Liang de's story

At the beginning of 1960, in order to check the quality of shooting range equipment and train through practical operation, the superior decided to use imported P-2 missiles for shooting test.

Fuel, like explosives in bombs, is the food of missiles. Without qualified fuel, the missile can only be an empty shell. China built a chemical plant according to the drawings provided by the Soviet side, and transported a load of fuel to the launch base in advance. But experts from the former Soviet Union said that China's fuel should be sent to the former Soviet Union for testing. The test results greatly exceeded the expectations of China experts such as Pan Shou. Experts in the former Soviet Union said that China's fuel contained too much combustible substances, and the rocket was in danger of explosion when it was launched with China's propellant. To launch a rocket, you must buy propellant from the former Soviet Union.

Obviously, if China does not master the production technology of rocket propellant, China's missile development plan will run aground once the experts from the former Soviet Union leave. Therefore, China experts very much hope to try China's own fuel in this launch test. Our country, through Sun Jixian, commander of the base, consulted with experts from the former Soviet Union and suggested using China's propellant. If the launch fails, China will bear the responsibility. But the answer is still an arrogant shake of the head-because the missile was made in the former Soviet Union, it seems that this is not selfless assistance. Without its own propellant, it is impossible to develop China's own rocket industry. Liang was very angry: "our products have been tested and completely reached the standards stipulated in the data." Why can't it be used? " What he said is by no means an exaggeration. He did conduct a rigorous laboratory analysis of domestic propellants. Chinese and foreign experts present know that this man with Socrates' forehead never talks empty words.

These words are no small matter. They are like a bomb, breaking the peace that seems to have formed under high pressure. "The opinions of experts should be respected, otherwise it is not easy to explain the problem." Good people advised him. "Imported materials are also expert opinions and are the crystallization of more expert opinions. According to theoretical analysis, there can be no problem with our fuel. If I am wrong, I am willing to accept punishment! " Liang's forceful answer stunned all the people present. However, experts from the former Soviet Union still do not express their opinions. However, the wisdom and talent contained in that broad forehead really made them feel uneasy.

It was a night in Chu Qing after the rain. On a desolate concrete pavement in the suburbs of Beijing, patches of water are shining brightly under the starry sky, and dewdrops on hairy weeds on the roadside are dripping in the breeze. In the darkness, a figure lingered. "no!" He shook his head. "every step of my calculation has been carefully examined ... but why?" He thought hard.

A week later, the crux of the problem was finally found. It turned out that foreign experts mistook the gaseous volume of a substance in the analysis data as the liquid volume, so the percentage of this impurity in liquid fuel was 1000 times higher than the actual value. The propellant calculated in this way cannot be used. It is hard to understand that such a mistake was made by a foreign expert, and I really don't know how to explain it. Dye Pan Shou is ready to face a bigger argument.

However, everything is redundant. 1960, the foreign expert group withdrew; The promised propellant was also delayed again and again because of an accident in the propellant factory. In the face of difficulties, Liang was not discouraged. "I guarantee that our propellant 100% is qualified," Liang said to Marshal Nie.

1960 September 10 On the twentieth day after the evacuation of foreign experts, China successfully launched a P-2 ballistic missile on its own territory for the first time, which wrote the first page in the history of China's missile development. But this is just the beginning. Liang clearly knows that to develop China's rocket industry, we can't always crawl behind others. Before the experts of the former Soviet Union withdrew, Liang and his colleagues had put forward a plan to use a new type of high-energy propellant, which was rejected by foreign experts. "This kind of thing can't be used, we have tried. Although its performance is good, it is highly toxic and cumulative. " Now, the experts have withdrawn, giving Liang and his colleagues freedom. They are determined to explore in the experiment. "Whether this propellant can work depends on its toxicity and whether there are symptomatic detoxification drugs. We should attach importance to the opinions of foreign experts, but we can't always let others' opinions bind our hands and feet like a rope. Whether it is possible or not should be decided by our own in-depth analysis and testing. "

To this end, Liang and experts from the Academy of Military Medical Sciences conducted experiments on the toxicity mechanism of new fuels. After more than a year's efforts, the contradiction between high performance and high toxicity was finally solved. The new propellant is a kind of liquid propellant with storage resistance and large thrust. Its successful development laid the foundation for the practical application of missiles and the development of long-range launch vehicles. Soon, the first ballistic missile developed by China and equipped with new propellant was launched and hit the target accurately. After watching the launch test, Marshal Nie Rongzhen excitedly said to the experts present: "Very good! Thank you for winning glory for the motherland. " As a result of overcoming a series of technical problems such as high-energy propellant, China has accelerated the process of developing its own large-scale medium-and long-range launch vehicle. However, in front of the newly-grown rocket experts in China, a new subject ── diameter has emerged. What is the diameter of the rocket? Don't underestimate this problem, its size determines the internal layout of the whole launch vehicle. Sun Jiadong, who was the general commander of the rocket at that time, came to the conclusion that the diameter of the rocket should be between 2.2m and 2.40m after discussion and demonstration.

Someone objected: "When we were studying abroad, the professors said that the maximum diameter of a bullet could only be1.8m. If the diameter was increased to 2.4m, it would be an international joke." "If we can't fight, people will certainly laugh at us; But if it succeeds, how can it become a joke? ! "Liang retorted. "Our career cannot be based on' if'." Soon, Liang was transferred from the Rocket General Staff. Of course, this debate has come to an end.

That winter, the Fifth Hospital held a review meeting of the model scheme. Although the plan of 1.8m caliber was a foregone conclusion, and even though it was in an absolute minority at that time, Liang did not hesitate to stand up and state his view again: "1.8m caliber bullets are unacceptable. Too thin, too long, too soft, a vibration, the pilot's parameters will be chaotic, the missile will be out of control. Still 2.4 meters is suitable. "

1In March, 1962, the "Dongfeng-1" missile with a diameter of 1.8m failed to launch. The reasons are: first, the engine burns through; Second, the low-frequency vibration of the missile body resonates with the autopilot. At the suggestion of experts such as Liang, the second necessary test bomb of Dongfeng II was tested on the ground, and effective measures were taken to reduce resonance. After more than two years' efforts, at 7: 00 1964 on June 29th, "Dongfeng II" finally took off in the air with the huge slogan of "independence and self-reliance" and flew to the intended target accurately.

Scientific experiments have proved this truth. In view of the lessons of "Dongfeng I", the diameter of "Dongfeng II" was changed to 2.4 meters, which became the final size of China's medium and long-range missiles.

There is no end to science. Liang's pursuit of career is endless. In order to improve the range and speed of rockets under the current situation in China, the first generation of rocket engine experts in China began to explore new fields.

"Centrifugal pumps of two engines cannot be connected in parallel, otherwise they may be damaged due to mutual interference." This is what foreign experts say, and it seems to have become a recognized conclusion by some people. Experience should be respected, but it should be conditional. The development of science often means a breakthrough in existing conclusions.

Can you find a new way to make parallel centrifugal pumps not interfere with each other? Through the in-depth analysis of the performance curve of the existing centrifugal pump, Liang finally found this method. One afternoon, according to his own ideas, he organized relevant personnel to connect two centrifugal pumps in parallel on the test bench. In order to explain the problem more effectively, he deliberately caused the flow and pressure imbalance between the two pumps before the test. The experiment began, and all kinds of instruments and pointers swung with it. People are surprised to find that with the acceleration of centrifugal pump speed, the equilibrium state of the two centrifugal pumps at the beginning not only did not expand, but decreased, and soon reached equilibrium automatically. At this point, the two centrifugal pumps have completely become a harmonious whole. This is a major breakthrough in rocket engine technology. Anyone who knows addition and subtraction can understand that two engines connected in parallel are equivalent to doubling the thrust, which is naturally four times that of one engine. After crossing the threshold of engine parallel connection, Liang began to move towards the improvement of the engine itself. He began to develop a new type of engine with specific impulse, light weight and simple structure. This is a more difficult subject, so the voice of opposition is naturally higher. What's the point? Unrealistic, China has no conditions, and so on. The new engine is like a baby that should not be born. It was only because Liang, a strong-willed expert, argued that it was prevented from dying. At that time, as the vice president of the branch, Liang always personally organized the development of new engines and the implementation of test plans, and often stayed up late to analyze test data and deal with various key technical problems. Now this kind of engine has been born in China, and several practical models have been formed. Nowadays, the development of this kind of engine has become a hot topic in some advanced countries, and China people are in the forefront of the world in this field.