Chapter 37 Chapter 36 X Base and W Base

"Didn't you say 'big science'? 'Big science' must first be 'big'! To build 'X base', we acquired 45,000 acres of land in Tennessee and invested 400,000 people successively. "Perry said loudly, "Backed by a strong national power, we will use the most cutting-edge science and technology on a large scale to achieve the ultimate goal, and will not hesitate to invest money, manpower and material resources..." "Are the phenomena of 'blindness' and 'swarming of bees' also very 'big'?" Ding Jieqiong asked with a smile.

"Of course!" Perry not only didn't care, but also gave an example that the number of operators in a factory here was originally scheduled to be 2,500, but today it has reached 24,000!The initial budget for the construction of a production process in the plant was 12 million U.S. dollars. In fact, it was gradually increased to 17 million, 35 million and 100 million U.S. dollars... "Hey, 100 million dollars!" Ding Jieqiong exclaimed. "More than that! I think, in the end, it will never be less than 300 million U.S. dollars." Base X is a "uranium plant" whose original mission is to try to separate uranium-235 from uranium-238 by all three methods: centrifugal method, diffusion method and electromagnetic method.Now, Perry said: "When it was put into practice, we canceled the centrifugation method because the technical conditions were too immature."

"The gas method and the electromagnetic method are not mature." The female scientist said. "As long as it is a little more feasible than centrifugation." The general nodded. "This is based on Dr. Olmhorse's suggestion—we only found out later that he listened to your opinion." "The centrifugal method is still very promising," Ding Jieqiong thought for a while, "From the basic principle to the operability, it is good." "Let's talk about the future." The general said decisively, "The most urgent thing is to create an atomic bomb as soon as possible and throw it on the heads of Hitler and Hirohito!"

Ding Jieqiong glanced at Perry appreciatively.She felt that she understood more and more why those in power in the United States would choose such a "rough man" as the "chief executive" of the greatest project of this century. The electromagnetic method must have a strong magnetic field.The magnetic field is produced by magnets.Therefore, this method requires a large number of extremely complex high-vacuum, high-voltage and strong magnetic field equipment that has never been designed and manufactured-this makes its production unprecedentedly difficult.However, several scientists such as Ding Jieqiong believe that it is extremely feasible under today's technical conditions.It was finally adopted.

The electromagnetic separation plant covers an area of ​​more than 800 acres.Construction began in February 1943, and the first equipment was put into operation nine months later.In the production process of enriched uranium, there is a "runway" formed by arranging several large ellipsoids, and each ellipsoid is composed of ninety-six magnets and ninety-six "boxes".What impressed Ding Jieqiong was the hugeness of these magnets: twenty feet long, twenty feet wide, and two feet thick, wrapped in thick welded steel plates - she weighed it: each magnet may weigh several hundred Ton!The strength of the magnetic field also surprised the female professor: Several "boxes" weighing fourteen tons each were sandwiched between the magnets and were attracted by the magnetic force and displaced up to three inches!As a result, the densely packed pipelines connected to them were all twisted and deformed.People have to weld these "boxes" in a certain position and fix them forcibly.

The first stage of uranium enrichment consisted of five plants with nine "runways", and the second stage consisted of three plants with eight "runways". The magnets were the same shape as the first stage, but each "runway" carried Thirty-six "boxes".In addition to the huge main factory buildings, the scale of some auxiliary factories is also unprecedented for Ding Jieqiong: two of them are 543 feet long and 312 feet wide, almost equivalent to the size of two football fields. There are ninety-six control rooms on each "runway" in the first phase, and thirty-six control rooms on each "runway" in the second phase. Each control room consumes as much electricity as a large radio station.Many things that used to be used in very small quantities are now consumed in a staggering amount.For example, in the first stage, each production line uses liquid nitrogen up to 4,000 gallons per week.

The number of devices is almost astronomical.In addition to magnets, there are also operation boxes and various components enclosed in them, control rooms, electric motor units, vacuum systems, chemical recovery equipment, and millions of small parts...all of which are transported in a continuous stream by train and in an orderly manner. Quickly "decompose" in various factories."For two weeks," Perry said, "one hundred and twenty-eight wagons were received just for the electrical equipment installed in these buildings!" Copper was used extensively in warfare.The copper allocated to the base of the X is notched considerably.what to do?The U.S. government has decided that wherever silver can be used, silver will be used instead.Therefore, even the coils on the magnets are wound with silver.Perry introduced: "Yes, 'blindness' and 'swarming of bees' are also displayed here. The amount of silver used by Base X ranged from 5,000 tons to 10,000 tons to 14,000 tons, and all the silver prepared by the government for this It can reach 47,000 tons, and it can be added if necessary." The general pointed to the coils as huge as truck tires and said, "Here, it is made of silver wire." Ding Jieqiong asked: "If necessary, the U.S. Will the government use gold to wind a coil?"

"Gold is not as conductive as silver. Otherwise, it will be done like that!" The general nodded, "Silver is used for reserves just like gold. Therefore, the silver is transported by rail from the West Point treasury under strict security. It's worth three hundred million dollars - but that's not included in the 'Manhattan Project'. It's a loan from the treasury and has to be returned within six months of the end of the war." Perry accompanied the female professor to the terminal of the electromagnetic process.A batch of heavily guarded enriched uranium is waiting to be shipped. "The manpower invested is also an astronomical figure. The total number of employees in the electromagnetic factory has reached more than 50 million people; when the atomic bomb is built, it is estimated that the total number of people will be nearly 70 million people." One year and a few days, in March this year, the first batch of enriched uranium has been sent to 'Y base'. The enrichment level was not high at that time, but it could be used for urgently needed experiments there. Now the enrichment level has been greatly increased..."

"How much?" Ding Jieqiong turned his face and stared at the other party, "The current concentration?" "Eighty-five to ninety percent." "Enough!" The female professor took a deep breath. "What is 'enough'?" "Enough to build an atomic bomb..." "Thanks to my decision to 'swarm the bees'—well, look, Joan, I'm right again!" boasted the General.He once decided to use two of the three extraction methods for uranium-235.As a result, the electromagnetic separation method was successful, but the gas diffusion method was not satisfactory.

The gas diffusion method is called "dialysis method" by Professor Ding Jieqiong. The special metal film has millions of ultra-fine pores per square inch.The uranium hexafluoride gas passes through the membrane under the agitation of thousands of diffusion pumps, and is gradually separated through four thousand procedures. The lighter uranium 235 gas flows forward and gradually enriches, while the heavier uranium 238 gas stays more— — This is what Professor Ding Jieqiong calls "dialysis", and some scientists call it "gas diffusion cascade". Inside the Diffusion Plant are many "isotope separation cylinders", forty-eight feet high, with nickel tubes inside and copper tubes outside.The copper pipe is externally surrounded by a water jacket of four inches of white iron pipe.Every one hundred and two columns form a "row".The columns are arranged in three groups, with seven rows in each group, a total of 2,142 columns.The gas is very corrosive.It has been suggested that pure nickel pipes be used entirely for hundreds of miles of pipeline.It was later found that if this was done, the amount of nickel used would exceed the total amount of nickel owned by the world.Later, it was changed to thick nickel plating on the inner wall of the pipe.Diffusion methods are not inferior to electromagnetic methods in terms of scale.It has cost 270 million U.S. dollars, and 25,000 people are working at the same time at the peak.One of the factories had a circumference of two miles.Each piece of film is only the size of a silver coin, but the total area of ​​the film used is several acres. The film manufacturing plant covers an area of ​​more than 40 acres. Perry, who has been engaged in engineering for half his life, has never seen such a huge factory building.

It was decided on New Year's Day in 1944 that gas diffusion cascades must be initially built and low-enriched uranium produced on New Year's Day the following year; then all uranium 235 must be fully built and mass-produced for the manufacture of atomic bombs—but the membrane material has become a "bottleneck". Until Ding Jieqiong's visit, no suitable film was produced... "I see, General." The female professor thought, "You want to hear my opinion on the film issue." "No, I'm just walking around with you and talking about this issue occasionally." "Even if that's the case." Ding Jieqiong smiled, "But I study physics, and thin film materials are a matter of chemistry." "I understand. Don't forget that I am both a general and an engineer!" Perry also laughed: "Because I know how to do it, I think the material is difficult to produce because the given physical parameters are not accurate." Ding Jieqiong looked at Perry in surprise.Yes, the general knows what to do.The female professor thought for a while and asked, "Where should I visit next?" "Go to the airport immediately," the general raised his wrist to look at his watch, "fly directly to 'W Base'!" "Base W" is actually a "plutonium plant" located in Washington State in the northeastern corner of the United States. To fly there, you have to diagonally pass through most of the continental United States.The original site selection principle was the same as that of Base X, and a large area was found that was sparsely populated, far away from towns, and overgrown with weeds and weeds.The land acquisition area is more than ten times larger: 500,000 acres! Uranium 238 can be transformed into plutonium 239 by neutron bombardment in the "atomic boiler".Plutonium can be chemically separated from its parent uranium.At the end of 1942, Dr. Ding Jieqiong's first research project after participating in the "Manhattan Project" was the "application prospect" of plutonium.She came up with a conclusion almost in the first few days of 1943: According to the technological level at that time, the success rate of industrial production of plutonium was 99%, and the success rate of making atomic bombs from plutonium was 100%. Ninety percent—this conclusion is far more optimistic than several other physicists including Orm... "God!" Perry clearly remembers jumping up when he heard the news.He immediately decided to build the W base for the production of plutonium. A wide and straight asphalt avenue, with eight lanes paved across it, extends to the sky, pointing to a mysterious new city.Some fully loaded trucks and stuffy tank trucks are shuttling back and forth... "Joan, look, who is it?" Perry pointed to the distance. "Ah, Aum!" Ding Jieqiong took a look and cried out with joy. The amount of house construction in Base W alone is equivalent to building a new city with a population of 400,000.Among them are permanent homes for 15,000 people.In addition to factories and houses, a large number of laboratories, warehouses, shops, bank branches, fences, power, water and gas supply systems, sewers, storage tanks, libraries and theaters were also built... "By the way, there is also the church." Perry told Ding Jieqiong, "Other things can be slowed down, but this is indispensable. I forgot about it at first, and used a circus dome tent to replace the church." At most, 45,000 people worked simultaneously on the site of the plutonium separation plant.One hundred and fifty-eight miles of railroads and three hundred and eighty-six miles of roads were built to reach the outside world.The power supply capacity increased from 100,000 kilowatts to 500,000 kilowatts.More than fifty miles of 230,000-volt transmission lines and four substations followed, along with hundreds of miles of distribution lines. The formation of plutonium in each "boiler" produced intense radiation with an energy equivalent to hundreds of tons of radium.Plutonium is also the most poisonous substance in the world, one gram of plutonium can kill one million people!In the event of a leak or explosion of the "boiler", the consequences would be dire.Even under normal operating conditions, radioactive material must be prevented from leaking and spreading with the atmosphere or water. "Boiler" coolants were originally considered water, heavy water, air or helium.At the critical moment, Ding Jieqiong's research on the principle of "suffocation" attracted attention again, and the issue of helium's radioactivity was brought up.The final decision was to use water as the coolant.Fortunately, the water quality of the Columbia River is so good that it can be used directly in the "boilers" after filtration. Each boiler needs 25,000 gallons of cooling water per minute.This water is recycled so that it does not pollute the Columbia River and harm fish.A water softening plant costing $10 million was never used. There shall be no small towns with a population of more than 1,000 within twenty miles of Base W, and no national or interstate roads or railways within ten miles.The designated hazardous production area is a rectangle sixteen miles long and twelve miles wide.The living quarters were not less than ten miles upwind.The laboratory is at least eight miles from the nearest "boiler" or plutonium plant.Six "boilers", each with a thermal power of 250,000 kilowatts, occupy an area of ​​one square mile; the distance between every two "boilers" is six miles.The original plan was to build eight chemical separation plants, which were later changed to six, then to four, and finally to three; the distance between plants should be at least four miles.In order to shield radiation, each "boiler" is surrounded by one foot thick lead, seven feet thick concrete wall and fifteen feet thick water, and also purchases thousands of tons of steel and millions of square feet of special wood panels... Each "boiler" is equipped with a quarter of a million pounds of equipment components that are far more sophisticated than clockwork.Uranium in rod or block form is enclosed in special aluminum tubes, a technology that Alcoa took a long time to figure out.There are high-precision and perfect special devices everywhere: control rods, safety rods, instruments, machinery for loading and unloading uranium rods, heavily shielded elevator rooms, and cooling systems, etc. Each workshop of the chemical separation plant is a continuous 800-foot concrete structure, divided into small rooms, which are full of various machines and equipment.Each cell is encased in seven-foot-thick concrete walls with six-foot-thick concrete slabs cast above.The railway network weaves the inside and outside of the factory together.The rails and wagons have been irradiated and are radioactive. Not only can they not be directly loaded, unloaded or repaired by humans, they can't even get close to them. They are all handled remotely with periscopes and manipulators.There are people everywhere, well-trained workers and technicians, thousands of lifters, plumbers, welders, sheet metal workers, electricians, carpenters and operators working like clockwork and orderly work... The W base is too large.It even took only one day to visit the entire X base, and it took three days to visit the main facilities of W base.At dusk on the last day, the convoy stopped in front of an inconspicuous two-story building.This is one of the guest houses on the base, away from the production area; apart from the parking lot, it is surrounded by boulevards, fountains, pools, lawns and gardens, and even a greenhouse... "Joan, do you understand now why there are as many as eight lanes on the main road leading to the outside world?" Perry was full of confidence from his demeanor to his tone. , orderly evacuation." "General," the female professor thought for a while, "I have a question..." "Don't ask one question," the general said with a smile on his face, "Ten questions will do." "From the base workers to the fish in the Columbia River, you are all the ones you care about." Ding Jieqiong hesitated, "But have you considered how many lives will be destroyed when this bomb is dropped—assuming it is successfully developed?" "What do you mean by 'living'?" The general suppressed his smile and turned his face. "Does the 'living' you mean include Hitler and Hirohito?" "..." The female professor became nervous. "Are these two guys qualified to be called 'living beings'?" The general looked at the female professor coldly, as if looking at a stranger: "No, they are damned devils, they deserve to die ten thousand times!" "But," Ding Jieqiong plucked up her courage, but still stuttered, "the people are innocent..." "Have you forgotten that Hitler came to power through elections? Have you forgotten the fanatical worship and absolute obedience of the Japanese to the emperor? What are those people who gave birth to, created and encouraged the devil, and formed a powerful fascist army and executioner group 'Crowds' in the sense? Can they be 'innocent'? No, they have committed crimes against all humanity and human history!" Perry was known for his witty personality.His usual expression is a smile, especially in front of "Joan".No one expected that he would suddenly become so serious, cold and angry.But now, the general suddenly changed his tone, like teasing, but also very serious: "Really, sometimes I really want to learn some anatomy..." "You mean—" Ding Jieqiong was taken aback. "What I mean is, if Hitler and Hirohito fall into my hands one day, I would like to examine them comprehensively from the perspective of physical structure, organ morphology and even cytological level, to see how they are different from ordinary people, and what can even arouse them. The fanatical worship of millions of bastards!" The general calmed down a bit, but his eyes and tone were still full of sarcasm, "Also, respectable female philanthropist, before you invent a weapon that can accurately distinguish between bad guys and good guys , please don’t sing such high-sounding words in front of me again.” Ding Jieqiong moved her lips, trying to say something, but Aum gently tugged at her sleeve.So she stared at the ground and fell silent.The people present looked at each other, but no one said anything. "Sorry, I have to fly to Washington immediately. The President himself is waiting to be briefed. Goodbye, gentlemen." The general looked up at his watch.He had managed to control his emotions and shook hands with everyone present.He finally extended his hand to the female professor: "Miss, I am very happy to spend four days with you. Your next trip will be accompanied by Dr. Olmhorse." The general was talking, but his eyes were elsewhere.Ding Jieqiong stretched out his right hand expressionlessly, and subconsciously followed the general's line of sight.But there was a two-person-high placard erected in the green grass twenty steps away from them.Placards were erected all over the base, a third of which reminded of safety and secrecy.What surprised Ding Jieqiong was that no two pieces of text had the same content.On the piece in front of me, the following lines of white words are neatly written on the eye-catching brown-red background—— "What you see, what you hear and what you do, when you leave here, let it stay here!"