The Literary Life of a Science Leader

Chapter 79 Computational Analysis, Classmate Encounter

"The design is okay, but the precision of 3D printing is still not as good as traditional processing methods."

If you have something to talk about, the journey on the plane won't be so boring.

At present, the engine in our country takes at least 10 years from design to completion, and it takes 30-36 months in foreign countries, or about three years.

The reason it took so long was because too many physical experiments were done.The manufacturing of one of our engines, not counting design, even building it, takes more than a year; from a research perspective, it requires several rounds of iterations, and every time the design fails to meet the goal, it has to start again.

It is urgent to shorten the cycle and number of iterations and innovate the concepts and methods of engine design.

There used to be a very famous saying in our country, which is that engines are tested. This sentence is actually quite correct. Engines require a lot of test verification, but there is another layer behind this sentence, that is, our computational design level is not very good.

However, another sentence was popular in the West almost ten or fifteen years ago, It's better not to develop aero engines through a 'build & bust' process.

When developing aircraft engines, it is best not to follow the "build and then destroy" process.

Different from the previous "experiment is a part of design iteration", through MASK, that is, Modeling, Analysis, Simulation, Computing methods, the design of aero-engines by advanced western companies is more a series of numerical calculations and analysis, and as a result Basic, fine-tuned optimization.

Experimentation is largely a validation of the design rather than directly engaging in the iteration of the design, which is a huge difference.

Fortunately, Huaxia has also begun to follow this path.

The design work mainly based on calculation and analysis is the main direction of self-developed engine.

As the aircraft becomes more and more complex, if the traditional model is followed, the number of test hours will increase, and by 2030, it will reach 100 million hours; and if the analytical calculation method is used, it can be reduced by 2 orders of magnitude to 10 hours.

Making full use of computing power can not only shorten the time, but in the AI ​​era, it can also use the "imagination" of computers to innovate designs.

Now most engineering design optimizations are continuous, and sometimes it is impossible to imagine what this shape is like; what is topology optimization?Now you can set the conditions to be met, and use artificial intelligence to let the computer think without any constraints.

And this will have a revolutionary impact on aircraft design.

In fact, this method of calculation and analysis is also used in materials research and development.

By integrating the experimental data and calculation simulation data, no matter good or bad, a database with a certain amount can be formed.In the database, a machine learning model can be established based on certain properties of the material, so that the performance of the material can be quickly predicted, and even new materials can be designed, which solves the problems of long cycle time and high cost.

In 2018, a review article entitled "Application of Machine Learning in Molecular and Materials Science" was published in the regular issue of Nature.

The article introduces in detail the important role of machine learning in guiding chemical synthesis, assisting multi-dimensional material characterization, and obtaining new material design methods, etc., and indicates that the new generation of computer science will have a transformative effect on materials science.

"Machining accuracy, this is a big problem!"

Zhang Chuyang also knew that although they were engaged in materials, they also knew a lot about mechanical engineering. After all, the application of materials was in the category of mechanical engineering.

"Yes!" Mu Jingchi sighed.

Huaxia's high-precision processing is really not very good, and he can't solve it for the time being.

The issue of aero engines will not become easier because of the discussion between the two of them, but the two of them started talking about various aeronautical materials starting from aero engines.

Materials used for cylinders, pistons, compressors, combustion chambers, turbines, shafts, tailpipes, fuselages, wings, etc., aluminum alloys, titanium alloys and composite materials.

···
4 hours later.

The plane landed smoothly at Meilan International Airport in Haikou.

Special assistance personnel came from the airport and took Professor Yang and his party to the hotel.

The layout of the hotel is not bad, perhaps because of tourism to attract tourists, the hotel looks quite luxurious at first glance.

First, sign in under the arrangement of the hotel reception staff, then get the room card, and finally get on the elevator to enter your room.Mu Jingchi and Zhang Chuyang were in the same room.

This is a suite. The specifications are different for academic conferences organized by national ministries and commissions. It has a large living room and two bedrooms, each equipped with an independent bathroom.

Open the glass door of the living room, and you will come to the balcony, where you can directly see the ocean.

The sea breeze is blowing, very refreshing and cool.

"Chizi, go meet your classmates." Zhang Chuyang put down the things in the book, and handed the phone to Mu Jingchi, "I only found out that Wang Wenqiao also came to this meeting after I posted on Moments."

Seeing the likes and comments in WeChat Moments, Mu Jingchi also nodded, "Go, let's see how he is doing."

Wang Wenqiao, Zhang Chuyang, and Mu Jingchi are classmates, and they are also academic masters, but their direction is in the direction of semiconductor materials.After graduating from undergraduate, I went to Stanford University in the United States to study for a Ph. D. I have not contacted for a long time.

After all, everyone is very busy.

"Yangzi!"

When he came to the hotel lobby, a familiar voice stopped Zhang Chuyang's pace, and then Mu Jingchi saw a figure he hadn't seen for a long time.

It's just that it's a little different from the figure in my previous memory. The glasses seem to be thicker, and the hairline seems to have moved back a little.

It was Wang Wenqiao.

He walked over quickly and hugged Zhang Chuyang.

"Mu Jieqing is here too, it's rare!"

Mu Jingchi had few friends before, so Wang Wenqiao didn't come to hug him, but he still showed a happy smile when he saw Mu Jingchi.

"What?" Mu Jingchi didn't understand what Wang Wenqiao said.

"Mu Jieqing." Wang Wenqiao pushed up his glasses and explained to Mu Jingchi, "Your Z325 series aluminum alloy caused a strong stir in our circle, especially those of us with Ph. The news of the Outstanding Youth Award is spreading in our circle again, we call you that in private."

Mu Jingchi turned his gaze to Zhang Chuyang, who shrugged.

"That means you're not very active. That's what we called you when we were in school. It's a title of respect, and it means recognition of your status as a boss."

Zhang Chuyang turned the topic to Wang Wenqiao, "I haven't seen you for more than half a year, you have changed a lot!"

"There is no way, the scientific research pressure in the United States is extremely high." Wang Wenqiao scratched his hair, "I feel scared every time I wash my hair, and I grab a lot of it."

While talking, Wang Wenqiao looked at Zhang Chuyang and then at Mu Jingchi, "You two haven't changed much."

"I'll forget it." Zhang Chuyang turned to Mu Jingchi, "This guy has changed a lot."

　The more I write, the later it will be, no, I have to find a way.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)