and stores energy. After the car is released, the energy of the rotation of the flywheel is transferred to the car.

, allowing the car to go further.

The flywheel energy storage on the electromagnetic catapult system is similar to it, except that a motor drives the flywheel to rotate to store energy. When needed, the flywheel drives a generator to output energy.

"Just like a steam catapult needs a gas storage tank, an electromagnetic catapult also needs to store energy." Ma Gong explained to the people present: "We can simply calculate that a 30-ton carrier-based aircraft will eject and take off, and the total power consumption will be

38 degrees. Considering the loss of energy conversion, which is about 40 degrees of electricity, it is not a heavy burden on the power supply system of our aircraft carrier. However, this is a completely instantaneous discharge, and the carrier-based aircraft must be completed within two or three seconds.

When ejected, the instantaneous power is as high as 60,000 kilowatts, which is 60 megawatts. It is similar to the power generation of a medium-sized hydropower station. If we want to directly use the power of the aircraft carrier, all other systems will have to shut down. Therefore, we need to

It's stored."

"At present, the flywheel energy storage device we have developed is 50 megawatts, which only requires the power supply system on the aircraft carrier to provide 10 megawatts of power output. However, we believe that when the aircraft carrier starts construction in the future, our 60

A flywheel energy storage device with a megawatt or 70 megawatt level can be developed, which will not hinder the aircraft carrier's power system at all."

"This device can also be used in many other places." Qin Tao interjected.

Qin Tao also knows about the two technical routes. He is not specifically engaged in these. In short, as long as he can make a breakthrough.

Flywheel energy storage devices can also be used in many ways, such as regulating the load of the power grid system, storing energy during the day and releasing it at night. Another example is electric vehicles, where the energy during braking is stored here and then released to charge the battery, etc.

"Yes, it has many applications. In the future, if we develop electromagnetic guns and other advanced devices, we will be unable to do without it. Of course, its technological breakthrough is not easy." Ma Gong said, "In order to store so much

Energy, the edge speed of our flywheel can even exceed the speed of sound. Only special materials will not disintegrate due to centrifugal action. Its bearings must also be magnetically suspended, which can reduce resistance. The motor that drives it is also specially developed by us.

Can switch back and forth between generator and electric motor."

Qin Tao's eyes were on the horse worker's head, where gray hair had begun to appear. In the past few years, the horse worker had been working almost without sleep or food!

"Gong Ma, you have worked hard to achieve technological breakthroughs," Qin Tao said.

Ma Gong shook his head: "In order to make our motherland strong, we must work hard. If we want to be ahead, we must be ahead of the United States. The United States is also following this route. However, this flywheel energy storage technology was not developed by me, but by my students.

Wang Dong did it. Although he is young, he is very energetic and smart."

Wang Dong in the seat below showed a proud smile. He was very proud to have developed this device. Moreover, his technology was the core technology of electromagnetic catapults!

"Finally, let me introduce our budget. It would cost approximately 80 million to build a ground prototype of this ejection system to eject our carrier-based aircraft."

Naturally, what is spoken in China is RMB, but when hearing this budget, the people present frowned. It’s expensive! It’s too expensive!

This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! Advanced technology is made with money. This electromagnetic catapult requires a lot of advanced technology, so the price will naturally not be cheap.

"So far, the mature technology in the world is steam catapult. Should our navy be more prudent and take the road of steam catapult first?" A leader present spoke.

A penny stumps a heroic man! The construction of the navy requires money everywhere. The steam catapult is not unusable, and the budget is still smaller. So, should we invest in less expensive ones first?

"Mr. Ma, you just said that you have conducted more than 5,000 experiments on the scale model. Do you need maintenance?" At this moment, Qin Tao spoke.

The horseman immediately shook his head knowingly: "No need. During the ground experiment, we were also sure to guarantee this value. No maintenance is required within 5,000 times."

Five thousand times! Even if an aircraft carrier is calculated based on three catapults, it has a capacity of 1,500 ejections. Calculated based on the scale of fifty carrier-based aircraft, that is enough for each aircraft to eject thirty times.

Okay, this is equivalent to a month of high-intensity combat!

What about steam catapults?

American technology has been fully mature, but it still needs to be maintained after five hundred ejections. When watching American blockbusters, there are often shots of aircraft carrier captains asking to eject carrier-based aircraft, but the catapult fails and cannot eject.

Since the domestic technology is still under development, maintenance may be required every two to three hundred times!

This is not only a matter of dispatch efficiency, but also a matter of money. Although the construction of an electromagnetic catapult costs a huge amount of money, it will greatly save costs in future use. The whole life cost must be considered!
To be continued...