Siheyuan: I am protecting Shazhu, who dares to object?

Chapter 278: Exploration and Dilemma of Deep-sea Agricultural Machinery

As the research and development of space agricultural machinery prototypes has achieved phased results, the Global Agricultural Machinery Innovation Alliance has turned its attention to the more mysterious and deep ocean and started preliminary research on deep-sea agricultural machinery.

At the alliance's deep-sea agricultural machinery pre-research project launch meeting, the atmosphere was warm and full of expectations.

Wang Dashan said with a firm look: "Comrades, deep-sea agriculture is a vast world that has not yet been fully developed. It has a unique environment and huge potential. We must bravely explore the innovative path of deep-sea agricultural machinery just as we have solved the problem of space agricultural machinery."

Professor Thompson, a marine biologist from the UK, spoke first: "Chairman, the deep-sea environment is extremely special, with high pressure, low temperature and darkness as its prominent features. We must first consider the pressure-resistant structural design of the machinery, and develop materials and structures that can withstand the huge pressure of the deep sea. This is the basis of deep-sea agricultural machinery."

Pierre, a French mechanical engineer, went on to say: "At the same time, energy supply is even more critical in the deep sea. Sunlight is difficult to reach the deep sea, and conventional solar energy is definitely not enough. We have to explore other forms of energy, such as using deep-sea hydrothermal energy or developing efficient energy storage devices to ensure that machinery can operate stably for a long time in the deep sea."

Japanese agricultural expert Sato said: "In terms of planting and breeding technology, we need to study crops and aquaculture species suitable for deep-sea environments, as well as matching precision feeding, environmental monitoring and control systems. After all, the deep-sea ecosystem is very different from that of land and shallow sea."

Wang Dashan listened carefully to everyone's speeches, nodded and said, "Everyone's analysis hits the nail on the head. We will first organize a professional team to conduct more in-depth exploration and research on the deep-sea environment, collect data, and provide a basis for mechanical research and development. Each member unit will undertake corresponding research and development tasks based on its own advantages, and the Technical Research and Development Committee will formulate a detailed timetable and roadmap."

As a result, all member units took action.

Guangming Factory has joined hands with some companies with experience in marine engineering to form a deep-sea mechanical structure R&D team.

They simulated the deep-sea high-pressure environment in the laboratory and tested various new materials.

Xiao Li, the technical backbone of Guangming Factory, and his team members work day and night in the laboratory.

Xiao Li frowned as he looked at the test data and said, "Engineer Zhang, although this new alloy material has good strength, it still shows slight deformation under high pressure, which may affect the long-term stability of the machine."

Engineer Zhang thought for a moment and replied, "We can try to add some special strengthening elements to the alloy and adjust the heat treatment process to see if we can improve its compressive resistance."

In terms of energy research and development, German and South Korean companies and research institutions are cooperating to conduct in-depth research on the use of deep-sea hydrothermal energy.

They sent a research vessel to the deep-sea hydrothermal area for field exploration.

On the research vessel, German engineer Hans looked at the data from the detection instrument and said, "Dr. Jin, the hydrothermal energy here contains huge energy, but how to efficiently convert it into a mechanically usable energy form requires further exploration. The current conversion device is too inefficient."

Dr. Kim from South Korea responded: “We can refer to some existing ocean energy conversion technologies and design a new conversion system based on the characteristics of deep-sea hydrothermal fluids. Perhaps we can adopt a multi-stage energy conversion approach to improve the overall efficiency.”

As for the planting and breeding technology research and development team, they conducted experiments in specially designed deep-sea simulated breeding ponds.

Looking at the less than ideal breeding results in the breeding pond, Japanese researcher Suzuki said helplessly to his colleagues: "We have tried to breed a variety of deep-sea algae and small fish, but because the environmental simulation is not accurate enough, their growth rate and survival rate are not high. We need to control water temperature, water pressure, water quality and other parameters more accurately."

Professor Zhao, a Chinese agricultural expert, said: "We can cooperate with marine environmental research institutions to obtain more accurate data on the deep-sea environment and then improve our aquaculture system. At the same time, we can study some biological nutrients suitable for the deep-sea environment to promote the growth of aquaculture organisms."

However, as the preliminary research progressed, difficulties arose one after another.

The deep-sea mechanical structure R&D team encountered a bottleneck in the innovation of materials and structures, and the results of many tests were not satisfactory.

At a project seminar, Xiao Li said frustratedly: "Director Wang, we have tried various methods, but still cannot find a material that can meet the pressure resistance requirements and has good processing properties. The existing materials are either not strong enough or too expensive to be used on a large scale."

Wang Dashan encouraged him: "Xiao Li, don't be discouraged. Scientific research is inherently challenging. We can expand the scope of international cooperation and find more material experts and research institutions to participate. Perhaps we can find a breakthrough in some emerging material research fields."

The energy research and development team also faces huge challenges.

The instability and difficulty in sustainable collection of deep-sea hydrothermal energy have put the research and development of energy supply systems into a difficult situation.

Hans said anxiously in the conference call: "Everyone, we have encountered big problems with the stability of the deep-sea hydrothermal energy collection device. The geological activities in the deep sea are frequent, and the location and flow of hydrothermal vents often change, which makes it difficult for our collection device to work continuously and stably."

Sato suggested: "Can we consider developing a mobile, adaptive energy harvester that can automatically adjust its position and harvesting method according to changes in the hydrothermal vents?"

Although some progress has been made in planting and breeding technology, there is still a long way to go before it can be put into practical use.

Professor Zhao said at the technical exchange meeting: "We have made some new discoveries in the selection and breeding of deep-sea aquaculture organisms, but how to achieve large-scale aquaculture and harvesting, and how to coordinate with mechanical operations, still requires in-depth research. For example, the automated feeding and fishing systems of deep-sea aquaculture equipment still have many technical loopholes."

Despite facing many difficulties, the alliance members did not give up.

They constantly adjust their R&D strategies, strengthen international exchanges and cooperation, continue to forge ahead on the road of preliminary research of deep-sea agricultural machinery, and work hard to achieve the mechanization and sustainable development of deep-sea agriculture.