novelsite Joining Chapter 13
Joining Chapter 13
At 9:00 AM, at Oberhausen marshalling yard, a temporary meeting area was set up inside the EIS-7 car.
Wang Zhengyang arrived half an hour early. He had Chen Yishang's apprentices set up a makeshift meeting table in a corner of the carriage using scrap wood and a few toolboxes, set up a few folding chairs, and even brought in a second-hand small diesel heater—the carriage was already quite cold in the autumn.
Lin Luo'er arrived on time. She wasn't wearing her white lab coat today; instead, she wore a light beige knitted cardigan over a simple white T-shirt, paired with dark blue skinny jeans and light gray sneakers. Her long hair was still pulled back, but she wore a simpler black hairpin instead. She carried a heavy-looking laptop backpack and a transparent plastic box containing several beakers, test tubes, and some instruments that Wang Zhengyang couldn't identify.
"Good morning, Dr. Wang." She nodded slightly, her voice still clear and crisp, but less wary than yesterday, and more professional and earnest.
"Lin, please have a seat." Wang Zhengyang gestured for her to sit opposite him and handed her a bottle of mineral water he had just bought. "Please excuse the simple conditions."
"It's alright, I've been in much more rudimentary environments when doing experiments." Lin Luo'er put down her backpack and suitcase and sat down on a folding chair. She looked around, her gaze lingering for a moment on the massive spatial structure of the carriage and the thick steel plates. "This is... that 'mobile platform'?"
"It's part of it. This is the equipment compartment at the rear of the locomotive, which is planned to be converted into one of the living and experimental areas in the future." Wang Zhengyang didn't hide anything, but he didn't reveal more either. "Today we'll discuss the technical solutions first. What are your initial thoughts after reviewing those requirements documents?"
Lin Luo'er opened her laptop and pulled up a PDF document that had been heavily annotated and reviewed. "I organized it last night. First, the biggest challenges are the space constraints and vibration resistance requirements." Her finger slid across the touchpad, opening a diagram she had drawn herself. "The space parameters you provided are 6 meters long, 2.5 meters wide, and 2.2 meters high, with a net space of approximately 33 cubic meters. To support the basic life needs of 60-80 people within this volume, the system's integration level must be extremely high."
Wang Zhengyang leaned closer to the screen. Lin Luoer's design was very professional, employing a layered modular architecture: the bottom layer was the water treatment and circulation system, the middle layer was the solid waste treatment and gasification unit, the upper layer was the multi-layer hydroponic planting rack, and the top layer was the air circulation and temperature and humidity control module. Each module had detailed dimension markings and interface definitions.
"I referenced the design of the International Space Station's 'Vegetable Production System' and 'Biomass Recycling Processor,' but made significant simplifications," Lin Luo'er explained, her speech quickening and her eyes sparkling. "The water cycle uses a three-stage filtration system plus ultraviolet disinfection, with a target recovery rate of 85%. Solid waste is treated in a small pyrolysis gasification furnace, and the resulting syngas can be used for auxiliary heating or power generation, while the ash can be used as a mineral supplement for the planting substrate. Air circulation uses activated carbon plus photocatalytic oxidation, supplemented by a small amount of high-pressure oxygen as a buffer."
She switched pages to display the design of the planting area. "Planting is the key focus. I calculated that to meet each person's daily requirement of 500 grams of fresh vegetables, we need about 8 square meters of effective planting area. I designed a four-tiered A-frame structure, with a total footprint of 4.5 square meters, but through vertical planting, the effective area can reach 12 square meters. The crops selected are mainly leafy vegetables and miniature fruits and vegetables with short growth cycles and high nutrient density: lettuce, spinach, bok choy, cherry radishes, and miniature tomatoes. The lighting uses full-spectrum LEDs, with programmable control of photoperiod and light intensity."
Wang Zhengyang listened attentively, occasionally asking questions such as, "How is the nutrient solution prepared? How is it monitored and adjusted?"
"It uses the Hogland formula as a base, but it will be dynamically adjusted according to the crop growth stage and the ion concentration in the recycled water." Lin Luo'er opened another file, which contained complex calculation formulas and graphs. "I designed a simple sensor array: a pH meter, an EC meter, a dissolved oxygen probe, and an ion-selective electrode. The data will be transmitted to a Raspberry Pi controller to run the control algorithm I wrote. Of course, manual intervention may be needed initially, but the system will learn and optimize."
"What about power consumption? How much power does this system require to operate at full capacity?"
"The design peak power is 2.8 kilowatts, mainly for LED lights and the heating unit of the gasifier. However, through off-peak operation and intelligent regulation, the average daily power consumption can be controlled at around 30 kilowatt-hours. If the platform has its own power generation system, it should be able to handle it."
Wang Zhengyang quickly calculated in his mind. The two MAN diesel generator sets of the EIS-7 have a total power of 1600 kilowatts, which is more than enough to support this system. The bigger challenge is how to ensure the stable operation of the system under the conditions of train movement, vibration, and tilting.
"What solutions do you have for the vibration and tilting issues?"
Lin Luo'er bit her lower lip—Wang Zhengyang noticed this was a habitual gesture she made when thinking. "This part is the most difficult. Hydroponic systems are very sensitive to liquid level stability; vibration can cause root damage and uneven nutrient solution mixing. My solution is: first, all storage tanks and planting troughs will adopt a low center of gravity and wide-bottom design; second, key connections will use flexible pipes and shock-absorbing supports; third, the entire planting rack will use an independent suspension shock absorption system, decoupled from the vehicle body structure." She pulled up a 3D model, demonstrating the complex shock absorption mechanism and locking device. "When the platform moves violently, the locking mechanism can be activated to temporarily fix the planting rack. But this will affect crop growth, so it can only be used as an emergency measure."
Looking at the design on the screen, Wang Zhengyang secretly admired her. This girl not only had solid professional knowledge, but also excellent engineering thinking. Although her plan was still somewhat idealistic, the framework was clear, the key issues were considered, and there were feasible solutions.
"In addition," Lin Luo'er added, lowering her voice, "I would also like to make a suggestion... that may exceed our current needs."
"Please speak."
“Genetic diversity.” She looked up, meeting Wang Zhengyang’s eyes directly. “If this is a closed system meant to operate long-term, the genetic diversity of crop seeds is crucial. Using only a few commercial varieties means the entire system could collapse if disease or environmental mutations occur. I recommend… stockpiling seeds of at least thirty different varieties, preferably heirloom varieties or wild relatives, and regularly implementing small-scale crop rotation. This requires additional storage space and management, but it is necessary in the long run.”
Wang Zhengyang was shocked. This was exactly the same as what was mentioned in the experimental log from his previous life—Lin Luo'er insisted on finding more seeds even in dire straits because she knew that without genetic diversity, the system would eventually collapse. This foresight and perseverance surpassed many engineers who only focused on immediate efficiency.
"Excellent suggestion." Wang Zhengyang nodded. "I'll add it to the procurement list. So, Lin, would you be willing to officially join the project? We need you to be responsible for the design, procurement, and debugging of the entire life support system. The remuneration will be as we discussed yesterday, and the contract period is tentatively set at six months, which can be renewed if the project continues."
Lin Luo'er was silent for a few seconds, her fingers unconsciously tracing the edge of the computer screen. "Dr. Wang, I have another question. This project... is ultimately going to take us back to China, right? What about the recommendation opportunity you mentioned earlier..."
"It should be written in black and white as an appendix to the contract." Wang Zhengyang took out the prepared draft contract from his briefcase, turned to the relevant page, and said, "After the project is completed, based on your contributions and performance evaluation, Party A—that is, the National Equipment Industry Research Institute—is obligated to recommend outstanding technical personnel to the cooperating research institutions. Of course, the final hiring depends on the other party's evaluation, but your professional background and project experience will be important advantages."
Lin Luo'er took the contract and carefully read through the terms. Her eyelashes drooped, casting a small shadow on her cheek. After a long while, she looked up and said, "Okay. I'll join."
Wang Zhengyang extended his hand: "Welcome to the team, Engineer Lin."
Lin Luo'er's hand was slightly cool, but her grip was firm. "Thank you, Dr. Wang. When can I start purchasing experimental equipment? Some sensors and controllers need to be customized, and the delivery time is relatively long."
"It can be done today. I'll grant you temporary purchasing authority. You can make direct decisions on equipment purchases under 5,000 euros per transaction, and use the project account. You need to send me a copy of the list." Wang Zhengyang handed her a prepared authorization card and a supplier list. "Also, spend the next few days refining the design plan. Next week, we need to finalize the technical specifications and start processing some non-standard parts."
"clear."
After seeing Lin Luo'er off, Wang Zhengyang stood in the carriage, watching the direction the girl had gone. She carried a heavy laptop bag, yet her steps were light and energetic. In the sunlight, her hairpin gleamed with a jet-black luster.
He suppressed the turmoil in his heart once more. Focusing on the present, time was running out.