Zhao Renkai, an internationally renowned nuclear power expert, one of the founders and pioneers of China's nuclear power science and engineering technology design, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Cao Yuhua, operator and simulator instructor of CNNC Fujian Fuqing Nuclear Power Co., Ltd., Zhou Guanglin, senior engineer of China's Nuclear Power Safety and Quality Department, and Zhao Yong, associate researcher of the Institute of Nuclear Fuels and Materials Courtesy of interviewee
In the TV series "May You Ten Thousand Lights Shine", when Meng Xiaowei, played by Li Randi, announced that the world's first reactor of "Hualong No. 1" was successfully connected to the grid for the first time, next to the computer screen, Cao Yuhua, the prototype of this character, the operator and simulator instructor of CNNC Fujian Fuqing Nuclear Power Co., Ltd., shed tears.
"Hualong One", a name that shines in the world. It is a milestone - breaking the monopoly of foreign nuclear power technology and the restriction of intellectual property rights, so that the mainland has three generations of nuclear power technology with completely independent intellectual property rights. On February 2 this year, two megawatt units of China's independent third-generation nuclear power "Hualong No. 1" were officially delivered to Pakistan. The delivery of the first overseas project of "Hualong No. 1" indicates that China's nuclear power technology represented by nuclear power has ranked among the forefront of the world.
Mystery Base "909"
Where does the confidence and confidence in China's nuclear power come from scratch?
For this question, a reporter from China Youth Daily walked into the "909 base" to try to find an answer. A small courtyard sheltered by green trees is simple and quiet, which is the former site of the first research and design institute of the second machine department. The gray wall made of cobblestones shows the traces of time, and the plaque hanging in the middle of the main building silently tells an unusual history: "Nuclear submarines, 10,000 years to be made!" ”
Back in time, it was more than half a century ago in the depths of the mountains of Sichuan.
People at that time did not know that hidden among the mountains and valleys was the secret research and development site of China's first generation nuclear submarine, codenamed "909".
In 1965, the development of the first generation of mainland nuclear submarines officially began. 8,000 soldiers and civilians from all over the motherland gathered in this deep mountain and dense forest. In the face of inquiries from local people, they only said that they belonged to the "Southwest Hydropower Research Institute". In the 70s of the 20th century, the first nuclear power reactor on the mainland was developed here, which issued the first nuclear power, which became the power source of the mainland's first generation of nuclear submarines. Peng Shilu, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and China's first chief designer of nuclear submarines, Zhao Renkai, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and one of the deputy chief designers of China's nuclear submarines, all of them once hid here, became incognito celebrities, and used scientific research to protect the peace and tranquility of the motherland.
Still in this dense forest, young scientific research forces took over the baton of their predecessors and bravely climbed the peak on the road of independent innovation. Zhao Yong, an associate researcher at the Institute of Nuclear Fuel and Materials, said: "Once, we were children standing on the shoulders of giants. Today, we are the ones who provoke the backbone of a great power. "A force called faith has taken root in the hearts of generations of people in the nuclear industry.
The heavy weapons of a great power must be firmly in their own hands
In early 1965, Zhao Renkai was appointed as one of the main technical leaders of the research, design and commissioning operation of the land-based model reactor of nuclear submarines. In the days of fighting in the mountains of Sichuan, transportation was inconvenient, and poisonous snakes and mosquitoes were rampant. The "dry base" house is made of loess, the ground is full of mud, the windows are small, and in the summer, the room becomes a steamer, and there are many "mosquito bags" on everyone. Zhao Renkai originally needed to rely on sleeping pills to fall asleep, but the rats here were particularly arrogant, and his short sleep was disturbed. But he is optimistic, "just get used to it."
In order to ensure the accuracy of the drawings, Zhao Renkai and his colleagues worked overtime for 18 consecutive days and nights, checked and proofread tens of thousands of drawings and data, and found out more than 100 problems affecting the quality and progress of the project; In order to ensure that the joint of the pressure vessel and the support skirt can withstand the net weight of 100 tons and the instantaneous impact force when welding, Zhao Renkai has always insisted on the welding site with a temperature of up to 250 degrees Celsius at the "groove", and workers are constantly sent away due to fainting due to high temperature, but Zhao Renkai has never retreated.
Later, a staff member recalled: "The first criticality, the first power increase, the first nuclear power generation, these key nodes are Zhao Zong on duty, he is always at the work site, and he does not give himself a day off." ”
On August 1, 1974, the mainland's first nuclear submarine "Long March 1" was delivered to naval service. On the bridge of the nuclear submarine at the scene, there was only one person without a military uniform and quietly watching all this, he was Zhao Renkai.
In 1988, as the chief nuclear power division, Zhao Renkai led a team to the South China Sea to participate in the deep-sea test of the first generation of nuclear submarines. Before diving down, he left a suicide note and gifts for his family, ready to "martyr his country." Zhao Renkai's son recalled emotionally in an interview with reporters: "Until my mother died, she didn't know what kind of experiment my father did. My father never spoke of the dangers he was experiencing, and he was afraid that we would be afraid. Decades ago, in the 909 base, the contributions made by the predecessors are gradually understood by the world today, but these people are no longer there. I hope that we will record the experiences of the older generation so that future generations can understand and pass them on. ”
Youth echoing deep in the mountains
The stars and lights in the mountains of Sichuan have lit up the heavy weapons of the great powers, and the mighty spirit of serving the country has been passed on to later generations. It has never been easy to build a big country and a heavy weapon. But there are always people who are willing to take on the heavy responsibility and move forward bravely.
Tense nerves at any time, monitor the operation status of the unit during the shift; A pair of fire eyes and golden eyes, timely detection of any abnormality of the unit and control ... The TV series "May You Ten Thousand Lights" vividly portrays the working state of the operator. In Cao Yuhua's eyes, the operator is the guardian of the safe operation of the nuclear power plant.
Cao Yuhua has an indissoluble bond with "Hualong No. 1". In 2014, when Fuqing Nuclear Power Unit 1 was still in the hot test stage, one day, Cao Yuhua, a commissioning engineer, organized the completion of the comprehensive test of non-nuclear steam rushing and power loss of steam turbine. The head of the department said: "Receiving a batch of Hualong No. 1 design documents needs to be reviewed, and you are responsible for organizing it. Already with heavy responsibilities and temporary additions of new tasks, she did not retreat. Since then, Cao Yuhua has become a reviewer of the "Hualong No. 1" design documents. Countless late nights, she buried herself in organizing commissioning personnel to review the "Hualong No. 1" system manual and equipment technical specifications, etc., until the east was white.
In 2018, Cao Yuhua was selected to serve as the first batch of "Hualong No. 1" operator theory training instructor and part-time simulator training instructor, and as the first batch of learning operators, he had to participate in the operator and senior operator examinations. Due to the long training cycle of operators, during this period, like other operators, she participated in training during the day and worked overtime at night to prepare technical documents and handle daily affairs. In 2019, she passed the first batch of operator examinations of "Hualong No. 1", becoming the first female operator of the world's first "Hualong No. 1" nuclear power unit.
Today, in order to cultivate more nuclear power talents, Cao Yuhua has a new identity: a full-time simulator training instructor. Up to now, Fuqing Nuclear Power has trained more than 100 "Hualong No. 1" operators in various fields such as operation, production planning, safety supervision and training. She also organized the development of the "Hualong No. 1 Simulator Training Introduction" course, shooting 7 hours of English video to help "Hualong No. 1" "go global". Becoming a "little screw" in the heavy weapon of a big country, she said, she is happy.
Zhou Guanglin, a senior engineer at China's Nuclear Power Safety and Quality Department, was a nuclear power operator at Hainan Nuclear Power Unit 1.2. He worked hard in the main control room, which was filled with thousands of dashboards, electronic screens and buttons, to monitor the operation of nuclear power plants and prevent small things from happening before they could take precautions. Now working in the safety and quality department, he will analyze and extract the data filled in and reported by various domestic nuclear power plants every day, analyze and summarize experience and lessons, sort out excellent cases for engineers to learn and improve, and summarize various safety "defects" or deviations for engineers to avoid and improve. The process of gradually improving the system is also a process of constantly pursuing excellence and surpassing oneself. He said: "Nuclear safety is no small matter, nuclear power personnel strictly abide by the rules and regulations, complete the operation process with a rigorous attitude, and improve their capabilities. As the creator and guardian of the heavy weapons of the great country, we inject the spirit of craftsmanship into every day's work and every operation step, and constantly strive for excellence. ”
Once, a generation left their youth and blood in the depths of the mountains. Today, the mountains and plants of Shudi are verdant, and the echo is still there.
Zhao Yong spends nearly half of his week working deep in the mountains. There are also many researchers who have taken root there, including many recent master's and doctoral graduates.
He also remembers that in 2018, when he first came here after graduating with a doctorate, there was only one shuttle bus a week to transport researchers between the mountains and Chengdu Huayang R&D base.
Although life in the deep mountains is monotonous, it also allows them to focus more on scientific research, and many independent research and development of nuclear fuels on the mainland have made new breakthroughs here. "Walking at the forefront of the industry and contributing to the society, I think this is the pursuit of every scientific research worker." Zhao Yong said.
Nowadays, there is a daily shuttle bus between Yamazato and Huayang R&D base. Researchers who have made their home in the city no longer suffer from the pain of being separated from their families. Deep in the mountains, well-equipped apartments for researchers have also been built, eliminating the worries of researchers' lives. This year, Zhao Yong's team has brought many post-90s. In this environment of respect for knowledge and talent, they are growing rapidly. As the "big brother" of the post-80s generation in the team, Zhao Yong said: "I hope we can all achieve the focus and calmness of the older generation of researchers." Stand on the shoulders of the predecessors, regard scientific research as your own interest, and find a sense of gain from scientific research. ”
Source: China Youth Daily